The next day I was still put off, when I requested to know what had been decided about my fate.  I was getting desperate, and had serious thoughts of taking “French leave,” risking Boer sentries and outposts, and walking into Mafeking at night; but it was the fear of being fired on from our own trenches that deterred me.  Fortunately, however, assistance was at hand.  On the afternoon of the fifth day that I had spent at the laager, a fine-looking burgher rode up to the hospital, and I heard him conversing in very good English.  Presently, after staring at me for some time, he came up and said he had known Randolph Churchill, who, he heard, was my brother, and that he should so like to have a little talk.  He then informed me his name was Spencer Drake, to which I said:  “Your name and your conversation would make me think you are an Englishman, Mr. Drake.”  “So I am,” was his reply.  “I was born in Norfolk.  My father and grandfather before me were in Her Majesty’s Navy, and we are descended from the old commander of Queen Elizabeth’s time.”  To this I observed that I was sorry to see him in the Boer camp amongst the Queen’s enemies.  He looked rather sheepish, but replied:  “Our family settled in Natal many years ago, and I have ever since been a Transvaal burgher.  I owe everything I possess to the South African Republic, and of course I fight for its cause; besides which, we colonials were very badly treated and thrown over by the English Government in 1881, and since then I have ceased to think of England as my country.”  As he seemed well disposed toward me, I did not annoy him by continuing the discussion, and he went on to inform me that he was the General’s Adjutant, and had been away on business, therefore had only just heard that I was in the laager, and he had come at once to see if he could be of any service.  I took the opportunity of telling him what I thought of the way in which they were treating me, pointing out the wretched accommodation I had, and the fact that they had not even supplied me with a bed.  He was very sympathetic, and expressed much sorrow at my discomforts, promising to speak to the General immediately, though without holding out much hope of success, as he told me the latter was sometimes very difficult to manage.  After a little more talk, during which I made friends with his horse, described by him as a wonderful beast, he rode off, and I was full of renewed hope.  A little later the young secretary came up again to see me.  To supplement my messages through Mr. Drake, I requested this young man to tell the General that I could see they were taking a cowardly advantage of me because I was a woman, and that they would never have detained a man under similar circumstances.  In fact, I was on every occasion so importunate that I am quite sure the General’s Staff only prayed for the moment that I should depart.  That afternoon I had a long talk to two old German soldiers, then burghers, who were both characters in their way.