A fat man (thunderously, nursing a Lee-Metford sporting rifle).  Well, you’ve yourselves to blame.  I’ve done my best.  With fifty men I’d have held this place against a thousand Boers, and not ten men’d join.

A thin-faced man (piping).  We haven’t got the rifles.  Every Dutchman’s armed, and how many rifles will you find among the English?

Fat man (shooting home bolt of Lee-Metford).  And who’s fault’s that?  I’ve left my property in the Free State, and odds are I shall lose every penny I’ve got—­what part? all over—­and come here on to British soil, and what do I find?  With fifty men I’d hold this place—­

Thin-faced man. They’ll be here to-night, old De Wet says, and they’re to come here and sjambok the Englishmen who’ve been talking too much.  That’s what comes of being loyal!

Fat man. Loyal!  With fifty men—­

Brown-faced, grey-haired man (smoking deep-bowled pipe in corner).  No, you wouldn’t.

Fat man (playing with sights of Lee-Metford).  What!  Not keep the bridge with fifty men—­

Brown-faced, grey-haired man. And they’d cross by the old drift, and be on every side of you in ten minutes.

Fat man (grounding Lee-Metford).  Ah!  Well—­h’m!

Thick-set man. But we’re safe enough.  Has not the Government sent us a garrison?  Six policemen!  Six policemen, gentlemen, and the Boers are at Pieter’s farrm, and they’ll be here to-night and sjambok—­

Thin-faced man. Where are the troops?  Where are the volunteers?  Where are the—­

Brown-faced, grey-haired man. There are no troops, and the better for you.  The strength of Aliwal is in its weakness. (To fat man.) Put that gun away.

Thin-faced man, thick-set man, and general chorus. Yes, put it away.

Thin-faced man. But I want to know why the Boers are armed and we aren’t?  Why does our Government—­

Brown-faced man. Are you accustomed to shoot?

Thin-faced man (faintly).  No.

Fat man (returning from putting away Lee-Metford).  But where do you come from?

Brown-faced man. Free State, same as you do.  Lived there five-and-twenty years.

Thin-faced man. Any trouble in getting away?

Brown-faced man. No.  Field-cornet was a good old fellow and an old friend of mine, and he gave me the hint—­

Thin-faced man. Not much like ours!  Why, there’s a lady staying here that’s friendly with his daughters, and she went out to see them the other day, and the old man said they’d stop here and sjam—­

Fat man. Gentlemen, drinks all round!  Here’s success to the British arms!

All. Success to the British arms!

Thick-set man. And may the British Government not desert us again!