They arrived there on Thursday with their horses dead beat.

They were afoot at three o'clock on Friday morning, and two brigades out of three were hard at work all day in an endeavour to capture the Dronfield position.

Yet when on the same evening an order came that French should start again instantly from Kimberley and endeavour to head Cronje's army off, he did not plead inability, as many a commander might, but taking every man whose horse was still fit to carry him (something under two thousand out of a column which had been at least five thousand strong), he started within a few hours and pushed on through the whole night.

Horses died under their riders, but still the column marched over the shadowy veld under the brilliant stars.

By happy chance or splendid calculation they were heading straight for the one drift which was still open to Cronje.