Letters began to arrive in bulky batches, and one morning I received no less than 100, some of which bore the date of September of the year before.

My time was divided between eagerly devouring these missives from home, sending and answering cables (a telegraph-line to the nearest telephone-office had been installed), and helping to organize a new hospital in the school-house, to accommodate the sick and wounded belonging to Colonel Mahon's force.

All the while my thoughts were occupied by my return to England and by the question of the surest route to Cape Town.

The railway to the South could not be relaid for weeks, and, as an alternative, my eyes turned longingly towards the Transvaal and Pretoria.

It must be remembered that we shared the general opinion that, once Lord Roberts had reached the latter town, the war would be practically over.