I peeped in, and extended on a rough couch in the farther corner, I perceived the successful General, whose name was in everybody's mouth.

In spite of his unlucky accident, he was full of life and spirits, and we had quite a long conversation.

I have since often told him how interesting was his appearance, and he, in reply, has assured me how much he was impressed by a blue bird's-eye cotton dress I was wearing, the like of which he had not seen since he left England, many months before.

His train soon rumbled on, and then we had a snug little dinner in the ladies' waiting-room that the Station-Commandant, a gallant and hospitable Major, had made gay with trophies, photographs, and coloured pictures out of various journals.
From a deep recess under his bed he produced an excellent bottle of claret, and the rest of the dinner was supplied from the restaurant.
The short African winter's day had faded into a blue and luminous night, resplendent with stars, and still our belated train tarried.

However, the situation was improved, for later advices stated that the Boers had cleared off from the vicinity of the railway-line, and that we should surely leave before midnight.