Danie Theron answered the highest demands that could be made on a warrior.
One of Commandant Theron's lieutenants, Jan Theron, was appointed in his place.
From there I went with Captain Scheepers to the railway line, where I burnt a railway bridge temporarily constructed with sleepers, and wrecked a great part of the rails with dynamite.

I then proceeded to various farms in the neighbourhood, and after a few days, with Commandant Michal Prinsloo, who had joined me, I returned to the same part of the railway in order to carry out its destruction on a larger scale.
At twenty-five different places a charge of dynamite was placed with one man at the fuse, who had to set light to it as soon as he heard a whistle, that all charges could be ignited at the same time, and every one be out of the way when the pieces of iron were hurled in the air by the explosion.
When the signal was heard the lucifers were struck everywhere, and the fuses ignited.
The English, keeping watch on some other part of the line not far from us, on seeing the lights fired so fiercely on the burghers that they all took to their horses and galloped off.
Only five charges exploded.
I waited for a moment, but no sound broke the silence.
"Come on!" I said, "we must fire all the charges." On reaching the line we had to search in the darkness for the spots where the dynamite had been placed.

And now again the order was given that as soon as the whistle was blown every one had to ignite his fuse.
Again there was a blunder! One of the burghers ignited his fuse before the signal had been given, and this caused such a panic that the others ran away.

I and a few of my staff lay flat on the ground where we were until this charge had exploded, and then I went to fetch the burghers back.
This time everything went off well, and all the charges exploded.
The bridge I had destroyed had been rebuilt, and so I was forced to burn it again.

When this was done we departed and rode on to Rietspruit, where we up-saddled, and then pushed on to Rhenosterpoort.
[Footnote 67: Master.] [Footnote 68: Ravine.] [Footnote 69: General Store.].