Perhaps he's gliding back under cover from stone to stone." "Perhaps," I said bitterly.

"Look here: if this is your way of going to work I've had enough of soldiering." I rode on unwillingly, expecting to hear a furious tirade from my companion, who still held my rein; but he was silent for a few minutes, while the bullets kept on spattering and whizzing about us without hitting any one.
"So you're tired of soldiering--are you ?" said Denham at last.
"Yes," I said hotly.

"I never felt such a coward before." "Rubbish! Look here: you want me to expose my little detachment to the fire of that strongly-posted crowd of Boers, and get half of them shot down, so as to try and pick up your servant." "No, I don't," I replied sharply.

"There's plenty of cover here.

I should have got the men behind some of these blocks of stone and returned the fire, so as to keep the enemy in check while I sent two men dismounted to try and bring my man--our guide--in, alive or dead." "Humph!" said my companion shortly.