The reports come down the pass and strike against the face of the rocks, and are reflected off." "That's all very nicely put, comrade," said the young man, "and I dare say it's scientific and `all according to Cocker,' as my father used to say; but you're not going to make me believe those are echoes we can hear right in front.

Now, you listen." I did as he suggested, and the rattling of the Boers' rifles came plainly enough, their many reverberations, as the reports seemed to strike from side to side, almost drowning the feeble replies of our own men.

Then, after a perceptible pause, fresh reports were heard, and certainly these seemed to come from some distance away in front.
"There!" cried my companion triumphantly.

"What do you say to that ?" "That the shots echo again from some high hills in front." "Boss Val," cried Joeboy just then, and I touched Sandho with my heels, making him spring on to where the big black was straining his neck to look back, but trudging steadily on all the while.
"What is it, Joeboy ?" I said anxiously.

"Has he moved or spoken ?" "Um! Not said a word; but some one shooting over-over." He nodded his head in the direction we were going, and now I grasped the fact that I had before doubted--namely, that firing was going on in our front.
I drew the sergeant's attention to it directly, and he nodded.
"That settles it at once," he said.