Can't you see that it is the sheer impudence of the thing that would carry it through ?" "No, old chap," he replied; "that I can't." "Well, I can," I said firmly.

"The black driver and foreloper could be roused out of their sleep, and they take it as a matter of course that they were to drive the wagon somewhere else, and obey at once, especially if they are hurried by some one who speaks like a Boer." "Well, I grant that's possible," said Denham; "but what about the Boer sentries and outposts?
They'd stop you before you'd gone straight away for a hundred yards." "I shouldn't go straight away," I said, "but along by the front; and if we were stopped, Joeboy could tell the outpost we were ordered to change position--to go on to the other end of the line.

What would the outpost care or think about it?
All he would think would be that a wagon-load of stores was being shifted, and let us pass.

Then I should tell Joeboy to begin creeping out towards the east yonder, and keep on till we were out of bearing before striking away for the kopje here.

Once we had got clear off we could keep steadily on all through the night, and at daybreak you would be watching for us, and send out a detachment to bring us in." "Splendid, my boy--in theory," said Denham; "but it would not work out in practice." "Think not ?" "A hundred to one it wouldn't," cried Denham firmly.
"Well, I think it would," I said--"and from the cool daring of the thing." "And what about your horse?
That would be enough to betray you." "No take Sandho," said Joeboy, who had been listening attentively.
"Of course not," I said.