There's proof! They're turning back from the front and hurrying up their rear so as to form laager round their big guns.

Hurrah!" he yelled, rising in his stirrups to wave his hat.
"And hurrah a hundred times more!" yelled West, following his companion's example, as he saw now in no less than four directions little clouds of horsemen moving over the widely-spreading plain.
The next minute they had their glasses out and were watching the Boers-- a line no longer, but broken up into what at first seemed to be wild confusion, out of which order began to form, for whoever was in command of the reinforcements on their way to Mafeking possessed enough soldierly knowledge of what was the best thing to be done under the circumstances.

As the wagons in front were wheeled round to retire upon the centre formed by the four heavy guns, and those from the rear were hurried up to join in making a great square, cloud after cloud of mounted men galloped forward to seize upon any patch of shelter to hold against the advancing British force.
"It's well meant," said Ingleborough, without taking his eyes from his glass; "but they will not have time to form a strong laager.

Why, our men will be among them before a quarter of an hour is past." "Before ten minutes!" cried West, in wild excitement.

"Hurrah! Trapped this time! Look right across the laager; there are men coming on there!" It was so, and Ingleborough cheered wildly again.