'At Pootfontein I lost my son Andries.'
"'I beg your pardon, Commandant,' says the General; and the rest of the
crowd sort of cooed over Adrian.
"'Excoose,' says Adrian. 'It was all right. They were good men those, but
it is just what I say. Some are so dam good we want to hands-up, and some
are so dam bad, we say, "Take the Vierkleur into Cape Town." It is not
upright of you, Generaal. It is not upright of you at all. I do not think
you ever wish this war to finish.'
"'It's a first-class dress-parade for Armageddon,' says the General. 'With
luck, we ought to run half a million men through the mill. Why, we might
even be able to give our Native Army a look in. Oh, not here, of course,
Adrian, but down in the Colony--say a camp-of-exercise at Worcester. You
mustn't be prejudiced, Adrian. I've commanded a district in India, and I
give you my word the native troops are splendid men.'
"'Oh, I should not mind them at Worcester,' says Adrian. 'I would sell you
forage for them at Worcester--yes, and Paarl and Stellenbosch; but
Almighty!' he says, 'must I stay with Cronje till you have taught half a
million of these stupid boys to ride? I shall be an old man.'
"Well, Sir, then and there they began arguing whether St. Helena would
suit Adrian's health as well as some other places they knew about, and
fixing up letters of introduction to Dukes and Lords of their
acquaintance, so's Van Zyl should be well looked after.
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