he way out。〃
〃You have known Miss Dent for a long time？〃 Weldon queried。
Captain Frazer answered the question as frankly as it was asked。 For the moment； they were man and man。 In a moment more； they could resume their formal relations of captain and soldier。
〃I knew her well in England。 We met at one or two house parties； a year ago last fall。 I was at her coming…out function； too。〃 Then he rose。 〃I shall see you again；〃 he added formally。 〃Now I wish to make my round of the guards。〃 And； turning； he went striding away towards his own quarters in the vestry。
Weldon looked after him thoughtfully。 Then he uttered terse judgment。
〃Carew； that's a man；〃 he said。
〃Quite likely；〃 Carew assented。 〃Women don't usually wear khaki。 Shall we go in search of Paddy？〃
They found him smoking tranquilly by the churchyard gate。 The old stone wall towering above his head made good shelter from the drizzle； and Paddy； his day's labor done； was leaning back at his ease； exchanging adverse compliments with the half…dozen sentries who patrolled the wall。 He hailed Weldon with cordiality。
〃Come along here； little Canuck；〃 he called。 〃There's room for the two of us and fine smoking。 Mr。 Carew can stay out in the rain。 It's worth his while； even then； for the sake of watching that pigeon… toed cockney in the oilskins； him as is stubbing his toes in the sand； this blessed minute。〃
〃Shut up； Paddy；〃 his victim retorted hotly。
〃It's you that should shut up and teach the toes of you to walk hushlike。 If you go on like this； you living watchman's rattle； the Boers can hear you； clear up in the Transvaal。 Tell me； little one； have you seen your captain yet？〃
〃Captain Frazer？〃
〃Yes； Captain Leo Frazer； sure as you're a trooper of C。 Squadron。 You're in luck； boy。 There's not a better soldier nor a finer Christian； this side the line。 Neptune must have give him an extry scrubbing； when he come over； for he's white he is； all white。 Boys！〃 Paddy spoke in a portentous whisper。
〃Let her go；〃 Weldon advised him calmly。
〃It goes without letting。 Once let Paddy get free of his skillets； once let him have a rifle in place of his spoon； and you'll see war。 The Kingdom of Heaven is a spot of everlasting peace。 All I ask of Saint Peter is a place in front of a line of Boers and Captain Frazer beside me to give the orders。〃
〃Here he is； Paddy。〃 The low…pitched voice was full of mirth。 〃He orders you inside your tent to plan up an extra good breakfast。 Some of these fellows must volunteer for a night guard out in the open； and they will need a feast； when they come in。〃
Weldon rose hastily。
〃At your service； Captain；〃 he said； just as Paddy； in nowise daunted by the unexpected presence of his superior； responded；
〃Sure； Captain； I put a condition on the tail of it。 If you'll remember back a little； you'll see that I merely said； 'when I get a rifle instead of a spoon。' It's a sorry day for an able…bodied man to be tied to a frying pan all his days。 Now and then he longs to leap out and get into the fire。〃
Meanwhile； half of the men inside the church were volunteering for the party of twenty guards demanded by the Captain。 It was a surly night； cold and raw with a drizzling rain。 Nevertheless； this was their first approach to anything even remotely resembling active service； and the men sought it eagerly。
By dint of attaching himself to the Captain's elbow and assuming that his going was an understood thing； Weldon accomplished his aim。 Eleven o'clock found him； wet to his skin； sneaking on the points of his toes through the thick grass beyond the river； with nineteen other men sneaking at his heels。 There had been no especial pretext of Boers in the neighborhood； tactical thoroughness merely demanded a guard on the farther side of the river。 Nevertheless； the enthusiastic fellows threw themselves into the game with the same spirit with which； twenty years before； they had faced the danger of a runaway by the tandem of rampant hall chairs。 A stray Boer or two would have made an interesting diversion； but； even without the Boers； a night guard in the open possessed its own interest。
By four in the morning； the interest had waned perceptibly。 The establishment of their force in a convenient hut and the placing of pickets had served to occupy an hour or so。 After that； nothing happened。 The storm was increasing。 The rain beat ceaselessly on the corrugated iron roof of their shelter and made a dreary bass accompaniment to the strident tenor of the rising wind。 Inside the but the men yawned and whispered together by turns。 Carew's best jokes began to fall a little flat； and Weldon held his watch to his ear； to assure himself that it was still in active service。 Then hastily he thrust the watch into his pocket； gathered up his sleeping…bag and removed himself to a remote corner of the hut； with Carew and a dozen more after him。
Not even the most enthusiastic champion of South African rights can affirm that the South African citizen is heedful of the condition of his lesser buildings。 The rising wind had proved too much for the hut。 Its joints writhed a little； seesawed up and down a little； then yawned like a weary old man。 From a dozen points above； the rain came pattering down； seeking with unerring instinct that precise spot on each man's back where skin and collar meet。
〃Whither？〃 Carew queried； as Weldon made his fifth move。
〃Outside； to see what the pickets are about。〃
〃But it rains；〃 Carew protested lazily。
〃So I observe。 Still； I'd rather take it outside as it comes； instead of having a gutter empty itself on me； when I am supposed to be under cover。〃
〃Better stay in；〃 Carew advised him。
〃No use。 Sleep is out of the question； and I'd rather be moving； it is less monotonous。〃
〃Go along； then； and look out for Boers。 Can I have your bag？〃
〃You're too wet； you'd soak up all the inside of it。 If I am to get a chill； I'd rather do it from my dampness than your own。〃 Carew laid hands on the bag。
〃What a selfish beast you are； Weldon！〃 he observed tranquilly。 〃This is no sack…race； you can't go out to walk in your bag。 In fact； it takes two to make a navigable pair。 Then why not let me have it？〃
〃Why didn't you bring your own？〃
Already Carew was arranging himself in his new covering。
〃I mislaid mine in Cape Town；〃 he replied sleepily。 〃Now please go away。 I need my beauty nap。〃
An hour later； he was roused by a sharp reversal of his normal position。 When he became fully awake； he was lying in a pool of water in the middle of the hut； and Weldon was in possession of the blankets and bag。
〃What's the row？〃 he asked thickly。 〃I'm a Canadian； out here shooting Boers。 Oh； I say！〃 And he was on his feet； saluting the man at Weldon's side。
〃The only bag in the squadron； Captain Frazer；〃 Weldon was explaining。 〃The blankets are quite dry。 Roll yourself up； and you will be warm in a few minutes。〃
Carew surveyed the transfer with merry； impartial eyes。
〃Well； I like that；〃 he said； when the Captain's yellow head was all that was visible above the encircling cocoon。 〃I thought you said that you preferred to catch cold from your own wetness； Weldon。 I was merely damp； this man is a sponge。〃
Before Weldon could answer； the yellow head turned； and the blue eyes looked up into Carew's eyes laughingly。
〃Merely one of the privileges of rank； Carew；〃 the Captain observed as dryly as if he had not risen from his warm bed to swim the river and walk a mile in the darkness and the downpour； in order to see how the new boys were getting on。
CHAPTER SIX
Captain Leo Frazer； age thirty and an Englishman； had a trick of looking Fate between the eyes with those black…fringed blue eyes of his； of accepting its gifts with gratitude； its occasional knocks with cheery optimism。 At Rugby he had ultimately been captain of the school； at Oxford he had been of equal prowess in rowing and football。 Since taking his degree； he had been a successful doctor in the intervals of time allowed him by his membership in one of the crack regiments at home。 He had never seriously contemplated the possibility of active service； but Colenso had been too strong a pull upon him。 Leaving some scores of sorrowing patients to bemoan him as already dead； he had promptly shipped for Cape Town。 The year of grace nineteen hundred had found him on the scene at most of its exciting events。 Where Fate refused to take him； he asserted his strong hand and took Fate； until that weary lady was forced to go hopping about the map of South Africa with the agility of a sand flea。
In battle； Frazer was always in the thickest spatter of bullets； where he bowed himself to the inevitable and lay prone； though with his face turned to one side to give free passage to the chaff which carried his comrades through so many grim hours。 In the presence of danger； his humor never failed him。 In those sorrowful hours which followed the cessation of firing； no man was in greater demand than he。 Many a brave fellow had died with his hand shut fast over Frazer's long； slim fingers； many a man's first； awful moments in hospital had been soothed by the touch of those same firm； slim hands。 And in the singsongs around the camp fire； or at the mess table； Frazer's voice was always heard； no matter how great the tumult of a moment before。
Like many another of his countrymen； Captain Frazer had learned lessons since he had left the ship at Cape Town； just a year before。 He had come out from England； trained to the inflexibly formal tactics of the British army。 Again and again he had seen those tactics proved of no avail in the face of an invisible enemy and an almost inexpugnable country。 He had learned the nerve…racking tension of being exposed to a storm of bullets that came apparently from nowhere to cut down the British lines as the hail cuts down the standing grain； he had learned the shock of seeing the level veldt； over which he was marching； burst into a line of fire at his very feet from a spot where it seemed that scarce a dozen men could lie in hiding； to say nothing of a dozen scores。 He had learned that； under such fire； a man's first duty was to drop flat on his face； to push up a tiny breastwork of earth and to fire from behind