thirty years, a factor heavily in his favour. Also, he had brought
sixteen hundred men to the Vaal against Leroux's six hundred. Yet
Leroux was the victor of Colenso and Spion Kop, and since then he had
fought consistently and with not 'little success, including the
wrecking of eight trains and the anihilation of four British supply
columns.
Zietsmann had been second in command at Madder River, but since then he
had done nothing but keep his commando intact.
For three days the debate continued with Zietsmann dourly refusing to
bring the matter to the vote until he sensed that opinion had swung to
his side. Leroux wanted command; not , only for personal Satisfaction,
but also because he knew that under this cautious and stubborn old man
they would be lucky to reach the Orange River, let alone force an
effective entry into the Cape.
The card that won the hand belonged to Zietsmann, and it was ironic
that he had it simply because of his inactivity over the last eighteen
months.
When Lord Roberts had marched into Pretoria two years before, his entry
had been offered only token resistance, for the Government of the South
African Republic had withdrawn along the eastern railway line to
Komatipoort. With them went the entire contents of the Pretoria
Treasury, which totalled two million Pounds in gold Kruger
sovereigns.
Later, when old president Kruger left for Europe, a part of this
treasure went with him, but the balance had been shared out among the
remainder of the commando leaders as their war chests to continue the
fight.
Months before most of Leroux's share had been expended on the purchase
of supplies from the native tribes, on ammunition from the Portuguese
gun runners and on payment to his men.
During a desperate night action with one of the raiding British columns
he had lost the balance along with his Hotchkiss gun, twenty of his
best men and a hundred irreplaceably precious horses.
Zietsmann, however, had come to the meeting with a pack mule carrying
thirty thousand sovereigns. The successful invasion of the Cape would
depend largely upon this gold. On the evening of the fourth day he was
duly elected Commander by a majority of two hundred, and within twelve
hours he had demonstrated how well, equipped he was for the task.
'So we start in the morning, then,' one of the burghers beside Leroux
grunted.
'About time,' another commented. They were breakfasting on biltong, ,
sticks of hard dried meat, , for Leroux had succeeded in convincing
Zietsmann, that open cooking fires, were dangerous.
'No sign of Van der Bergh's men?' asked Leroux.
'Not yet, Oom Paul.'
'They are finished, or else they would have been here days ago,
'Yes, they are finished,' agreed Leroux. 'They must have run into one
of the columns.' Twenty good men, he sighed softly, and Hennie was
with them. He was very fond of the boy, all of them were. He had
become the mascot of the commando.
