about nine in the morning
I had a Colt 's rifle with me and a brace of revolvers , for even when I went down to Leydenburg I heard that several Englishmen had been maltreated , and one or two shot by Boers they met . I tramped for four days , and as the attack on our troops had been made on the 20th of December , it was now Christmas-eve . I had not ventured to go near a Boer farm , for fortunately I had shot a springbok , and was therefore under no trouble as to food ; but on the previous day I had not come across water , and the heat was terrible , so I felt that whatever came of it I must go and ask for a drink . I saw a farmhouse about nine in the morning and made for it . As I approached , a woman came out of the door and , seeing me , re-entered , and two Boers with their guns in their hands ran out . `` Who are you ? '' they shouted .