三人大軍 - 古德明

                
                
One day during the Boer War, Colonel Benson of the British army went out reconnoitring with only a signaller and an orderly. Some two or three miles from his main force, about 500 Boers suddenly appeared, making their way up a kopje. Instantly Benson and his two men made a dash and managed to reach the top of the eminence while the enemy were patiently climbing the side.
The Boers had got to 300 yards from the top when Benson suddenly appeared with the signaller, energetically flashing messages on every hand, while the orderly fired rapidly in every direction. Benson then shouted loudly, "Come on, men. Give them cold steel." The Boers were seized with a panic, and fled from the phantom army.
On returning to camp, Benson was asked whatever he was signalling for, as no one could understand him.✽
波爾戰爭期間，英軍本森上校有一天前去探敵，隨從只有一名信號兵，一名勤務兵。他們離大隊約兩三英里的時候，突然看見約五百名波爾人徒步走上一個小山，於是快步搶先走到山頂，而那些波爾人還在慢慢緣斜坡而上。
波爾人走到離山頂約三百碼，本森和信號兵突然一起現身，向四方八面猛發閃耀的信號，那勤務兵則亂槍四處掃射。本森隨即高喊：「大夥兒，一起上，給他們嘗嘗我們的利刃。」波爾人在一支子虛烏有的英軍之前，大驚而退，逃之夭夭。
本森回到軍營，同袍問他發信號幹什麼。那些信號根本無人明白。✽
✽本森上校以英勇多謀見稱。這次智退敵軍之後不久，他就戰死沙場。