One day during the Boer War, a British staff officer, riding ahead of the Commander-in-Chief, Frederick Roberts, saw a soldier with a couple of plump chickens. "Here," said the officer, "where did you get those fowls, eh?" "Commandeered them, sir," was the reply. "Then hide them at once. Here's Lord Roberts just behind us. He'll have you shot!"
At this moment Roberts cantered up. "What is that man doing with those chickens?" he asked sternly. "Sir," replied the staff officer promptly, "he has understood that you are on very short rations, and he desires to offer the fowls for your dinner. He got them off a farmer close by."
"Why, how very kind!" exclaimed Roberts, smiling warmly. "What is your name? I am very much obliged to you."
"Now, no more of that, do you hear?" whispered the officer to the soldier, who was doubtless very glad to part with his plunder on the conditions named.
波爾戰爭期間，一名英軍參謀騎馬走在總司令弗雷德利．羅伯茨之前，看見一個士兵提着幾隻肥雞。那參謀問：「喂，你怎麼會有這些雞？」那士兵回答：「是從民間徵取的。」「那麼，快把牠們藏起來。羅伯茨爵士就在後面。他會槍斃你！」
羅伯茨這時已經策馬慢跑到來。他語氣嚴厲，問道：「這個士兵拿着這些雞做什麼？」那參謀應聲回答說：「總司令，他知道你糧食嚴重不足，想把這些雞給你作晚餐。雞是從附近一個農人那裏取得的。」
羅伯茨臉上露出親切的微笑。他說：「啊，你真好，我非常感謝。你叫什麼名字？」
那參謀低聲跟士兵說：「好，以後不要再那樣了，知道嗎？」那士兵當然十分樂意遵從這條件，同時把搶掠所得交出。