Part 35 (1/2)

This message, which was followed up by prompt action, the capture of considerable numbers of cattle, and a successful attack on one of his princ.i.p.al kraals, brought the great chief to his senses--apparently, but not really, as the sequel will show. He sent in four messengers with proposals, but the Governor refused to treat with any one except Hintza himself. Terrified at last into submission, he entered the camp with a retinue of fifty followers, and was courteously received by the commander-in-chief.

During the course of these proceedings detached parties were frequently sent hither and thither to surprise a kraal or to capture cattle, and the two parties under Groot Willem and Hans Marais, having arrived at Fort Wils.h.i.+re at the same time, were allowed to act pretty much in concert.

One night they found themselves encamped in a dark mountain gorge during a thunderstorm.

”Well, well,” said Jerry Goldboy to Junkie, who with Scholtz had taken refuge under the very imperfect shelter of a bush, ”it's 'orrible 'ard work this campaigning; specially in bad weather, with the point of one's nose a'most cut off.”

Jerry referred to a wound which an a.s.sagai aimed at his heart had that day inflicted on his nose. The wound was not severe, but it was painful, and the sticking-plaster which held the point of his unfortunate member in its place gave his countenance an unusually comical appearance.

”Is it very zore, boy?” asked Scholtz.

”Zore! I wish you 'ad it, an' you wouldn't 'ave to ask,” returned Jerry.

”How did you come by it?” asked Junkie, looking grave with difficulty.

”Well, it ain't easy to say exactly. You see it was getting dark at the time, and I was doin' my best to drive a thief of a _h_ox down a place in the kloof where it had to stand upright, a'most, on its front-legs, with its tail whirlin' in the _h_air. An' I 'adn't much time to waste neither, for I knew there was Kafirs all about, an' the troops was gettin' a'ead of me, an' my 'oss was tied to a yellow-wood tree at the foot o' the kloof, an' I began to feel sort o' skeery with the gloomy thickets all around, an' rugged precipices lookin' as if they'd tumble on me, an' the great mountains goin' up to 'eaven--oh! I can tell you it was--it was--”

”In short, the most horrible sight you ever saw,” said Junkie, drawing his blanket tighter round his shoulders, and crouching nearer to the bulky form of Scholtz for protection from the wind which was rising.

”Yes, Junkie, it was--the most 'orrible sight I ever saw, for wild savageness, so I drew my sword and gave the _h_ox a prog that sent 'im 'ead over 'eels down the kloof w'ere 'e broke 'is back. Just at that werry moment--would you mind takin' your toe out o' my neck, Junkie? it ain't comfortable: thank you.--Well, as I was sayin', at that very moment I spied a black fellow stealin' away in the direction of my 'oss.

He saw me too, but thought I didn't see _'im_. Up I jumps, an' run for the 'oss. Up 'e jumps an' run likewise. But I was nearer than 'im, an'

a deal faster--though I don't mean to boast--”

”An' a deal frighteneder,” suggested Junkie.

”P'raps, 'owever I got to the 'oss first. I didn't take time to mount, but went leap-frog over 'is tail slap into the saddle, which gave the hold 'oss such a skeer that 'e bolted! The Kafir 'e gave a yell an'

sent 'is a.s.sagai after me, an' by bad luck I looks round just as it went past an' all but took off the point of my nose. Wasn't it unlucky?”

”Unlucky! you ungrateful man,” growled Scholtz. ”You should be ver'

glad de a.s.sagai did not stick you in de neck like von zow.--Is zat rain vich I feels in ze back of mine head?”

”Like enough. There's plenty of it, anyhow,” said Junkie, trying to peer through the gloom in the direction of the tents occupied by a small body of regular troops which accompanied them.

As he did so a sudden squall struck the tents, levelling two with the ground, and entirely whisking off one, which, after making a wild circle in the air, was launched over a precipice into thick darkness, and never more seen!

Lying under another bush, not far distant, Considine and Hans lay crouched together for the purpose at once of keeping each other warm and presenting the smallest possible amount of surface to the weather. They did not sleep at first, and being within earshot of the bush under which the brothers Skyd had sheltered themselves, found sufficient entertainment in listening to their conversation.

”We scarce counted on this sort of thing,” said John Skyd, ”when, fifteen years ago, we left the sh.o.r.es of old England for `Afric's southern wilds.'”

”That's true, Jack,” was Bob Skyd's reply, ”and I sometimes think it would have been better if we had remained at home.”

”Craven heart! what do you mean?” demanded James.

”Ay, what do you mean?” repeated Dobson; ”will nothing convince you? It is true we made a poor job of the farming, owing to our ignorance, but since we took to merchandise have we not made a good thing of it--ain't it improving every day, and won't we rise to the very pinnacle of prosperity when this miserable war is over.”

”Supposing that we are not killed in the mean-time,” said Stephen Orpin, who formed one of the group.

”That is a mere truism, and quite irrelevant,” retorted Dobson.