Part 29 (2/2)

Jack and Guy listened to them, and soon became aware that the language used was English. At the same moment the stoutness of one figure, and an obtrusive German accent, roused Jack's suspicions, and another glance convinced him that by some evil fate he and his comrade had entered a carriage in which were Piet Maartens and Hans Schloss, the two men who above all others in this land of Boers bore him an ill will.

His discovery by the wounded Boer when in the act of escaping from the farm to which he had been sent in the morning was nothing to the shock which this recognition brought him. Here he was, with only one friend, attempting to get back to British territory, and their flight had already been discovered; and now, to make matters ten times worse, they were in the presence of two men who would certainly arrest them as soon as they learnt who they were. It was a terrible predicament, and might very well have awed the boldest, for to be captured now meant almost certain death for Guy, while for Jack a punishment of little less severity might be expected.

Sitting in his corner Jack puffed briskly at his pipe and thought deeply. Then he pulled his slouch hat well over his eyes, and, casually stretching out his legs, touched Guy and attracted his attention. A serious of short winks and nods followed, and if they did not exactly explain the situation to Guy Richardson, they at least showed him that danger was to be expected.

Suddenly Jack became aware that Hans Schloss and his companion had stopped their talking and were staring hard at him. But he took no notice, and, still lying back in his corner, puffed heavily at his pipe.

”Who are you?” Piet Maartens suddenly asked, leaning across and jerking him by the sleeve. Then as Jack looked up he recognised him, and shouted: ”The spy again! Help me, Hans, these two are Englishmen!”

Next second Jack had thrown himself upon him, and Guy rushed at the fat little German, and, grasping him by the collar, threatened to blow out his brains if he made so much as a sound.

But though Hans Schloss was no great fighter, and had given in at once with a terrified whine, the Boer was made of sterner stuff, and endeavoured to draw his pistol. Jack was too quick for him, and now, locked in each other's arms, they swayed backwards and forwards, and finally fell to the floor with a crash, striking one of the doors heavily as they did so, and bursting it open.

”Out with him, Jack! Pitch him out! It is our only chance,” Guy cried excitedly.

Jack heard and understood his words, and, summoning all his strength, folded Piet Maartens in his arms, and, staggering to his feet, hurled him from the carriage. A moment after Guy had served the shrieking German in the same manner, and they were left alone in the carriage.

Meanwhile the train had got up speed on its long run to the Portuguese frontier, and was now well out of Pretoria and rus.h.i.+ng across the lonely veldt.

”By Jove!” exclaimed Jack breathlessly, lifting his hat from his head and wiping the perspiration from his forehead, ”that was a close shave, and if those fellows are not killed, we shall have them setting the whole country after us!”

”Then that settles it, Jack,” Guy answered with conviction. ”If one or both survived the fall they will make for the nearest office and telegraph down the line to stop us. We must get out of this and make for the south.”

”Yes, you're right, Guy. Lorenzo Marques and Delagoa Bay are out of the question, and we had better leave this as soon as possible. The train is running too fast now, but as soon as it slackens pace a little we will jump off and strike south for the other railway. We said we would go through the Orange Free State to Harrismith, and so into Natal; but I begin to think that our best route will be by way of Johnny's Burg and on through Laing's Nek. But there is no saying. We must do whatever seems best, but get out of this we must at all costs.”

About half an hour later the speed of the train slackened, and, climbing out on to the footboard, Jack and Guy jumped off in turn, alighting on the soft gra.s.sy veldt without hurting themselves. Then they turned to the right and tramped on steadily all night.

When morning dawned they were well on the way to Johannesburg, and by the following night had struck the railway some miles below that town.

That same night they boarded a goods train bound for Natal, and hid themselves beneath a sheet of coa.r.s.e canvas which was thrown over an immense Creuzot gun being taken south to add its fire to the bombardment of Ladysmith.

It was a long and tedious run, but no one disturbed them, and two days later they ran through the tunnel at Laing's Nek, and on through Newcastle without stopping.

When nearing Ladysmith Jack and Guy left the truck which had proved such a friendly shelter to them, and striking away from the line hid themselves close to the summit of a solitary hill. And here, behind a breastwork of boulders, they threw themselves on the ground and slept till the sun came up.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

AN ALARMING PREDICAMENT.

When Jack Somerton and his friend Guy Richardson awoke on the morning following their escape into Natal, and looked out cautiously between the rough boulders which surrounded and hid them from sight, a scene at once picturesque and awe-inspiring met their eyes. They were on the top of an immense and precipitous hill, situated some three miles from the railway, and almost encircled by a wide plain of lovely gra.s.s land, looking beautifully cool and green beneath the rays of the morning sun.

Away in the distance, and jutting forward on to the gra.s.sy plain, were hills and short mountain ranges innumerable, their summits for the most part brilliantly lit up, and flas.h.i.+ng back the light from the white faces of thousands of boulders, while the valleys between were still hidden in deep shadows and mist. Here and there, nestling in among the hills or out on the open veldt, were groves of waving trees, while away in the distance the sparkle of an immense cascade of water could be distinctly seen.

It was a peaceful and lovely country, and on that fine summer's morning appeared perhaps even more beautiful than it might have done had Jack and his friend not so recently escaped from a flat and cheerless part, where hills were scarcely to be met with. And yet, much as they admired it all, the presence of a large force of Boers marred the scene, and filled them with forebodings for the future. Two miles south of them there was a large camp, mainly composed of bullock wagons, and to the left of this another could be seen; while crawling across the plain were strings of vehicles laden with supplies.

In every part, too, galloping about singly or in knots, were mounted Boer patrols, searching every foot of the country, and making it a practical impossibility for anyone to slip across it unseen.

Still farther south the tops of other hills could be seen, and as Jack looked at them through his gla.s.ses there were two sudden bursts of smoke and flame, closely following one another, while the faint reports which reached him almost a minute later told him that another day of bombardment had commenced for the troops in Ladysmith.

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