Part 41 (1/2)
One of these two white men the sound thrilled like the thrill of harp-strings.
Beneath, in the hollow, excitement became intense on every hand. Groups of warriors springing from nowhere, armed, were moving off in the direction of the sound; the large body by which they had just been threatened had already gone. Again and again that dropping volley-- somewhat nearer--and now from a new direction--and this time quite near, a renewed roar.
”D'you hear that?” cried Lamont, eager with repressed excitement. ”We could almost join these, only we don't know how many Matabele there may be between us and them.”
Ujojo and the other guards were no more impervious to the prevailing excitement. They were pointing eagerly, this way and that way, and taking in all the different points at which warriors were posted among the rocks to give the invaders a warm reception. That a large force of whites was advancing was manifest by the heaviness of the fire, which was now heard on the three open sides of the place.
A little more of this, and still nearer and nearer drew the three lines of fire, the nearest of all being that on their own side; and now, warriors, by twos and threes, rifle in hand, were seen flitting by, clearly in full retreat or to take up some new position. And, around these, spits of dust from the invaders' bullets were already beginning to rise.
”_Nkose_! It is time for us to leave now,” called out Ujojo. ”Your people will be here directly.”
”Good, Ujojo. After the war, all those who have guarded me shall have five cows apiece for to-day's work. Now go!”
”_Nkose! Baba_!” they shouted with hand uplifted. Then they went.
”I'm thinking out our best plan, Father,” said Lamont. ”If we show ourselves too soon we might get shot in mistake for Matabele. The only thing is to--”
”Give it the schepsels, give it 'em! Give 'em h.e.l.l!” sung out a voice just beneath. And renewed firing broke forth, presumably on the rear of the retreating guards.
”That's Peters,” p.r.o.nounced Lamont. ”Ahoy, there! Peters!” he bellowed.
Peters stood stock-still for a moment--stared--listened. ”It's him!” he roared. ”It's him! Wyndham. Here! we've found him! We came out to do it--and--we've done it. How are you, my dear old chap,” as the quondam prisoner and invalid emerged from his late prison and hospital, walking with surprising vigour. ”Oh, but this is too good, too darn good for anything!”
”Let go, Peters. Dash it, man, you hurt,” cried Lamont, ruefully contemplating his half-crushed knuckles. ”Or turn some of it on to Father Mathias here. His doctoring skill has pulled me round, I can tell you.”
”How are you, sir. Delighted to see you again,” went on Peters. ”We came out to find Lamont. Swore we wouldn't go back till we had. Isn't that so, boys?”
”Rather,” answered the others, who had come up. ”How are you, captain,”
and ”Glad to see you safe and sound,” and a dozen other hearty greetings were showered upon him.
”Peters,” he said in a low tone, drawing him apart. ”What news?--You know.”
”I can't give you any, Lamont, beyond the day you disappeared. You see we came straight away from Kezane. Miss Vidal was marvellously plucky, but not a man jack of us but could see she was half broken-hearted. She wanted to come with us.”
”Did she?” said the other huskily.
”Didn't she! Well, of course that wouldn't do. She went back to Gandela.”
”And I'm going to do ditto--to-night. You can raise me a horse, Peters?”
”No, I can't; and I wouldn't if I could. By the way, have you any idea where you are?”
”Now I think of it, I haven't.”
”Eastern end of the Matopo. So you see the sort of country--and the extent of it--between this and Gandela. And it just swarms with rebels.”
Lamont admitted the sense of this, but it was hard to be patient.
Meanwhile the battle, or skirmish,--in which they had ceased to take any further interest,--had rolled farther and farther away, and was slackening off altogether.
When the force went into camp for the night, great was the dissatisfaction expressed over Peters' proposed defection. The latter was adamant.