Part 14 (1/2)
Hendricks, who had been carefully noting as occurring a the people, even before they made an onward movement, kneas about to happen He no that not a moment was to be lost
”On, on, ht ahead up the hill”
Crawford, who had gone ahead, with Denis behind hi his spurs into his horse's flanks Lionel and Percy followed close to hiht up the rear, keeping his rifle ready to shoot down any warrior with a fast pair of heels who should coood start, he had no doubt about keeping well ahead But the hill had to be sure of the horses He turned for a lance at his pursuers
Excited to fury by the howls and shrieks of the old hag, they were exerting every round, and were co on at a rapid rate The well-trained steeds bravely pressed up the hill, as if they were perfectly aware of the threatened danger Several of the Zulus had already got up to within fifty yards of the fugitives A couple of assegais cah the air, but they fell short of Hendricks, who now urging on his horse,ahead The rest of the party were by this tiround A few more bounds, and they were on the brow There was now no probability that the Zulus would overtake the down one or more, but he had no desire to kill any one, and the extreer passed he rode on to the head of his party Still he could not venture to slacken his speed, for before theround, and soh to hurl their assegais The desire he felt to avoid bloodshed made him still ht otherwise, by halting, have received their pursuers with a fire which would effectually have stopped their career It was satisfactory to know that the Zulus had no horses, for none had been observed in or about the caot well ahead there was no risk of being overtaken
What all this ti the , nor had he made his appearance after Hendricks'
arrival at the cah it was too possible that he had been put to death by the Zulus
As the party gained the brow of the slope which led down to the next valley, they saw below a herd of cattle, a, attended by a few Zulus
”The chances are our horses are a them,” cried Denis, as they rode down the slope; ”yes, yes, I see them! I am sure they are ours; and, hurrah, there too is old Gozo safe and sound He has caught sight of us, and, depend on it, is planning how he can best get clear of those fellows near hiht,” said Hendricks, and he shouted his follower's naers were about to an to drive the hiht the two others, and galloped on to join his friends So, hurled their assegais at him; but, experienced hunter as he was, he avoided the down over the neck of his horse, and escaped
He was quickly up to his friends
”Hurrah! here he comes,” said Denis ”I will relieve you, Crawford, and mount my animal”
”But he has no saddle,” said Crawford
”Oh, never mind that; I've ridden o all the faster for not having ht on his back,”
answered Denis, as he threw hiht up
No ti Gozo questions Lionel, as as well accustomed to ride without a saddle as was Denis, at once cliain the party set off, allowing the herds back, they saw the Zulus in considerable numbers on the top of the hill they had just crossed; but the slope on the opposite side was not very steep, and pushi+ng on they gained the summit before their pursuers had reached the bottoalloped forward Still it was prudent not to pull rein as yet, and on they went at a rate which soon carried thealeesu had not joined Uh the prince fancies he will succeed, there is every probability that he will be defeated, as, besides being supported by the king, Cetchwayo has by far the larger nu Crawford ”Had I found an opportunity, I would have spoken to Mangaleesu on the subject, and urged him to retreat while there was ti as they rode on together, the three boys were galloping alongside each other and exchanging remarks in sooing at a fast rate on horseback, especially if their steeds are without saddles, as was the case in the present instance with two of the lads
”I cannot tell you how glad I was to see you come back with Hendricks, for I was ht by the Zulus and killed,”
said Percy, turning to Lionel ”How did you ht have supposed,” answered Lionel
”When I got out of the hut, I crept along, keeping as much as possible under the shadow of bushes and rocks If I heard the slightest sound, I stopped and lay flat on the ground, just as the Zulus do when approaching an ene, I fancy, that none of Cetchwayo's people were near enough to reach the camp I sao or three in the distance, but none caht fall in with a prowling lion or leopard, or encounter a snake of so I did not, however, allow ht how I had best act should I meet with either of the work, as I could never venture to stand upright, and had generally to h so lon; but even in that position I could not run fast I at last reached the side of the hill up which I had to climb There were several open parts, where, had the Zulus been keeping a bright look-out, I ht have takenas fast as I could, not stopping even to look behindto the other side I saw a nurass Before I could venture on I had to try and ascertain whereabouts thethe cattle had posted themselves I was pretty sure that they would be under shelter soht as chilly, they would be either seated beneath the rocks, or would have built thehs I feared that if by chance I should creep near one of theht be seen, when the felloould to a certainty hurl his assegai at me, as he would take me for a wild beast of some sort At last, unable to discover any one, I crawled down the hill, prepared at any moment to take to my heels, should I be discovered No sound reached th found uessed that they were our ohich the Zulus had taken froht him to do, could I venture to call him I whistled low I saw one of the horses lift his head I could just distinguish hiain, and he began to move towards me
The third time I whistled louder than the first, when, to my infinite satisfaction, he trotted up He had the rope bridle still round his neck Slipping it into his rasped his mane and leapt upon his back Just as I reached it and found ht sight of a Zulu rushi+ng out from beneath a thick bush, where he had ensconced hi on alloped off across the country
I was breasting the opposite hill when several other Zulus joined the first Whether, even then, they had made out that there was anybody on the back of the horse, I was not certain I think they did not; for, as I bent lon, they ht have supposed that the animal had been suddenly seized with a desire to return to its former companions, and that the others would probably follohich of course they wished to prevent the When once I was on the top of the hill, I knew that there was little chance of the Zulus overtakingbeyond the sound of their voices, while I knew that they could not distinguish even the clatter of my horse's hoofs at the distance I was already fro ride before ood feed, I had no doubt that I could accouessed, more or less, the direction of our caht course by the stars, which shone brightly My steed fortunately could see his way better than I could, or I should often have been greatly puzzled At last the ht, and enabled me to see the outline of the hills, by which I knew that I was going right I was galloping along, when an to tre ahead, I saw, tofrom a thicket Had I had allop either to the one side or the other would have been madness, as the lion would have been up to me in a few bounds; for, heavy as the creature looks, he can, I assure you, move for a short distance faster than the fleetest horse Could I have induced my steed tocare, you e of his paws; but the poor ani with fear, stood stock still At first I was not quite certain that the lion was looking at ain In return I shouted at the top ofhiet hierous predicament, I knew, but I did not despair Presently I saw a pack of jackals run by, with a lioness at their heels, when the lion turned and joined her From this I knew that he e ani was to keep the jackals away People often declare that the jackals are the lion's providers; but such is all nonsense I did not stop, you may be sure, to see how either the lions or jackals were employed, but rode on as fast as I could out of their way I was not certain of the distance I had gone, and was very doubtful whether I should hit the camp I was afraid that I had passed it, and should suddenly find ht not be amiably disposed Still it would not do to stand still It at last appeared to ht, and on reaching the suht of two fires in the distance I rode towards the sure that they were at our camp As I approached, I shouted at the top of , followed ireat satisfaction, by Hendricks hi off to look for you boys, for I feared some accident had happened,' he exclaimed 'Where are the rest?'
”I told hielad I was, I can tell you, to get soolo, and directed hiet ready He wanted h I asked for a fresh horse, which was likely to carry allop”
By the tiht of the ca heard reports of the approach of Uht have been detained if not cut off The fires werewas quickly cooked to satisfy the hunger of the party Hendricks had taken with hi to eat since they left the ca They had, unfortunately, no other meat; and it was necessary, before they could proceed to any distance, to obtain a further supply
Still Hendricks was anxious, as quickly as possible, to get out fro forces, one of which was on his right hand and the other on his left