Part 14 (1/2)

”Hang the Commandant's payments!” cried the director testily. ”When young fellows like you are ready to give their lives in the Queen's service, do you think men like we are can't afford to mount them? Come along with me, and you shall have the pick of the st.u.r.dy cob ponies I have. They're rough, and almost unbroken--what sort of hors.e.m.e.n are you?”

”Very bad, sir,” replied Ingleborough: ”no style at all. We ride astride though.”

”Well, so I suppose,” said the director, laughing, ”and with your faces to the nag's head. If you tell me you look towards the tail I shall not believe you. But seriously, can you stick on a horse tightly when at full gallop?”

”Oliver West can, sir,” replied Ingleborough. ”He's a regular centaur foal.”

”Nonsense! Don't flatter,” cried West. ”I can ride a bit, sir; but Ingleborough rides as if he were part of a horse. He's accustomed to taking long rides across the veldt every morning.”

”Oh, we can ride, sir,” said Ingleborough coolly; ”but whether we can ride well enough to distance the Boers has to be proved.”

”I'll mount you, my boys, on such a pair of ponies as the Boers haven't amongst them,” said the director warmly. ”Do you know my stables--the rough ones and enclosure I have had made?”

”We heard something about the new stabling near the mine, sir,” said West; ”but we've been too busy to pay much heed.”

”Come and pay heed now, then.”

The speaker led the way towards the great mine buildings, and halted at a gate in a newly set-up fence of corrugated-iron, pa.s.sing through which their eyes were gladdened by the sight of about a dozen of the rough, st.u.r.dy little cobs bred by the Basutos across country, and evidently under the charge of a couple of Kaffirs, who came hurrying up at the sight of their ”baas,” as they termed him.

Here Ingleborough soon displayed the knowledge he had picked up in connection with horses by selecting two clever-looking muscular little steeds, full of spirit and go, but quite ready to prove how little they had been broken in, and promising plenty of work to their riders if they expected to keep in their saddles.

”Be too fresh for you?” said the owner.

”We shall soon take the freshness out of them, poor things!” said Ingleborough. ”Would you mind having them bridled and saddled, sir?”

The order was given, and, after a good deal of trouble and narrowly escaping being kicked, the Kaffirs brought the pair selected up to where the despatch-riders were standing with the director.

Ingleborough smiled, and then bade the two Kaffirs to stand on the far side of the ponies, which began to resent the Kaffirs' flank movements by sidling up towards the two young men.

”Ready?” said Ingleborough, in a low, sharp tone.

”Yes.”

”Mount!”

They both sprang into their saddles, to the intense astonishment of the ponies, one of which made a bound and dashed off round the enclosure at full speed, while the other, upon which West was mounted, reared straight up, and, preserving its balance upon its hind legs, kept on snorting, while it sparred out with its fore hoofs as if striking at some imaginary enemy, till the rider brought his hand down heavily upon the restive beast's neck. The blow acted like magic, for the pony dropped on all-fours directly, gave itself a shake as if to rid itself of saddle and rider, and then uttered a loud neigh which brought its galloping companion alongside.

”Humph!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed their new friend; ”I needn't trouble myself about your being able to manage your horses, my lads. Will these do?”

”Splendidly, sir,” cried West.

”There they are, then, at your service!” And, after a few directions to the Kaffirs about having them ready when wanted, the party left the enclosure and separated with a few friendly words, the despatch-bearers making once more for the Commandant's quarters to report what they had done so far, and to obtain a pa.s.s which would ensure them a ready pa.s.sage through the lines and by the outposts.

They were soon ushered into the Commandant's presence, and he nodded his satisfaction with the report of their proceedings before taking up a pen and writing a few lines upon an official sheet of paper.

”That will clear you both going and returning,” said he, folding and handing the permit. ”Now then, when do you start?”

”Directly, sir,” said Ingleborough, who was the one addressed.

”No,” said the Commandant. ”You must wait a few hours. Of course it is important that the despatch be delivered as soon as possible; but you must lose time sooner than run risks. If you go now, you will be seen by the enemy and be having your horses shot down--perhaps share their fate. So be cautious, and now once more goodbye, my lads. I shall look forward to seeing you back with an answering despatch.”