Part 38 (1/2)

”My dear boy,” said Ingleborough; ”can't you see? The beggars evidently know this place, and are making for it on account of the water. We saw none on the other side.”

”Very well,” said West sharply; ”let's ride off, and keep the hill between us and them.”

”Too late!” said Ingleborough. ”This way; come on!”

For as he spoke there was the loud beating noise of many hoofs, indicating that the whole or a portion of the commando was coming at a gallop round the opposite side of the kopje from that by which the fugitives had come; and to have started then would have meant a gallop in full sight of a large body of men ready to deliver a rifle-fire of which they would have had to run the gauntlet.

”We're entering another trap,” said West bitterly, as they led their reluctant ponies along the bed of the stream, fortunately for them too stony for any discoloration to be borne down to show the keen-eyed Boers that someone had pa.s.sed that way, and at the same time yielding no impress of the footprints of man or beast.

As far as the fugitives could see, the ravine went in a devious course a couple of hundred yards into the eminence, but, as it proved, nearly across to the other side. It was darkened by overhanging trees and creepers, which found a hold in every ledge or crack of the almost perpendicular sides, and grew darker and darker at every score of yards; but the echoing rocks gave them full notice of what was going on near the entrance, the voices of the Boers and the splas.h.i.+ng noise of their horses' feet coming with many repet.i.tions to drown any sound made by their own.

”It isn't a bad place!” said Ingleborough, as they hurried on, with the ravine growing more narrow and the sides coming more sharply down into the water. ”It strikes me that we shall find the water comes out of some cave.”

Five minutes later Ingleborough proved to be quite correct, for they paused at a rugged archway between piled-up fern-hung blocks, out of which the water rushed in a fairly large volume, but not knee-deep; and, upon leaving his horse with his comrade and boldly wading in, West found that the cave expanded as soon as the entrance was pa.s.sed, so that the spring ran outward along a narrow stony bed, and on either side there was a bed of sand of considerable width.

”Come along!” said West. ”The water gets shallower, and there is a dry place on either side.”

Ingleborough waded in at once, but unfortunately the ponies shrank from following, and hung back from the reins, one of them uttering a loud snort, which was repeated from the interior so loudly that the second animal reared up wildly and endeavoured to break away.

West dashed back though directly and relieved his companion of one of the refractory beasts, when by means of a good deal of coaxing and patting they were finally got along for some yards and out onto the sandy side, where they whinnied out their satisfaction and recovered their confidence sufficiently to step towards the running waters and resume their interrupted drink.

”Rifles!” said Ingleborough shortly, when West unslung his and stood ready, following his companion's example as he stood in the darkness with his piece pointing out at the bright stream with its mossy and fern-hung framing.

”Did you hear anyone coming?” whispered West.

”No, but they must have heard our ponies and be coming on,” was the reply.

”Let them come; we can keep the whole gang at bay from here!”

But five minutes' watching and listening proved that they had not been heard, for the Boers were too busy watering their horses, the voices of the men and the splas.h.i.+ngs and tramplings of the beasts coming in reverberations right along the natural speaking-tube, to strike clearly upon the listeners' ears.

Three several times the fugitives stood on guard with rifles c.o.c.ked, ready to make a determined effort to defend their post of vantage, for the voices came nearer and nearer, and splas.h.i.+ng sounds indicated movements out towards the mouth of the ravine; but just when their nerves were strained to the utmost, and they watched with starting eyes a corner round which the enemy would have to turn to bring them within range, the talking and splas.h.i.+ng died out, and they simultaneously uttered a sigh of relief.

”I couldn't bear much of this, Ingle,” said West, at last. ”I half think that I would rather have them come on so that we could get into the excitement of a fight.”

”I don't half think so, lad; I do quite,” replied Ingleborough.

”But you don't want to fight?”

”Of course not; I don't want to feel that I've killed anybody; but at the same time I'd rather kill several Boers than they should kill me.

However, I hope they will not attack us, for if they do I mean to shoot as straight as I can and as often as is necessary. What do you say?”

West was silent for a few moments, during which he seemed to be thinking out the position. At last he spoke: ”I have never given the Boers any reason for trying to destroy my life, my only crime being that I am English. So, as life is very sweet and I want to live as long as I can, I shall do as you do till they get disheartened, for I don't see how they can get at us, and--”

”Here, quick, lad!” whispered Ingleborough, swinging round. ”We're attacked from behind!”

West followed his example, feeling fully convinced that the Boers had after all seen them seek refuge in the cavern, and had taken advantage of their knowledge of the place to creep through some tunnel which led in from the other side, for there was a strange scuffling and rustling sound a little way in, where it was quite dark. With rifles pointed towards the spot and with fingers on triggers, the two friends waited anxiously for some further development, so as to avoid firing blindly into the cavern without injury to the enemy while leaving themselves unloaded when their foes rushed on.

”Can't be Boers!” said Ingleborough, at the end of a minute, during which the noise went on; ”it's wild beasts of some kind.”