Part 6 (1/2)
Now a faint gli Just by the wagon grew a fair-sized, green-leaved tree, and as it was quite easy to cliround mist and take a look round before we trekked Presently the sky grew pearly and light began to gather; then the edge of the sun appeared, throwing long level rays across the world Everywhere the mist lay dense as cotton wool, except at one spot about a mile behind us where there was a little hill or rather a wave of the ground, over which we had trekked upon the preceding evening The top of this rise was above ranite ca, I called to the boys to drive up the oxen, soain, and prepared to descend from ht sight of solittered far away, so far that it would only have attracted the notice of a trained hunter Yes, so on the brow of the rise of which I have spoken I stared at it through lasses and sahat I had feared to see A body of natives was crossing the rise and the glitter was caused by the rays of dawn striking on their spears and gun-barrels
I cahtened wild cat and ran to the wagon, thinking hard as I went The Basutos were after us, ht In ten minutes or less they would be here There was no time to inspan the oxen, and even if there had been, stiff and weary as the beasts were, we should be overtaken before we had gone a hundred yards on that bad road What then was to be done? Run for it? It was impossible, Ansob could not run My eye fell upon the horsethe last of his mealies
”Footsack,” I said as quietly as I could, ”neveryet, but saddle up the horse Be quick now”
He looked atIf he had seen I knew that he would have been off I nipped round to the end of the wagon, calling to the other two boys to let the oxen be a while and come to me
”Now, Ansob,” I said, ”hand out the rifles and cartridges Don't stop to ask questions, but do what I tell you They are on the rack by your side So Now put on your revolver and let et your hat”
He obeyed quickly enough, and presently was standing on one leg bycramped and tottery
”The Basutos are on us,” I said
He whistled and re about Chapter No 2
”Footsack,” I called, ”bring the horse here; the Baas wishes to ride a little to ease his leg”
He did so, stopping a ht
Then we helped Ansob into the saddle
”Which way?” he asked
I looked at the long slope in front of us It was steep and bad going Ansob et up it on the horse before the Kaffirs overtook us, but it was extreht perhaps if I mounted behind him and the horse could bear us both, which was doubtful, but how about our poor servants? He saw the doubt upon my face and said in his quiet way,
”You may reht for his place in case of any difficulty with the Basutos It seems to have arisen”
”I know he did,” I answered, ”but I cannot erous, Marnham or the Basutos I rather think that he set them on to us”
”It is i, Quatermain, and there is no time to toss So I vote for the Temple”
”It seeo”
Then I sang out to the Kaffirs, ”The Basutos are on us We go to Tae Run!”
My word! they did run I never saw athletes make better time over the first quarter of aon to the stirrup and Ansob holding both the rifles beneath his ar feed of ress was not very fast When ere about two hundred yards fro to arrive They saw us also, and uttering a sort of whistling war cry, started in pursuit
After this we had quite an interesting time I scrambled on to the horse behind Ansob, whereon that intelligent aniht, reduced its pace proportionately, to a slow tripple, indeed, out of which it could not be persuaded to ain over its tail and ent on as before Meanwhile the Basutos, very active felloere corove in the swamp, of which I have already written, was close to us, and it becaet there first (I may mention that Footsack & Co had already attained its friendly shelter) Ansob kicked the horse with his sound heel and I thuallop
As we reached the outlying trees of the wood the first Basuto, a lank felloith a ai at us which passed between Ansob's back and ai I could do nothing, but Ansob showed hi the reins, he drew his pistol and h that child of nature's head, so that he went down like a stone
”And you tell asped, for even in these circumstances truth would prevail
”Wait and you'll see,” he replied, re-cocking the revolver
As a , since at the verge of the swamp the Basutos pulled up I do not think that the death of their companion caused them to do this, for they seeh they had reached some boundary which they kneould not be lawful for theai and shi+eld fro him where he lay The horse stopped also, or rather proceeded at a walk