Part 10 (1/2)
”Fire at the leader, Victor,” said Hans: ”they are going to retreat I'll pick off the large man near him;” and the two shots in quick succession killed the two ainst whom the aim was taken
”In with the bullets, Victor,” whispered Hans, ”before we ood; the others will never stay, they will run for aid to those on before; and I must stop this, or we shall have near a hundred uard here, Victor; I'll cut off these rascals' retreat:Katrine,” called Hans, ”it is well; we have driven away thenow to stop the few that have escaped fro tales I'll be back soon”
Hans, by means of some wild vine and creepers, descended from the opposite side of the small plateau to that by which the Matabili had advanced: he then ran along the top of the ridge, and e of the bush He thus co which he expected the three Matabili would run, who he believed were likely to follow their main body in order to procure assistance He soon saas notso as to be concealed as much as possible from the view of any one at the caves, the three men who had escaped the bullets of the two hunters ran rapidly onwards, and were soon within fifty yards of Hans' position As they passed hiun and made an excellent shot at the leader, who neverThe two reht to left like snipe in their course, and thus gave Hans merely a snap shot at about one hundred yards He fired, however, but heard the harround, and whizzed far on ahead of his enemies
Had the Matabili been aware that he had no other weapon than his gun, they would upon this second discharge have endeavoured to close with hiht easily have done so before he could reload; but they knew not either the weapons he used, or whether there was more than one white man near them, so they were intent only on retreat It ith deep disappointment that Hans saw the failure of his second shot, and at first he thought he ht obtain another chance if he reloaded and ran in pursuit, but the speed at which the Matabili ran and their well-known endurance, reminded him that he was no match for them in a foot-race; and so he decided to return at once to Victor, in order to consult as to the best means to be adopted to meet what he now, looked upon as certain, viz an attack in about twelve hours from at least a hundred infuriated Matabili, ere brave to a degree, and ould not th be able to bring back to their chief the captives who had, by a teiven a chance to escape
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE FORTIFICATION--WAITING RELIEF--FIGHT TO THE LAST--FRESH WEAPONS--THE MAIDENS KEEP WATCH--THE SAVAGES' NIGHT ATTACK--THEIR DEFEAT--THE BATTLE--NEW ALLIES--THE POISONED ARROWS--MORE OF THE ENEMY ARRIVE
”It is a bad business, Hans, that the Matabili escaped; but it cannot be helped,” was Victor's answer to Hans, upon hearing the result of his attempt to prevent the escape of any of the party ”What are we to do, Hans? If we stay here we shall be unable to beat off a hundred ainst half that number; what shall we do?”
”If the Matabili were not such keen-eyed spoorers, I would reco from this; but it would be no use, for they would be certain to trace us, and to be hunted down in that ould be worse than to die here fighting to the last”
”I agree, Hans; so ill stay here I think, too, we can h that narrow path that leads here, and raise a bank to protect us froht cut down some stout branches and h, every obstacle will stop the eneive us time to load I have found what one, that is a Bushman's bow, and a case of poisoned arrows There are ten arrows, and each arrow is a man's life
It will be doubtful whether the Matabili will continue the attack when their first rush fails, and they lose several ained victories against those who use them Let us now prepare our defences; if we only hold out three days we ought to obtain help, if Bernhard has been lucky”
The two men sat to work to re secured their weapons, they used these to dig up the ground and undere stones, which they carried to the plateau, and thus formed a breastwork, whilst the removal of these stones and the earth rendered access to the flat rock i
In two hours the rock was therefore rendered alnable, and it would have been quite so had a dozen uns and aood weapon for the defence of this place, whichbamboos near the streay fastened to the end of this will ; we can thus stab the Matabili as they attempt to cliies cannot couns; so that we have no fear of being hit by theht, Hans,” replied Victor; ”ill have four of these, then if we break one we can each have another Oh! if we had only a hundred bullets each, and enough powder for theht a hundred of these treacherous rascals”
”We must do e can with the o and cut the bareat difficulty that Hans descended from the block on which he had taken up his position, he then cut soht near thewith these, he found that to ascend the perpendicular face of the rock was exceedingly difficult, and whilst thus cli with both hands occupied, he knew that a deter lance, such as he could construct froies, could defy a dozen men at a tiave hiht either destroy his enemy, or be able to hold his position until relief caer ”_If_ Bernhard has,” said Hans ”Ah! all depends on good Bernhard now”
The day slowly passed away, though the whole four were engaged in superintending or executing the defences Katrine was able to give assistance in tying up cartridges and in holding the canes whilst Hans fastened the iron blades to their ends: thus Victor was at liberty to make the defences ained in ascending the rock, he knew that there was only one place where an enemy could ascend, and thus if the narrow causeway could be defended, he saw no means for the Matabili to approach hih,” said Hans to Victor; ”but we can only die at last, and our last fight shall be a good one We can do no more, I think, so now suppose we sleep for two hours; we are safe till sunset, and I don't think we shall be attacked before daybreak to-morrow Katrine and her sister can be trusted to keep watch, and we shall be stronger for sleep”
It was some time after sundohen Victor was called by Katrine
”I can trust my eyes by day, Victor,” said the Dutch ht An ene or too quick for me”
”That is true, Katie,” replied Victor: ”you had better sleep now, and I will take care no enee sounds since sunset?”
”Yes, many,” said Katrine: ”there are lions about, and I think hyenas have already scented death near here, for I heard so below here; but I think only aniht to-ainst us”
”A brave man froht at less odds, Victor If you are hard pressed I can use one of those spears, and I can pull a trigger too; but we can trust to you two
See how strong this place is, too,” continued Katrine: ”a child ainst an army”
”If you had been down-hearted, Katie, I should have fought, but it would have been doggedly and down-heartedly; now that you are so hopeful, I shall fight cheerfully and confidently Good-night, Katie, and thank you for your support”
Victor took up a sheltered position under the rocks, where the dew could not fall upon hihts crossed his brain as he there sat for hours: one was the readiness hich he surrendered a fair chance of life for the sake of two Dutch girls whoht, ”for were it not for their slow feet, Hans and I could easily escape the whole body of the Matabili, and in a race for life we could shoot down the fleetest, and run fro man to a oman, for tie it is I, who never yet loved a wo Katie than escape at her expense; and yet, were she captured, her fate would only be to beco a hundred wives of Moselekatse To- her fate, and that of Hans and , as he termed it, ”finished all his sleep,” came out of his cave and told Victor to take his rest
”If I hear the slightest noise that indicates an enenal to you,” said Hans; ”for it may be that at daybreak we h: our aiood rest”