Part 21 (1/2)
”You'd better note the lay of the ground well, Musgrave, if you still intend to carry out that lunatic idea of returning alone,” said Darrell
”That's the very thing I have been doing It's easy country, this of yours, to find one's way about in, Darrell As for returning alone, I shall have to do that, failing an escort Can't stretchpoint”
It was late in the afternoon They were riding along the side of a slope which was irregularly sprinkled with clusters of thick bush
Below ran a nearly dry river-bed, and beyond this rose a ragged ascent covered with spekboeently checking their steeds
A sound was heard in front, at first faint, as of the displacement of a stone, then nearer, till it resolved itself into a clink of shod hoofs upon the stony veldt Then the whistling of a popular air
”Nohat da up all that shi+llaloo?”
exclaimed Darrell
The horseman appeared round the corner of a cluster of scrub On finding himself thus unexpectedly confronted, he reined in instinctively, with a startledthat the others were friends, he broke into a loud, jolly laugh
He was a strongly built, broad-shouldered individual, bearded and sunburnt He was clad in a nondescript uniforh boots, and on his head a pith helmet surmounted by a spike He bestrode a powerful chestnut horse with a white blaze But--and this was the first point that struck these two--he carried no firearm, not even the inevitable revolver, unless it was in his pocket
”Where's your gun?” said Darrell, with a grin, as soon as the first greetings and explanations were over
”Haven't got one”
”But haven't you got a revolver?”
”Devil a bit of a revolver Look here, though, I've got a pipe,”
producing that co implement ”Give us a fill”
This was soon done Then Darrell, whoht, laid his head back and roared
”You fellows must have swept this side quite clear of Kaffirs--patrolled it within an inch of its life, I suppose--that you can afford to ride about the veldt in dead war-time unarmed?” he said
The other looked up quickly; an idea seemed to strike him
”No; now you mention it, this is just the very side that hasn't been et to Cathcart before dark”
”See there now, Musgrave,” said Darrell ”Here you have a type of the species of lunatic this country can produce At least, I can't iht bewith hostile Gaikas, arhed the stranger ”You've forgotten the pipe”
”Well, counting the pipe even What do you say, Musgrave? Do you know any other part of the world where they manufacture such lunatics?”
”I never heard of any,” said Roden gravely
The jolly stranger laughed, enjoying these coether, and were foregathering after the ners Roden had a very substantial flask which was not half emptied yet, and this was drawn upon for the occasion Their new acquaintance gave the other two all the latest infor of stock, and hustling the rebel Gaikas, but just lately notshy of co to close quarters, and when run too hard, would retreat across the Kei into Kreli's country only to swarain when the coast was clear
Thus they chatted until it became time to saddle up But just as the last strap was buckled there rang out the sharp crackle of dropping shots It came from about half a er ”My fellows are having a roith soht you were alone,” said Darrell
”Pooh! they don't count Only four chaps going back to their billets