Part 21 (2/2)
The sun had climbed some way into the heavens, and the day had already advanced three hours on its course before Jack and his staunch little following saw a horse across the veldt towards the far, handso tawny beard Attached to a stick which he held in his hand was a white flag, and having ridden to within two hundred yards of the house he waved it vigorously, and shouted to attract the attention of those within Afro there in readiness to hold a parley
”Good lish as he pulled up alongside the”It's a grand day, and far too fine to be spoilt by fighting I've come from the commandant to offer you terms--liberal terms We believe Frank Russel is with you after all, and if so, as a rebel he shall be shot For the others, honourable captivity is offered, and the girl shall be in e I have known her for many years, and she shall be safe with my mother”
”Don't trust hiainst the here she looked through one of the rifle apertures and listened intently to all that was said ”I know him well He is an Africander, and a British subject His farm lies ten miles to the north, and Father will tell you why he is anxious for rowled Frank Russel, joining in at this moment ”He is a rebel, and not to be trusted He's been pestering round here forEileen to becoht of hih I've no doubt he's smitten with her, it's this farm and the fat acres attached to it he isDon't trust him, Jack; send him about his business!”
”And what if we refuse these liberal teruarantee all he pro, and ill consider it; but understand, ill not accept captivity, nor e give up Miss Russel As to Frank Russel, you did not find him here, and how can we have done so?”
”Surely the word of Elof Visser is sufficient!” exclaimed the Boer
”You have heard the terms, and they are the only ones I have to propose
We will give you half an hour to discuss the from this e shall open fire Only, if you should foolishly still decide to resist us, I ask you to pass out the girl We do not wish to ith her sex Hand her over to me, and I swear, by the God who made us all, that she shall be safe from harm”
”We will consider your proposal,” answered Jack, ”and if you do not see the flag at the termination of the tiain But I warn you we are well prepared, and you would do far better to leave us alone”
”Tush, boy, don't lecture rily ”Discuss the terms, and if you refuse, ill knock this house about your heads like a pack of cards, and shoot every one of you”
Giving an impatient jerk at his reins, he pulled his animal round and cantered away
”Well, what answer shall we give?” asked Jack, turning to his cori to stand by me and my child, as I believe you are, I say let us stand fast The Boer promises aren't worth the breath that's wasted on them, and that fellow Elof Visser has his own ends in view”
”Then we'll face it out,” exclais are not so very desperate Last night was our worst tiht to be able to do the saht
We've lots of a I don't like the thought of is the shell which will soon be thrown at us, but the Boer gunners are not such good marksmen as to be able to strike us every time, and when the shell do strike, if they are like those used in Natal and do not burst, they will go clean through these walls and do no further dae When they fire we shall have to take to the cellar, and it seems to me that the sooner we make it bomb-proof the better It won't be difficult The kitchen is paved with big slabs of stone, and by forcing the them here on the floor, and half over the trap, we shall have a secure place to hide in The ponies h I expect most of the poor beasts will be killed as soon as the bo!” cried Frank Russel, s Jack on the back ”Now all hands to the job! There are plenty of tools to ith in the kitchen, and I fancy a good strong poker will be the best to use”
All at once went into the kitchen and set to work as only men can whose lives depend upon their exertions Once the first slab was raised the rest was easy, and while Eileen kept watch the others laboured at the work, Frank Russel levering up the stones, while Jack and Wilfred carried them into the room and laid them over the cellar
”One will be sufficient to keep watch above, so the others had better go below,” cried Jack, as soon as the flooring was co when a shell ht the laood plan to pass a few buckets of water down also, in case they make it too hot for us to come up and fetch it”
This was quickly done, and Eileen and her father climbed down the ladder into the cellar, while Jack and Wilfred remained on top to watch for the next attack by the enemy The half-hour had already passed, and indeed double that period had gone by, but still there was no movement Then Wilfred cried out that he saw a force of Boers approaching, and looking through his field-glasses Jack uns One of these was ser one, which was drawn by six horses, galloped forward till within less than 1200 yards of the house and commenced to unlimber
”We'll just teach those fellows to keep at a more respectful distance,”
hts, Wilfred, and have a shot at the luht pick a few of them off”
Both at once took a steady ailasses and saw one of the horses in the gun team rear up and fall backwards
Another and another shot followed, one of the gunners and a second horse being hit Then the gun was hurriedly lialloped back out of rifle fire Ten minutes later there was a puff of smoke, followed in about half a minute by a sharp report, and by the ominous hum of a shell overhead
”Ha, ha!” Jack chuckled coolly; ”they'll want to do a deal better than that to turn us out of this Look out, here comes another!”
As he spoke there was a second puff, and this was followed by a deafening thud overhead and by a loud explosion behind the house