Part 27 (1/2)
A few ht, after a farewell supper with Francis and his friends, Jack shook hands cordially with the the animal which had been sent down for him, he shook the reins and trotted off into the darkness Turning to the left, he was soon out in the open veldt, and in half an hour ell away fro been challenged by anyone
Riding by night at first, and then during the day, he had covered a considerable nu he rode into a deserted native kraal, and having knee-haltered his pony, stretched his blankets on the floor of one of the huts and was soon asleep Soon wheels, and, springing to his feet and peering out through the doorway, found that a force of soered within the walls of the kraal It was still night, but the ures flitting about in the open space aon had been left in one corner and the oxen outspanned, and a Kafir servant was in the act of setting all the wearied beasts free to graze outside, when there was a bellowing roar, which seee ani there, one forepaw poised in the air, while his tail lashed angrily from side to side
It was an ier; a terrifying sight as it stood there roaring loudly, and crouching lower, ready to spring upon the nearest object
As the beast landed in the kraal the Boers were on the point ofaspeed, but not so rapidly as to escape the dreaded lion With a deafening roar it leapt high in the air, and landing on the shoulders of one of the burghers, beat in his skull like an egg-shell Then it stood defiantly over the body and growled ominously
But it was not to carry off the body without interference, for one of the Boers had gallantly re his rifle to his shoulder, he fired point-blank at the lion's head
Jack watched for the result with breathless excitement, and the next le; for, stung to madness by the bullet, the fierce ani which carried it at least six feet in the air, dashed the plucky burgher to the ground Jack slipped his thu a steady ai through the lion's body It failed to touch a vital spot, and once ed his weapon But again the small bullet failed to kill, and, roused toat hi mass was the work of a round, and lay therestone-dead upon hiain, two bearded e wound in his shoulder With a dying effort the huge African lion had struck hiash in his chest and ar that their patient was sensible again, they ss
It was an extremely painful operation, but Jack bore it all without a iven some weak brandy and water
”How do you feel now?” asked one of the Boers ”Better, I hope? It was a close shave for you, but your last bullet went through the lion's heart and killed the aniain now!” replied Jack, endeavouring to sit up, but falling back with a groan ”That beast has knocked all the strength out of me,” he continued ”But tell me, who are you, and was the other man killed?”
”His arm was broken,” the Boer answered, ”and he has to thank you for his life It was a brave act to coht the lion alone, and your life was in God's hands It was doubly noble of you, English that lion you fell into our hands and are a prisoner But do not let that worry you You shall be well treated, and in Pretoria you will be far safer than out here as a despatch-rider”
”A prisoner!” exclainantly ”Surely you will not take ht have stood quietly in the hut, and let the lion carry off your coer to help hio on that account!”
”My friend, that would be impossible,” the Boer replied kindly ”You are too weak to stand now, and believe me, you will be much the same for a week or more If we left you you would certainly die, for I have seen enough of wounds, especially of this class, to know that if not carefully attended to they prove dangerous We are returning to Pretoria, and you must accompany us After all, it will be soher you saved is an Englishht for us, but we all know that his heart is with his countrymen Cheer up! He will be a comrade for you”
Jack remained silent for some time after the Boer doctor had left hiruan to realise hoeak he really was, he saw that to be taken prisoner was really the best thing that could happen to hiht, ”I shall have a chance of escaping, and I aivenI'm as weak as a rat now, but by the tiain Then, if I do ht to be able to carry valuable information with me Yes, after all, I am not so badly off, and will make the best of matters”
About half an hour later the Boer doctor returned, and with the help of three other ently and carried hion Day had already dawned, so that Jack was able to see that another figure lay on a rough bed of rugs beneath the huge canvas tent which covered the cuher who had first attacked the lion, and as they approached the wagon he sat up with a jerk and looked eagerly at Jack
He was a broad-shouldered young felloith a pleasant, open face, now somewhat pale from the effects of the injury he had received and fro, and there was a deep scratch across his forehead
No sooner was Jack laid beside hi up his hand, pressed it warmly and endeavoured to speak But he was evidently too much overcome by eh he were on the point of bursting into tears With a visible effort he steadied hian to talk to hiers,” he exclaimed excitedly, ”but for all that we are brothers! My God, how I have longed for the sight of an honest English carried away by that lion I should have lad if the beast had picked me up and walked off with me And they tell me I have to thank you for my life, and that you tackled the lion alone, and so fell into their hands I'm sorry that you should be a prisoner, but I can't tell you how glad I am to have a comrade”
”Yes; it's an awful sell to find myself a prisoner when I had covered so much of the journey,” Jack answered; ”but I suppose it's for the best
I should have died if I had been left here alone But tell me about yourself The Boer doctor said you had been coainst your will”
”That is true My name is Guy Richardson, and I've lived all my life in the Transvaal But for all that, Father and I are British to the backbone, and would sooner shoot ourselves than fight against our countrymen But I'll tell you all about it if you like, and if you feel strong enough to listen”
”Just push so undermy neck,” said Jack ”That's it, thank you! Now, fire away; I shall be delighted to hear the tale But first of all let me tell you thatto thank et that you were the only one of all the Boers who stood your ground when the lion sprang into the kraal”
”That's true, Soreed; ”but for all that I know that I owe o ahead with the yarn To begin with, I must explain that Father came to the Transvaal five years before the annexation by Sir Theophilus Shepstone, and as soon as the Boer trouble was over, and the Transvaal had becoher, for he found it was a necessity if he wished to prosper in business I was born quite close to Johnny's Burg, and can speak the Boer tongue as well as our own We got on pretty ith our neighbours, but our syot to such a pass that war seemed probable, it became a question as to whether we should follow Mother down to Durban But to take that step would mean absolute ruin, for all our property would be confiscated by the Transvaal Govern discussion, Father and I decided to stay, on the distinct understanding that ere not to bear arainst the British For a week after the ulti Then ere commandeered for service, for every available ood the losses the Boers had suffered
For another ere kept in laager near Pretoria, and then ere separated, Father being dragged down south, while I was compelled to accompany this commando We were in desperate straits, but e would never fire a shot against the English