Part 30 (1/2)
”Nohat's to be done, Guy?” he asked, shutting the glasses with a snap and slipping them into the case ”We are fairly surrounded now, and this will be the hardest part of our journey”
”Hu,” Guy answered slowly ”But we're going to get through, old chap! Luck has been on our side up to this, and will be yet Reht you when trying to slip out of the farm, all our plans would have been hopelessly ruined Ladys the darkness we h these fellows and reach our friends”
”We'll do it!” Jack answered shortly; ”and now, as there seems to be no need for us both to keep awake, I propose that we take it in turn to have a snooze But first of all, we'll have breakfast and a sreatest pains to keep below the boulders and not expose theht be on the plain below, they breakfasted off some bread which they still had left, and washed it doater Then they lit their pipes, and smoked for an hour or ain, they picked up their rifles and stole down the hill on to the veldt Then, keeping slightly to the right, theyfootsteps and ready at a moment to stand back to back and defend themselves
But no one appeared to disturb them, and they pushed on steadily for five ht eminence and close to a far-place thaton and stealing past it, when a groaning sound caught Jack's ear, and he stopped abruptly, detaining Guy with a tug at his coat
”What was it?” he asked ”I heard a groan, or so?”
”No, nothing,” Guy answered
”Well, let us wait aperfectly still, and al their breath, they craned their heads in the direction from which the sound had come, and strained their ears to listen for it
There was deep silence for a roan broke the stillness, see to come from the interior of the house
”What is it, Guy?” Jack asked again; and then, as the sob was heard again and broke into a loud wail, he blurted out in a hoarse whisper: ”There's so, and let us find out what's the round, they reached the house, and skirted all round it till they cah aThe as wide open, and as they stood watching it the sobbing wail once more reached their ears, and told them that they were close to so, Guy We'll see what is up,” Jack whispered, and at once stole forward and looked into the rooht which they witnessed was one which neither will ever forget
Over the figure of an infant, sleeping peacefully in a cot in thebitterly, with big sobs which showed her to be heart-broken At any other time she would have been described as a co and pleasant features and was tastefully dressed But now grief seeed her mind, and she bore upon her face deep lines of sorrow and despair which would have made the hardest villain pity her
Jack was on the point of risking all and calling to her, when a change of terief-stricken wo her arms wildly into the air and called down the wrath of heaven upon those who had injured her
She stopped abruptly, and, catching sight of Jack looking at her through the , rushed to the cot, and, turning to face him like a hunted animal, exclaimed: ”What do you want? You have taken my husband; do you noant my child? Come a step nearer, and I will kill the boy rather than let hilish like yourself,” Jack answered soothingly
”We are escaping from the Boers, and on our way to Ladysmith passed close by and heard you Tell me what has happened”
For a h her senses had gone, then she stepped forward and clasped hierly ”If you are Englishmen help one of your countrywomen who is in deep distress My nao Now the Boers say they have annexed this part to the Transvaal, and have dragged my husband off to work in the trenches for them It is awful Help me to reach Ladysmith with my child, and God will bless you!”
”There, there!” said Jack soothingly ”We will take you with us, never fear, and before long you and the child shall be aet ready?”
”Half an hour,” Mrs Robb answered; ”and while I a you can have a meal Open the cupboard at the end There is some ly accepted the invitation, for they had not had too ly, opening the cupboard, they sat down on the floor with their backs to the wall, and tackled the welcome meal provided, while Mrs Robb left thes she required to take aith her
A few ed the door, and put out the light ”Quick!” she said ”About fifty Boers have ridden up, and are entering Fly for your lives!”
Next second the door was again burst open, and a light shone through fro the floor at theto escape from the , but voices which they suddenly heard outside showed theht was cut off in that direction