Part 37 (1/2)
Jack lifted hi his water-bottle and gave the poor fellow a drink
”Thanks, old ars have done for s!” Jack answered hopefully ”You've h, old chap, never fear”
”No, I' home, Jack,” was the whispered reply ”I can feel the life running out of ht and stay by me, will you? It's lonely work to die without a friend”
Jack's eyes filled with tears, for from the very first he had feared that his poor friend was mortally hit and upon the point of death He propped hiain, put his ar and painful pause, and then the young Highlander spoke again, this tier voice:
”Jack,” he said earnestly, ”I'd have given le; but we shall win Mark the words of a dying land shall come out victorious The cause of freedom and justice shall triumph above all others, and Victoria, God bless her!
shall rule this continent”
He was silent again for a few moments, and then continued in a voice which was scarcely as loud as a whisper:
”Bend down, old chap,” he said ”I'one, and when you get back to dear old England again, look the people up and tell theus met the end like a soldier and a man They'll be sorry Yes, Mother and Father and the boys and girls will miss me But they'll he proud, too, that I died like this--Put your hand in mine, Jack Ah, now I know you're there!
Good-bye! God bless everyone! My love to you, Dad and Mother! Good--”
There was a deep sigh, and the head of the gallant young officer fell back upon Jack's shoulder, and the tears which were strea down the latter's cheeks fell upon the pale face of as brave a ently on the grass, and, rising sorrowfully to his feet, looked for the last tihlander He beckoned to sohlanders who had looked on tearfully all the while, and who now approached and carried their officer away Then he joined Mr Hunter, and all night long helped to gather the wounded
Whenof the Sabbath--the awful havoc wrought by our shell was for the first time seen Down the slopes of the hill, and away across the flats, Boer and Briton lay cold and ether as if still engaged in a deadly tussle, and so friendshi+p Farther away, near the long ridge which the eneled bodies were found, and at once handed over to the Boers, while the poor wounded wretches were tended to by our surgeons
Then, when human skill and care had done all that was possible for the living, the troops for lines carried their dead to the celes wailed the ”Last Post”, and all was over, save that each and every soldier bore aith hi memory of those brave comrades who but a few hours before had been full of life and energy
After that they thronged into the church, and joined earnestly in the prayer of thanksgiving offered up for their glorious victory
At the close of the service thethe National Anthearrison church--that the strains were heard far away by the lonely pickets and patrols, and set each one of theed up and down on his beat
Jack Sost the officers in the church, and when the service was over he walked across to the hospital h the wounded had all been collected, the surgeons had their hands es which ever dog the footsteps of an army, had claimed many victims, and these required the most careful attention
”Well, Jack, old boy,” said Guy cheerfully, ”tell me all about Saturday's affair Of course I saw that part of the fighting which occurred at Caesar's Camp; but elsewhere our felloere hard pressed, they tell eallant officers who had fallen
”What are you going to do now, Jack?” his friend asked, after they had chatted for so after er, and I am sure that will not suit you”
”No, I don't think I care e continues,” mused Jack ”You see, the Boers, by all accounts, have entrenched all the hills between this and the Tugela, and with the heavy guns of position which they have been able to bring down by rail fronable An officer told me that it would require an arh them and relieve us, and that even then the job would not be accohtful loss of life
”I believe we shall have to wait Buller and his forces will keep the ene in Cape Colony ready to invade the Orange Free State That would probably lead to the relief of Kiet the arantic undertaking, and will require weeks yet There will not be another assault here, at least not for hers such a s, but elsewhere there will be lots of fun They tellasked for, and I shall send in my name and risk it It would be fine to feel that one had been able to creep through to Chieveley in spite of all those Boers”
”By Jove, Jack,” Guy exclai with excitear I have ever come across! First of all, you have excitement sufficient to suit ht your way through to Ki and pluck, save me froh you that we rescued Father and Mr Hunter, not to mention that poor little woman whose husband had been co with your name By now I expect the news of Piet Maartens and the spies, and the raphed across to Buller's signallers, and I dare say London is reading the news, and everyover it as he drinks his breakfast coffee Well, old o on a little further
Many of our countrymen will make a name before this war is over, but if Jack Soher, which is the very last thing I shall care to be”
”Oh, shut up, Guy!” Jack cried war with einning to end”