Part 39 (1/2)
”Noe shall have to look lively, Poynter,” whispered Jack calmly
”Which part of the job will you take? Will you drive the teauard?”
”I fancy I had better do the driving,” answered Poynter ”I never was much of a hand with a rifle, while with the ribbons I fancy I take so Tellit out”
”Very well,” replied Jack; ”as soon as we are well in the Boer camp at Colenso I will call the Kafir, and when he puts his head in the tent I will ask hiht of my rifle will persuade him to part with it, I have no doubt Then I will tell him to clear off, and at the same moment you will pick up the reins, which you will find hooked up above, and will set the tea for all they are worth
You can leave the rest to ht!” exclai, and if anyone or anything gets in the way I ah the Jack, I'll wager a pair of boots that we pull this business off”
”Can't take you,” answered Jack shortly ”We're going to get this wagon through at all costs!”
By now the presence of a nu about, and a collection of houses, showed that the outskirts of Colenso had been reached, but the wagon still kept on Then a large open space was reached, evidently in the centre of the town, and a burgher was seen galloping towards theside the others already collected there
”Now is our tiave a hoarse shout Almost instantly they heard the Kafir driver jump on the plank in front, and a second later he pulled the curtain of the tent aside and thrust his head in Poynter at once grasped his whip, while Jack presented his rifle at his head
For a moment the Zulu's eyes nearly started out of his head, and he was speechless with astonishment Then, with a yell of fear he started back and tu up the reins, shook them in a manner that showed he was a practised hand, and with a crack of his whip set the tea down the road
Another crack above their heads and they were cantering, and at this pace he kept the that he could still expect more of them, and that, however fast he drove, he could never keep ahead of the Boer horsemen
Meanwhile Jack had thrown hi the flap of the tent behind, peered out in readiness to act should they be followed At first little notice was taken of the that his wagon was stolen, and soon there were loud shouts, followed by the crack of rifles and the whistling of bullets through the tent above his head
”Sit as low as you can, Poynter!” Jack shouted, and his friend, who had also heard the sound of the bullets, crouched down on the driving-board, and, touching up his leaders with his whip, set the tea towards the British camp at their fastest pace
A second later Jack's rifle spoke out, and was followed by another volley from the Boers, more than thirty of who the shouts and firing, hurriedly threw the after the luain to discharge their rifles at it
From Colenso to Chieveley the road stretches across fivebefore Jack and his friend had driven across half of it a large troop of Boers was pursuing them But Jack's rifle was already hard at work, and few of his shots went amiss; while in the distance two sudden jets of s air, and a couple of shrapnel shells hurtled over the roof of the flying wagon, and bursting in their flight, scattered bullets auns shot up, one of theit to pieces, while the other landed in theBoers Then a column of dust rose from the far-off ca, two squadrons of irregular horse caht the Boers with one accord turned back, while Poynter pulled in his panting steeds and walked them towards the British camp Soon they were surrounded by friends There were hurried questions and explanations, and as soon as it was known that two of the plucky garrison of Ladys a prisoner with them, cheer after cheer rent the air Then a horseman was sent forward, and when Jack and his friend drove calmly into General Buller's camp the road on either side was lined by soldiers and blue-jackets all shouting a welcome
Some refresheneral's quarters, while Jack was offered a bed in an officer's tent, and at once turned in, as he had been awake all night
On the followingthey were the lions of the camp Their na perforreat ed by an arer to hear news of Ladysmith and the narrative of their own escape
Jack and Poynter held quite an informal reception, for officers flocked to have a chat with thereater part of the day their attentions were busily engaged in answering the hundreds of questions put to them As for Jack, just when he believed that he had secured peace at last, and could enjoy the luxury of an hour's quiet before dinner, he was suddenly attacked by a world-famous war-correspondent, who had waited till all his friends were satisfied and till he could get the adventurous despatch-rider to himself Seated in front of our hero, pen and note-book in hand, this genial man, who had seen perhaps far more of war than the oldest veteran in our forces, skilfully extracted all his news, and by dint of careful questioning evenJack an account of his early escapade in front of Kister like you,” he exclai was just the kind of work that would have suited et for one moment that it is really most risky work and requires a deal of pluck, but that is just where the fascination of it all comes in I suppose, now that you have done so well, you will be given a co, as you are, the son of an old officer!”
”Yes, I hope some day to have a cohtfully, ”but I fancy I should prefer it after the war is over You see, if I were , but I should be tied and haet that I left friends in Kiain, and now that I a in particular to do, I feel all the more inclined to turn hed the genial correspondent ”Of course I had not forgotten that you have friends on the Western border, and no doubt you are anxious to ain Don't n of true friendshi+p when one's friends re for Kimberley, I certainly advise you to do so, for you are not likely to see ulars or volunteers is to be rigorously excluded froh nut to crack, and to be honest and perfectly candid, I do not believe we shall break our way through the Boers till we have distracted their attention to other quarters, and caused theame, and while we keep Joubert and the Boer army before us by feints and attacks in deadly earnest, we are anxiously awaiting reinforcements to drive them out of Cape Colony, and if possible invade their own territory”
”In that case,” answered Jack, ”I shall leave as early as possible and join the troops under Lord Methuen; they are twelvethe town by General Cronje and the iersfontein and Spytfontein Perhaps a despatch-carrier will be wanted, for Mafeking if not for Kimberley, and I shall offerJack, the war-correspondent retired to his own tent to write up his despatches, and send theraph cables to the head offices of the London newspaper for which he worked
Jack joined the officers of one of the regiments at dinner, and afterwards retired to rest On the following eneral that he was about to set out for Ki hi that he be employed as a despatch-carrier
Ar Poynter, and, cli the line to the front filled with a