Part 41 (1/2)
”Lad, give me your hand!” exclaimed Frank Russel enthusiastically ”God bless you, old boy, and I trust that you'll live to see the end of this aar! I can tell you, Jack, that there's no other , but that will alter fast enough, and the girl is a good one She's been a devoted daughter to ood to her husband when she's married, then he'll have no cause to co”
When the news of Jack's engageratulated him heartily Then his pony was led out, and after a cordial farewell he ht, and luck was again in his favour, so that he escaped the notice of the Boer pickets, and when day daell away fro, but to Jack the time passed pleasantly, and the road seehts were occupied with the happy prospects in front of him when the as over
He would wait two years perhaps, and then he and Eileen would be e of twenty-five His allowance under his father's will, and the sum he could earn at the , if that still existed, when added to it would be amply sufficient to keep theland, and Eileen would becoe
Jack built ht have erected ht of hiiven chase But our hero was noell able to take care of himself, and he quickly eluded his pursuers Then he pushed forward, and in two days' tie in the town Scanty rations and absence of all luxuries had produced their results Constant fighting and the explosion of shell on every hand had wrought sad havoc with the gallant little garrison Wan of face, pinched and haggard, out more determined than ever, they stillstill in spite of a load of responsibility, still made his rounds and cheered hisshell everywhere, not even sparing the hospital and woer, in which many women and children had already fallen victi, and now the children and their mothers lived elsewhere, while all the Boer prisoners filled the hospital and laager, and ran the risk of being slaughtered by their friends outside
Jack stayed only long enough to deliver his e and obtain some sleep Then, loaded with despatches, he slipped from the town once more and cantered south, _en route_ for Lord Roberts's camp
CHAPTER TWENTY
THE ROAD TO VICTORY
Theto a close when Jack on-saddled in the , now alnition by the tremendous and continuous shell fire to which it had been so long subjected, and, vaulting into his seat, settled his rifle across his shoulders, strapped on the water-sack which dangled on one aide, carrying a supply sufficient to last until he reached the Modder River, and, picking up the reins, trotted across the open space
Quite a crowd had collected to see hie was entrusted to hi, Jack, old horse!” followed him Soon he was at the outskirts, where he passed the pickets, and pushed on, searching the ground in every direction with eyes which were now as sharp as a hawk's Once he al on a s hat diainst the star-lit sky warned hi prone upon the veldt
”Wie gaat daar?” ca, without answering; nor did he take any notice when a rifle flashed and a bullet buzzed soht ”They did not catch sight of ive theone by then I'll make a bolt for it”
But there was no necessity for this, for suddenly the long naval s belched out its ho in front of him rose to their feet and looked back at their own ca roar and a brilliant spurt of flame showed that the missile had exploded
In an instant Jack was on his pony again, and, turning slightly to the left, galloped away at his fastest pace All that night he kept on steadily, and at daybreak hid up in a patch ofthe Modder River, and was on the point of concealing hiure some three hundred yards in front of hiround, and Jack was crawling, rifle in hand, towards the stranger
”I could pick hi flat upon his sto a steady aim at the man's head, ”but he doesn't see a poor felloithout giving hiht for it Besides, for all I know hewith despatches a week before I got there, but he was new to the gaht to have reached our ca before this”
Jack lowered his rifle, and, re and carefully at the stranger through his glasses To all appearance he ed sombrero on his head and a tattered shi+rt on his back His face was turned in the opposite direction froain he raised himself upon his elbow and looked out across the veldt Then, as if with considerable effort, he dragged hiain
”I believe that felloounded,” et closer to hiencies”
Crawling stealthily forward, he er within fifty yards At this distance his appearance was certainly in favour of his being English, and taking up a position behind a screen of leaves, Jack called out: ”Hallo, there!”
Instantly the stranger turned his head, and stared about him in bewilderment Then he answered, in a tremulous voice: ”Hullo! Help me for God's sake!”
There was now no doubt that he was a co to his feet, Jack ran across towards hi him on his back, Jack sprinkled soing him round
”Who are you, old chap?” he asked
”I',” the injured man answered