CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
AFTER A REST.
West started up into wakefulness the next morning from a dream in whichhe was galloping for his life with the Boers in full pursuit, and thenhe sighed and wondered when and how he had dropped asleep, for he couldonly recall being miserable, awake, and puzzled as to what to do, andthen all seemed to have become blank till he was awakened by hiscaptors' busy stir and the crackling of the fires being lighted.
West's first steps were to see to his companion, who did not seem tohave moved, and the first feeling was one of satisfaction; but directlyafterwards he felt uneasy, for Ingleborough seemed to be unnaturallystill, and a shiver ran through him as he leaned over where his friendlay on the floor of the wagon, to place a hand upon the injured man'sforehead below the bandage which made him look so ghastly.
Then came reaction as it was proved that the sufferer had only been in adeep sound sleep.
For Ingleborough's eyes opened, to gaze at him wonderingly.
"What's the matter? Oh, it's you, Noll!"
"Yes; you startled me!"
"Eh? What did I do?"
"You lay so still!"
"Did I? Oh, of course. I've been very fast asleep, I suppose. Whattime it is--nearly sundown?"
"No, it's morning--sunrise."
"I'm blessed! What, have I slept all night?"
West nodded and smiled.
"Soundly, I suppose!" he said. "But how are you?"
"Horribly stupid and muddled! I don't quite make out! Oh yes, I donow. I came down such a quelch that it knocked all the sense out of me,and my head feels all knocked on one side. But tell me: what about thedespatch?"
"I have it all right so far!"
"That's good. Where are our ponies?"
"Tied up yonder to the wheel of a wagon."
"That's good, too, lad! Then all we've got to do is to help ourselvesto them the first chance and ride away."
"Yes," said West drily, "the first chance; but will there be a firstchance?"
"Why not? It's of no use to look at the black side of things! Wherethere's ill luck there's always good luck to balance it, and we're boundto have our share of both. We had the bad yesterday; the good will cometo-morrow, or next day, or the day after--who knows? We were notkilled. You had your ear nicked and I had a bad fall which will cureitself as fast as the slit in your ear grows up. I call it grand tohave saved the despatch! Are they going to give us any breakfast?"
"Hah!" sighed West; "you've done me good, Ingle. I was regularly in thedumps."
"Keep out of them, then!" was the reply. "You didn't expect to get yourmessage delivered at Mafeking without any trouble, did you?"
"No, no, of course not! Then you think we might make a dash for it sometime?"
"Of course I do; but I don't suppose the chance will come to-day. Let'shope that our next move may take us nearer our goal, for I don't supposethe Boers will take us with them. They'll send us prisoners toPretoria, I suppose; and we must make our dash somewhere on the road."
Ingleborough was right: the chance for the dash did not come that day,nor the next, nor the next. For the Boer commando did not stir from thenatural stronghold which had been made its halting-place. In fact, twofresh parties, for which there was plenty of room, joined them, and agood deal of business went on: men going out on expeditions andreturning: wagons laden with provisions and ammunition and two bigfield-pieces arriving, as if the force was being increased ready forsome important venture--all of which busy preparation took place underthe eyes of the two prisoners, who, while being fairly well treated inthe way of rations, were carefully guarded.
"One would like to know a little more what it all means!" saidIngleborough. "As it is, one seems to be quite in the dark!"
"And we're doing nothing!" sighed West. "Oh, it's terrible! I mustbegin to stir, even if it is only to bring about another check."
"What would be the good of that?"
"Ease to one's brain!" said West passionately. "Here have I beentrusted with this mission and am doing nothing, while all the time thepoor fellows at Mafeking must be watching despairingly for the despatchthat does not come."
"Look here, old lad," said Ingleborough sympathetically; "when afellow's chained down hand and foot it's of no use for him to kick andstrain; he only makes his wrists and ankles sore and weakens himself, sodon't do it! Believe me, the proper time to act is when they take youout of your chains! It's very depressing, I know; but what can't becured--"
"Must be endured. I know, Ingle; but here we are prisoners, and I can'thelp getting more hopeless."
"But you must! Things can't go on like this much longer! Either ourtroops will come here and attack the Boers, or the Boers will go andattack the British. Just have patience and wait!"
"But here we are, just as we were nearly a week ago, and nothing hashappened."
"Oh yes, something has!" said Ingleborough, with a smile. "I've gotwell again! The first morning I couldn't have mounted my pony andridden off even if they had brought it to the end of the wagon here andsaid: `Be off!' To-day I could jump on and go off at full gallop. Doyou call that nothing?"
"No, of course not!" said West. "There, you must forgive me! I'm verydiscontented, I know; but you see why."
"To be sure I do! I say, though, you've been at that satchel! Thesandwiches are gone."
West nodded.
"Haven't eaten them, have you?"
"No, they're sewed up in the belt of my jacket. I did it two nightsago, and I'm living in hopes that they will not search us again."
"That's it, is it? Well, I'm glad you did that! There, keep a goodheart; something is sure to happen before long!"
"I only hope it may; even evil would be better than this miserable stateof inaction. I think till I feel half-mad."
"Well, we won't hope for the evil, only for something in the way ofchange, if it's only to pay a visit to Pretoria gaol."
"What!"
"Only so as to get some news to give to old Norton when we get back. Itwill interest him. I wonder whether he's keeping his eye on MasterPlump-and-Pink. Well, I am blessed!"
"What is the matter? Are they making a move?" cried West excitedly, forIngleborough had sprung to the end of their wagon prison to standlooking out.
"Someone has!" cried Ingleborough angrily. "Look here! Why, old Nortonmust have been asleep."