CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
A DARK VISITOR.
An hour must have passed away, during which neither of the weary bearersof the despatch moved. Then in a low whisper West spoke.
"Asleep, Ingle?"
"Asleep? No," was whispered back. "I can't close my eyes."
"Neither can I."
"Why not?"
"Over tired and excited, I suppose. All this is so strange too."
"What have you been thinking about?"
"At first I could only think of the despatch and wonder whether weshould get it to Mafeking. Then I began thinking of that black out inthe stable and what he said."
"About his master wanting his pony saddled?" whispered Ingleborough.
"Yes. What did he want his pony saddled for at that time of night?"
"How strange!" said Ingleborough. "That's what kept on bothering me!"
"Ingle."
"Yes."
"Do you think that fellow meant treachery?"
"I don't know; but I'd believe in any treacherous act on the part of aBoer."
"Would he be likely to ride off somewhere to where there is a commando?"
"For the sake of getting us taken prisoners or shot?"
"Or so as to get possession of our ponies! I saw him examining them asif he liked them."
"So did I."
There was silence again, and West spoke.
"Ingle," he said, "I can't sleep here; the despatch seems to be stickinginto me to remind me of my duty. We shall rest better in our saddlesthan on this wretched bed. What do you say--the free cool air of theveldt, or this stuffy, paraffiny room?"
"Let's be off, and at once!"
"We will. We can slip out quietly without waking these people, and mostlikely we are misjudging the man, who has the regular racial hatred ofthe British."
"Perhaps; but we must be careful, for if he heard us going to the shedand meddling with the horses he'd likely enough begin blazing away at uswith his rifle."
At that moment West clutched his companion's arm, for they heard nosound, but all at once the dark silhouette of a man's head appearedframed in the little back window against a background of starry pointswhich glistened like gold.
Ingleborough's hand stole to his rifle, which he grasped, as both heldtheir breath; but he did not attempt to raise it, for the head wasthrust inside, and a voice whispered the one word: "Baas."
"Yes," said West softly. "What is it, my lad?"
"My baas take pony and ride away. Go to fetch fighting Boer to shootgood baas. You and good baas him."
"Ah?" said West.
"Iss. Jack put saddles on Basuto ponies; put bridles on Basuto ponies.Good baas both come and ride away. Tant' Ann never hear nothing. Sleepall night."
"And if we go what will your baas do to you when he comes and finds theponies gone?" said West.
"Bad baas never see me again! Going home to my country to-night."
"Ah, that's better!" said Ingleborough. "Here, take the two rifles, andwe'll get out here. Jack, my lad, you're a trump, and you shall havefive two-shilling pieces for this, to buy new blankets."
The Kaffir chuckled and clicked with satisfaction as he stood holdingthe rifles till Ingleborough slipped out, West pausing to cram the breadcakes and biltong into their satchels, after which he too slipped out,and the trio hurried towards the stables.
"How far has your baas to ride to the fighting Boers?" West asked theKaffir.
"Long ride," replied the black. "Many Boers yesterday, many Boers otherday, many Boers come in morning with baas."
"Then we're all right for a good start," said Ingleborough. "I say,West, you're always taking me into some trap: hadn't I better lead?"
"You are leading now," replied West. "How do we know that there are nota dozen of the enemy in the stable?"
"What! Oh, nonsense! Come along!"
The ponies whinnied as they entered, and the black struck a match andlit a wagon lantern, showing that they were ready bridled and theirheads tied up to a rail, while examination proved that the saddles wereproperly girthed ready for a start.
"Here, stop a minute!" said Ingleborough, as the man began to unfastenthe reins attached to the ponies' heads. "Here, I promised you fivetwo-shilling pieces," and he counted them out ready in his hand, makingthe black's eyes sparkle with delight in the lamplight.
"Stop," said West sharply; "the poor fellow's losing his place, such asit is, by helping us. I have our expenses money, and I shall give him asovereign."
"Well, he deserves it," said Ingleborough, as West pushed back hiscompanion's hand containing the silver coins with his left, and held outthe sovereign, which looked very bright and new in the yellow light shedby the lantern.
A sudden change came over the Kaffir's face at once. Instead of thegrinning white teeth and twinkling eyes his lips were drawn tightly overhis teeth, and a scowl contracted his eyes.
"No, no, no," he cried, with child-like petulance, in the Boer-Dutch,sadly mutilated. "No want one. Say five big shillings."
"What!" cried West. "Why, this is worth twice as much."
"No, no," cried the man angrily. "Want to cheat poor black Kaffir. No,no; Olebo want to help white baas! White baas want cheat poor blackZulu!"
"Poor old chap!" said Ingleborough, laughing merrily; "his education hasbeen sadly neglected. Here, Jack--Olebo, or whatever your name is--takethe sovereign, and you shall have the five two-shillings pieces aswell."
"Eh? No cheat Zulu boy?" cried the man doubtingly.
"No, all right; catch hold. There, now you can buy many blankets, andmay you never be tricked any worse!"
"Hah! Yes; buy lot, take home!" And the white teeth were shown againas the coins were gripped fast, including the sovereign, which was heldup first to the light. "White shilling? No: yellow farden."
"All right; but take it to an honest man, my lad. Now then, untie thosereins."
The black turned to obey, but stopped short and stood staring awaythrough the open side of the shed for a few moments, with the lightshining full upon his face, showing his starting eyes, open mouth, anddilated quivering nostrils.
"What's the matter? Can he hear a lion?" whispered West.
"Here, stop, stop!" cried Ingleborough. "Finish your job!--We've paidhim too well and too soon. He's off to run amok among the brandy andblanket dealers."
For the black had darted outside, but in the gloom they saw him suddenlythrow himself down and lay one ear to the ground.
"Yes, he can hear a lion," grumbled Ingleborough; "but the ponieshaven't caught it yet."
He had hardly finished speaking before the Kaffir sprang up again anddashed into the shed, where he reached up and dragged something from therafters which proved to be an elephant-hide shield with three assegaissecured to the hand-hold inside.
"Baas hold this!" he said excitedly. "Boer coming. Olebo hear horses!"
Half throwing the weapons to Ingleborough, who caught them, and leanedthem against his side while he examined the charges of his rifle, anaction imitated by West, the Kaffir rapidly unfastened the reins,setting the ponies' heads free, and then darted at the lantern, openedthe door, and blew out the light.
"Now come 'long," he whispered, and taking the ponies' heads he placedhimself between them and led them along, stopping the next moment tohold them steady while their riders mounted.
"Olebo run 'long with two baas show the way," he said. "Basuto poniestumble over ostrich pens."
"Hah! Good idea!" said West, and, listening now, he fancied he made outthe sound of a troop of horse in the distance; but Ingleborough said hecould hear nothing yet.
Leaving themselves to the guidance of the Kaffir, they found to theirsurprise that, instead of striking straight off, he led them to thehouse, and then round to the back, where the little window by whosemeans he had stolen close to where they lay and given the alarm stoodopen.
"Here, take your shield!" said Ingleborough.
"
Wait a bit!" replied the black, chuckling.
"Hist! You'll have the old vrouw hear."
"No," said the black confidently; "fast asleep. Wicked old witch!Throw kettle at Kaffir, hot water burn back! Wait a bit; you see!"
Dependent as they were on the man's guidance through the darknessamongst the enclosures, the fugitives left him to himself for a fewmoments, wondering what he was about to do.
They soon knew, for he stopped the ponies close to the little window,left their heads, and went close up, to begin fumbling about his sparegarments, whence came the chink of the coins he had just received.
"Matches," he said, and West made out that he took a few from the box heheld in his hand, and then reached in at the window, chuckling softly.
"Ingle," whispered. West, with horror in his voice. "What's thematter?"
"Do you know what he's doing?"
"Nobbling a couple of the blankets because he isn't going to stay forhis wages?"
"No; I'm sure he has emptied the match-box on the straw mattress, and isgoing to burn down the house."
"Nonsense!"
_Crack_! went a match by way of endorsement of West's words, and thenext moment the little flame began to burn inside the Kaffir's hands,lighting up his exulting countenance as he waited till the splint ofwood was well alight.
"What are you going to do?" said West hoarsely, as he leaned forward andlaid his right hand upon the black's shoulder.
"Don't shake light out!" was the answer. "Olebo going make big fire,roast Tant' Ann! Big fat witch, soon burn!"
As the Kaffir finished he lowered one hand, leaving the match blazingbrightly, and he was in the act of leaning in to apply it to the littleheap of matches he had placed upon the loose straw mattress, when asharp snatch at his shoulder jerked him back, and the burning splintdropped to the ground.
"Ah-h-ah!" growled the man savagely, and he drew another match acrossthe box he still held.
"None of that!" growled Ingleborough sternly.
"Wicked old witch!" said the black, in remonstrance. "Burn Olebo!Don't give him enough to eat! No good!"
"You come along," cried West. "I can hear the Boers coming fast. Nowthen, lead the horses clear of the pens!"