CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
HARD PUSHED.
Ingleborough shaded his eyes and turned very grave, for on gazing in thedirection pointed out by his companion's finger he saw a column ofhorsemen creeping over the veldt as if coming straight for theirresting-place, while as they came nearer the eager watchers could makeout that the party were guarding a long train of wagons drawn by greatteams of oxen. They found that there were two other teams, not of oxen,but of ponies similar to their own, and not dragging the greattilt-covered wagons, but something heavy and comparatively small.
"Guns!" said Ingleborough laconically.
"Yes, and heavy guns too!" cried West.
"You're right, lad; and they will not come near us. It's an ammunitiontrain, and they'll go straight for Mafeking! That's another falsealarm!"
Ingleborough was quite right, for the distant train crept slowly onalong the track till it grew dim and distant as the sun sank lower andfinally disappeared in the haze of dust. But the troubles of thedespatch-bearers were not at an end, and they lay watching the west withits great masses of lit-up clouds, glorious in their colouring, till thelast bright lights had died out, before they turned to look in thedirection of the east. And then West drew his companion's attention tothe fact that behind them the sky was perfectly clear, and the palemoon, a couple of days past the first quarter, was gradually growingbrighter and brighter in what promised to be a perfectly uncloudednight.
"Yes," said Ingleborough coolly; "we shall have a glorious time for ourride."
"A glorious night for the Boer outposts to take aim at us as we ridein."
"No," said Ingleborough coolly. "I think not!"
"What do you mean?" said West, turning sharply upon his companion. "Youhave some fresh idea?"
"Well, yes. Being in such a pickle as this sets a man sharpening hiswits to try and make them keen."
"Of course. What are you going to do?"
"Wait a bit and see!" replied Ingleborough coolly. "I'm sharpeningstill."
West turned away impatiently, to go, stooping as low as he could,towards his pony, which was straggling away, and bring it back to thebushes which had helped to hide them all the day, after which they satin silence for about an hour, until it was quite plain that the nightwas as dark as it was likely to be. Then in a nervous excited way heturned to Ingleborough again.
"Yes," said the latter, without waiting for West to speak; "it will growno darker unless we wait hours for the moon to set, and by that time Ihope we shall be in Mafeking."
"What do you mean to do then?"
"Mount and ride steadily on at a gentle canter till we get in touch withthat ammunition train."
"But we shall be challenged by their rear-guard."
"Perhaps," said Ingleborough coolly; "perhaps not. I reckon on gettingpretty close up without. If we are challenged, I want you to do as Itell you."
"Of course," replied West. "Anything to fulfil our task!"
"Ready?"
"And waiting!"
"Then mount!"
Their ponies were waiting patiently by their sides, and the next minutethey had sprung into the saddles and rode off in the direction taken bythe train.
West asked no questions, for he was full of confidence in his long-triedcompanion, and with the ponies well-refreshed and eager from their rest,they rode steadily on, keeping a sharp look-out for danger, but meetingwith no adventure for quite a couple of hours, by which time both feltthat they must be getting near to the end of their journey.
But they had nothing to guide them, for they were off the track, andeven had they been on, it would have been impossible to follow it in thestrange eerie light shed by the quarter-moon. Once they had evidencethat they were in all probability going right, for a horrible odoursuddenly assailed their nostrils, making them press their ponies' sidesand go past something indistinct at a gallop, holding their breath tillthey were well beyond what was in all probability the body of somewretched horse or ox that had died of overwork and exhaustion.
"We must keep on now!" whispered Ingleborough. "I feel that we aregoing right."
"But the Boer laagers and outposts!" whispered back West.
"Somewhere ahead, lad; but we must leave something to chance. We are,say, within half-a-dozen miles of Mafeking, so I put it; perhaps notmore than two or three. Keep a sharp look-out for lights."
"The enemy's?"
"Or friends'," replied Ingleborough. "There's a good deal of chancenow, and we must trust a little to our luck."
"In other words, you mean make a bold dash?"
"Yes, but not a blind one! I want to put a little gumption into what wedo! You'll trust me?"
"I will!"
"Forward then, and give the ponies their heads!"
West gave vent to a deep low "Hah!" of satisfaction, and away they went,with their mounts seeming to exult in the freedom from pressure on theirbits, keeping close together, and bounding along over the level veldt asif perfectly familiar with the way, though their riders knew it to bebespread with pitfalls in the shape of the burrows made by the aardvarksand other animals that made the wide open veldt their home.
The moon shone brightly now, though the light was puzzling, and thedistance ahead looked strange and weird; but the pace at which they weregoing had a peculiarly exhilarating effect upon both of the riders, whoseemed to share the excitement of their ponies.
For, guesswork though it was, West felt that Mafeking must lie rightahead, and as they dashed on he began to feel a kind of certainty thatif left to themselves their sagacious steeds would take them right intothe town.
A good four miles must have been passed over in this way, and at last afresh sensation began to attack West, filling him with anxiety lest theyshould be going in the wrong direction. For he argued that they mustbefore now, if right, have come upon signs of the besiegers, and he wasin the act of leaning over towards Ingleborough to make him acquaintedwith his fears, when all doubt was chased away by a loud challenge fromhis right, followed by a flash and a report.
That one shot was the opening note of an overture, for directly afterthe balls began whistling over their heads, and the first reports grewinto a loud rattle followed by the trampling of horses and loudshouting.
"It's all right," said Ingleborough coolly; "they're firing at random.It's impossible to take aim on a night like this! Can you see them?"
"No; only the flashes!" said West excitedly.
"That's enough! Then they can't see us! We're through their lines too,for they're firing behind us, and I'll back our horses to beat theirs ina race."
Reports now began to ring out on their right, and directly after theycame from their left.
"Shall we shout?" whispered West.
"No. What for?"
"We must be getting among our own people!"
"No such luck, my lad! Keep steadily on! Ah! Poor beast!"
"What is it?" said West excitedly, as his mount stopped short, obeyingits natural instinct and the love of companionship of a gregariousanimal. For Ingleborough's pony had suddenly uttered a peculiarneighing cry, reared up, and fallen backwards.
"Are you hurt?" whispered West again.
"No; I just escaped! Quick; jump down."
West was on his feet directly, and Ingleborough grasped his arm.
"I'd say ride for it alone, lad," he whispered, with his lips close tohis companion's ear; "but my way is safest. Now down on your hands andknees and let's play wild dog or baboon!"
"I don't understand you!" whispered West.
"Never mind; do as I do!" and the next minute they were going along onhands and knees over the level ground, feeling it quiver with thetrampling of galloping horses all round, while the flashing of riflesand the crackling reports seemed to be coming from all directions.
So near to them came some of the horsemen that West felt certain theymust be seen; but there was no hail, no whistling bullet, and, wearisomethough the way of progression was to the muscles
and painful to handsand knees, West kept on side by side with his companion till the firingbegan to drop off and then ceased, though the hurrying to and fro ofhorses still went on.
"It was sooner than I intended," said Ingleborough at last; "but I meantfor us to dismount at last and crawl. If we are seen the enemy willtake us for hyaenas or dogs."
He had hardly whispered these words before a shot was fired from, theirleft, the bullet whistling over them, when to the astonishment of West,Ingleborough uttered a snarling yelp, followed by an excellent imitationof a dog's bark.
"Do as I do!" he whispered, and the next moment he had thrown himselfupon his side and lay perfectly still.
"What folly!" West was disposed to say; but he followed his companion'sexample, letting himself sink sidewise like a dying quadruped, feelingthe despatch crackle beneath him as he lay listening to the trampling ofhorses growing more distant, and waiting for Ingleborough to speak.
"Seems a stupid sort of dodge!" said the latter at last; "but I thoughtit better to let them think we were hyaenas than human beings."
"But we had a narrow escape of being shot!" replied West.
"Yes, and escaped. If they had taken us for human beings we should havebeen either shot or taken prisoners. Now we're safe!"
"Safe, with this bright moon shining ready to show every movement?"
"Then why move until we are safe, lad? The enemy will not come near usso long as they think we are dead animals."
"But if they make out what we are--how then?"
"How then?" said Ingleborough, with a low sarcastic laugh. "Why, thenthey'll behave like Boers, and come and see if there's anything worthtaking in our pockets. They are sweet people! But wait a bit. As soonas they are farther off we'll continue our journey."
"Without our horses?"
"Yes; poor beasts! I'm sorry they're gone; but daybreak will show usthat we are close to Mafeking, I feel sure. We'll crawl on as far as wecan, and then get up and run for our lives."
"Yes; but you know how clever they are at bringing down a running buck!"
"Some of them!" said Ingleborough drily.
"Well, if I am brought down, don't hesitate a moment: out with yourknife, rip open my jacket, get the despatch, and run on."
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course."
"What about you? Are you to be left wounded here on the veldt?"
"Yes: until the despatch reaches the proper hands. Then come and saveme if you can."
"I understand," said Ingleborough drily. "That's if matters come to theworst! Let's hope they will not!"
He raised his head a little and had a good look round as soon as he hadfinished speaking, for all was now very still, and as far as he couldmake out in the eerie light there was not a Boer within sight.
"Now then," he said softly; "let's go on! No, no; not like that.Crawl, man, crawl."
He only spoke in time, for West was about to spring up. Then theirpainful imitation of some quadruped recommenced, West following hiscomrade patiently and unquestioningly till a change seemed to come overthe light.
"Morning coming fast!" said West.
"The sooner the better," was the reply; "for I'm not sure that we aregoing right."
"I'm sure we're going wrong," said West quickly.
"Why?"
"Because we are going straight for that great wagon laager."
"Yes; there's Mafeking, with its corrugated-iron roofs, off to ourright."
"Hah!" ejaculated West, for at that moment there was a flash from thefront of the laager they were approaching, followed by a tremendous roarand a hissing sound overhead, as a shell winged its way towards thetown, whose outskirts were certainly not more than a couple of milesaway.
"We've wasted ever so much strength," said Ingleborough; "but nevermind: we know exactly where we are. It's about two miles' run to thenearest houses. What do you say--go on crawling, or make a dash?"
"It will be broad daylight directly," replied West, "then we shall bediscovered, and become the mark for every rifle within range. I saylet's get up and walk steadily on till we see that we are discovered,and then run for our lives."
"Wait a moment! Do you know how we shall find out that we arediscovered?"
"Yes," said West coolly; "we shall have the bullets whistling about us."
"Well, you are cool!" said Ingleborough. "That's it; and in addition weshall have some of the mounted Boers coming at full gallop."
"Perhaps," said West; "and perhaps the Mafeking outposts will beginfiring to cover us. Now then, I feel breathless to begin, for it'srapidly getting lighter. Come on!"
They rose quietly, and set off, making straight for the nearestbuilding--a long, low, broad place with a corrugated-iron roof whichseemed to be perfectly deserted; but it had one advantage--it was thenearest object to where they were, and it would, if they could reach it,form cover from which they could fire upon any mounted Boer who came inpursuit.
Then with the day broadening rapidly they walked steadily on, with shellafter shell arching over their heads, to fall and burst far in advance,right away in the town; but there was no sign of pursuit for quite tenminutes, and not a friend anywhere visible in the outskirts thefugitives approached.
"Now then," shouted Ingleborough suddenly; "be cool, and as you rununsling your rifle and be ready for a shot, for I'm going to fight tothe last."
"Make for that shed?"
"Yes. Forward; here they come."
Away they went, for West at his companion's warning had looked sharplyround, to see about a score of mounted Boers dashing after them at fullgallop, and the fugitives had hardly got into the full swing of theirstride before they heard _cracky crack, crack_, the reports of riflesfar in the rear, and _ping, ping_, _ping_, the whistling buzz of thethin bullets, several of which came unpleasantly near.
"Open out half-a-dozen yards," said Ingleborough, "and lessen theirmark! Think we shall reach that shed?"
"No," said West coolly. "It's farther off than I thought. Let's stopat that clump yonder, and lie behind it to fire back."
"Very well; but they'll ring round us and we shall be taken in flank andrear."
"Not till we've brought down two of them," said West, through his teeth.
"Two apiece," said Ingleborough. "Now then, put on a spurt, and let'sget to that heap, or they'll be down upon us before we're half-way tothe shed. Run!"
They did run, with all their might; but out on the open veldt distancesare horribly deceiving, especially in the early morning light, and tothe despair of the fugitives the Boers came rapidly nearer, while theclump of earth for which they made seemed to be as distant as ever. Theonly thing they made out was that it became more diffused, and theyplainly saw that it was a long ridge of earth freshly thrown up,evidently from a ditch beyond.
"Why, it's a long rifle-pit," cried Ingleborough. "Run, lad, run; wemust do it now!"
But the pursuing Boers were coming on fast, and the fugitives felt thatin a minute or so they would be overtaken.
There was something, though, in their favour, for as the enemy convergedupon them the firing from a distance ceased, those who were using theirrifles fearing to hit their own friends.
"It's of no use; we can't do it!" panted West, as Ingleborough, now thatthere was no need to try and diminish the mark at which the Boers fired,closed in again.
"Not two hundred yards away now!" said Ingleborough hoarsely.
"Let's turn and have a couple of shots at them!" cried West.
"No: we should be bound to miss. Run, run!"
It was not the distance but the pace that was killing, and Ingleboroughwas right. To have stopped and turned to fire, with their pulsesthrobbing, breath coming in a laboured way, every nerve and muscle onthe jump, must have resulted in missing; and the next moment the enemywould have ridden over them and they would have been either shot orprisoners.
Knowing this, they tore on till the rifle-pit was only a hundred yardsaway. The foremos
t Boers spread out like a fan not fifty yards distant,and came on at full gallop, with the result appearing certain thatbefore the fugitives had torn on despairingly another score of yardstheir enemies would be upon them.
"My despatch!" groaned West to himself, and then aloud: "Halt! Fire!"
True to his comrade in those despairing moments, Ingleborough obeyed theorder, stopped short, swung round, and following West's example, he wasin the act of raising his rifle to his shoulder with his quiveringhands, when--
_Crack, cracky crack, crack, crack, crack_, half-a-dozen flashes andpuffs of smoke came from over the ridge of the low earthwork in front,emptying four saddles, while one horse went down headlong, pierced fromchest to haunch by a bullet, and the fleeing pair saw the rest of theirpursuers open out right and left, to swing round and gallop away back,pursued by a crackling fire which brought down six more before they wereout of range.
Meanwhile twice over the big gun from its earthwork far away sent acouple of shells right over the fugitives' heads on their way to thebeleaguered town, and a few seconds later a cheery English voice hadshouted: "Cease firing!" Then a dozen men came hurrying out of therifle-pit where they had lain low, to surround the exhausted pair.
"Hands up!" shouted their leader loudly. "Who are you--deserters?"
"Deserters!" cried West hoarsely, as he pressed his left hand upon hisbreast and let his rifle fall to the ground. "Despatch--Kimberley--Water--for Heaven's sake--help!"
He sank upon his knees, for everything seemed to be swimming round himbefore he became quite blind.
But he could hear still as he swooned away, and what he heard was ahearty British cheer.