Part 29 (1/2)

”Perhaps; but don't you cut, young fellow. If you come at any one there in front, you give point; don't waste time in cutting. I say, Val; if I don't get through, and you can get to where I'm found-”

”What are you talking about?” I whispered sharply.

”About my will,” he said quietly. ”I leave you my watch and my sword.”

”And I'll leave you my rifle and Sandho. He's a splendid fellow to go.”

”Stuff and nonsense!” said Denham, interrupting me. ”You won't be hurt.”

”That's more than you know,” I said peevishly, for his words upset me; and when he went on I made no reply. Even if I had replied I should not have been able to finish my speech, for Joeboy now came up at a long loping run. He caught at Denham's bridle, checking the horse, while Sandho and the three troopers on my right stopped short, and the whole line of hors.e.m.e.n suddenly halted.

”What is it?” said Denham.

”Doppies all along,” said Joeboy. ”All this way; all that way,” he continued, gesticulating.

”How far?” I whispered.

Joeboy shook his head, and seemed to feel puzzled how to answer the question. At last he raised his face and whispered, as he pointed forward:

”Far as two sojers over dah,” he said, ”and far again.”

”Twice as far as the advance-guard,” I interpreted his words to mean.

At that moment the Colonel rode up, and Denham repeated the black's words.

”That's right,” he said in a low tone, with his face turned so that as many of the troop as possible should hear. ”Lieutenant Denham, I shall not alter our formation. Your orders are, 'Forward' at a walk, and as silently as if the horses were grazing, till the advance-posts give the alarm. Then gallop straight away. Not a shot to be fired. Forward!”

There was a low murmur as of many drawing a deep, long breath. Then the column was in motion, and I felt a thrill of excitement running through me like a wave, while unconsciously I nipped Sandho's sides so that he began to amble. This brought back the knowledge that I must be cool, so I gently checked the brave little horse, and softly patted his arching neck, when he promptly slowed to a walking pace like the others. Then I found that Joeboy had crept round to my right side, between me and the next trooper, and, a.s.sagai in hand, was holding on to my saddle with his left hand.

All was perfectly still; and though we had gone on fully a hundred yards, there was nothing to be heard or seen of the enemy in front.

Suddenly Denham leaned towards me, and gripped my shoulder for a moment before loosening his grasp and holding his right hand before me.

”Shake,” he said in a low whisper.

Our hands pressed one another for a brief moment or two, and then we both sat upright, listening.

All was yet silent. Then, far away, but so loudly that the air seemed to throb, came the deep, thunderous, barking roar of a lion, followed from out of the darkness ahead by the rush and plunge of a startled horse.

”Quiet, you cowardly brute, or I'll pull your head off!” came loudly in Dutch, as a horse somewhere to our left uttered a loud, challenging neigh. This was answered directly by Denham's charger; and in an instant a horse in front followed the first horse's example.

I heard a faint rustle as every man threw his right arm over the reins to seize the hilt of his sabre, and the feeling of wild excitement began to rush through me again as I gripped my own and waited for the order to draw.

Now the darkness was cut by a bright flash of light right in front; there was the sharp crack of a rifle, and right and left flash, crack, flash, crack, ran along a line.

As the first report was heard Denham rose in his stirrups. ”Draw swords!” he yelled; and then, ”Gallop!”

There was the rasping of blades against the scabbards, three or four closely following digs into the soft sandy ground, with our horses' muscles quivering beneath us, and then we were off at full speed, tearing after the outposts, which had wheeled round and galloped back, while with our sabres at the ready we went straight ahead.

”Keep together, lads,” cried Denham in a low, hoa.r.s.e voice; but the order was needless, for, after the manner of their nature, our chargers hung together; and as we raced along it seemed to me that we should pa.s.s right through the enemy's lines without a check.