Part 72 (1/2)
”That's good business, gentlemen,” said the Sergeant grimly. ”I like to see reinforcements when one's in a tight place.”
He patted Bob on the shoulder as my brother took his place beside the two soldiers at the front of the wagon, my father going to the back.
”You can shoot, then, my lad?”
”Oh yes,” said Bob quietly. ”My father taught me five years ago.”
”That's right,” said the Sergeant, and he set the lantern on one side and covered it closely with one of the rugs. ”Now, silence. We don't want to invite attack. Here they come! They're mounted men, and they may sweep past. Hear that bugle?” he said to me.
”Yes,” I replied, almost below my breath.
”Officers hear them coming. Prepare for cavalry. Here they come. They've rallied, and- No, no. Hark! Hark! Hurrah! No, no; don't cheer, my lads. They're racing for their lives, and there's a line of cavalry after them.”
”Hurrah, Val!” shouted Denham wildly. ”Our Light Horse out and at 'em at last!”
”Oh,” I groaned, ”and we not with them now!”
”But they're sweeping after them in full charge, and sabring right and left. Look-look! I can see it all. No, no,” he groaned; ”it's as dark as pitch.-But they're scattering them, Sergeant?”
”Like chaff, sir, and- Hark at that!”
Crack! crack! Two volleys rang out.
”I hope that has not gone through to friends,” growled the Sergeant. ”Ah, all right, gentlemen; there goes the 'Cease firing.' They know your Light Horse have been let loose. The Boers won't stand after this, so we may sing 'G.o.d save the Queen!' 'Rule Britannia!' and the rest of it. This fight's won, boys. Silence in the ranks!”
He was just in time to stop a cheer, after which we listened to the sounds of the engagement or pursuit, now growing more distant, and I asked a question or two of my father, who now returned to my side.
”Your aunt, my boy? She is safe in Pietermaritzburg. The farmhouse was burned to the ground, all the sheep and cattle commandeered, and your brother and I forced into the Boer ranks.”
I could ask no more questions for a few moments; but Denham was not restrained by his feelings, and I heard him ask the Sergeant:
”But how was it you came to the help of the Light Horse, Sergeant? Did you know we were shut up?”
”Not till yesterday morning or this morning at daybreak, sir. The General knew your corps was missing, and that there was a strong force of Boers camped out this way; but we were precious badly shut up ourselves, and could get no proper communications for want of cavalry. Our officers did nothing but swear about your corps for keeping away when they would have been so useful.”
”But how did you get to know at last?”
”Through a big n.i.g.g.e.r dressed up in two white ostrich-feathers, a bit of skin, and an a.s.sagai and s.h.i.+eld for walking-stick and cloak. He brought the news, and as soon as the General had proved him a bit, two foot-regiments, ours and 'Yallow Terror Tories,' were sent off to make a forced march. That black-Joeboy he called himself-brought us up within striking distance, and then he went off to warn them in that old ruin that we were coming, so that they might be ready to copyrate with us.”
”But didn't they suspect that the black might be going to lead you into a trap?”
”At first, sir; but when he took our young lieutenant and some of our fellows as scouts, with orders to shoot him on the slightest sign of treachery, and he showed us where the Boers lay in the plain, and where we could take possession of a kopje on to which our men could march and act quite unseen, and where we could have defended ourselves against ten times our number, we knew it was all right.”
”And you got there unseen?” said Denham.
”That's right, sir; and then the Colonel in command of both lots let this Crystal Minstrel go to warn the cavalry.”
”He has done his work cleverly, Sergeant, or our corps could not have worked with you so well.”