Part 49 (1/2)
”Without our horses?”
”Yes; poor beasts! I'm sorry they're gone; but daybreak will show us that we are close to Mafeking, I feel sure. We'll crawl on as far as we can, 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 your knife, 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 save me if you can.”
”I understand,” said Ingleborough drily. ”That's if matters come to the worst! Let's hope they will not!”
He raised his head a little and had a good look round as soon as he had finished speaking, for all was now very still, and as far as he could make 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 their painful imitation of some quadruped recommenced, West following his comrade patiently and unquestioningly till a change seemed to come over the light.
”Morning coming fast!” said West.
”The sooner the better,” was the reply; ”for I'm not sure that we are going 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 our right.”
”Hah!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed West, for at that moment there was a flash from the front of the laager they were approaching, followed by a tremendous roar and a hissing sound overhead, as a sh.e.l.l winged its way towards the town, whose outskirts were certainly not more than a couple of miles away.
”We've wasted ever so much strength,” said Ingleborough; ”but never mind: we know exactly where we are. It's about two miles' run to the nearest houses. What do you say--go on crawling, or make a dash?”
”It will be broad daylight directly,” replied West, ”then we shall be discovered, and become the mark for every rifle within range. I say let'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 are discovered?”
”Yes,” said West coolly; ”we shall have the bullets whistling about us.”
”Well, you are cool!” said Ingleborough. ”That's it; and in addition we shall have some of the mounted Boers coming at full gallop.”