Part 50 (1/2)
_Crack, cracky crack, crack, crack, crack_, half-a-dozen flashes and puffs of smoke came from over the ridge of the low earthwork in front, emptying four saddles, while one horse went down headlong, pierced from chest to haunch by a bullet, and the fleeing pair saw the rest of their pursuers open out right and left, to swing round and gallop away back, pursued by a crackling fire which brought down six more before they were out of range.
Meanwhile twice over the big gun from its earthwork far away sent a couple of sh.e.l.ls right over the fugitives' heads on their way to the beleaguered town, and a few seconds later a cheery English voice had shouted: ”Cease firing!” Then a dozen men came hurrying out of the rifle-pit where they had lain low, to surround the exhausted pair.
”Hands up!” shouted their leader loudly. ”Who are you--deserters?”
”Deserters!” cried West hoa.r.s.ely, as he pressed his left hand upon his breast 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 him before he became quite blind.
But he could hear still as he swooned away, and what he heard was a hearty British cheer.
CHAPTER THIRTY.
AT THE GOAL.
”It has more than paid for it all!” said West that night, when they lay down to rest after a wildly-exciting day.
”Yes,” replied Ingleborough, laughing. ”I felt quite jealous!”
”I don't believe you!” said West sharply. ”You couldn't; they all made as much fuss over you as they did over me, from the chief downward!”
”Well, I suppose they did; but I began to have the horrors once!”
”Horrors?”
”Yes; knowing as I did that they must be short of food, I began to think that they were welcoming us so warmly because we were something good to eat, and all the feasting was the beginning of fattening us up.”
”Of course you did!” said West drily.
”I say though,” continued Ingleborough; ”if it is not a state secret, what was it the chief said to you when he took you aside?”
”Oh, it's no secret from you!” replied West.
”Let's have it then!”
”Well, first of all, it was a lot of flattery.”
”Flattery?”
”Yes, about being so brave, and bringing the Kimberley despatch through the Boer lines.”
”That was not flattery. You did bring the despatch to its destination very bravely.”
”So did you!” said West sharply.
”Oh, very well, so did I then! It was _we_ if you like! Being b.u.t.tered is not an unpleasant sensation when you can honestly believe that you deserve it; and, without being vain, I suppose we can feel that our consciences are at rest.”
”Never mind that!” said West hurriedly. ”I don't like being b.u.t.tered, as you call it. The chief said then that he should have to send another despatch back to Kimberley, and that he should ask us to take it.”
”What a cracker!” cried Ingleborough.