Part 57 (2/2)
”This will put their shooting to the test!” cried West, leaning forward to pat his pony's neck.
”Yes; it will puzzle the best of them!” replied Ingleborough. ”I'm not afraid of their marksmen, but I am of the flukes. However, we're in for it! Easy now! We're getting more and more ahead as they close in.
There, those behind are obliged to leave off firing for fear of hitting their friends.”
Ingleborough was right, for after another useless shot or two the firing ceased, and it became a chase where success, barring accidents, would rest with the best and freshest horses.
Knowing this, the fugitives eased their ponies all they could after placing a greater distance between them and their pursuers, but keeping a good look-out ahead and to right and left, knowing full well as they did that the appearance of fresh Boers ahead would be fatal to their progress.
Half an hour glided by, during which first one and then the other glanced back, but always with the same result of seeing that some two or three dozen of the enemy were settled down to a steady pursuit.
”How long do you think they will keep this up?” said West at last.
”Well, if they are French mercenaries they'll give up directly; if they are Germans they'll stick to our heels for hours; but if they're all Free Staters or Transvaal Boers they'll go on till they drop or we do.
The stubborn, obstinate mules never know when they are beaten!”
”Then they're not French adventurers!” said West.
”Nor yet Germans!” said Ingleborough. ”No; we've got the genuine Boer after us; and it's going to be a long chase.”
”How far do you think it is to Kimberley?”
”Just as far as it is from Kimberley to here!” replied Ingleborough gruffly.
”Thank you for nothing!” snapped out West. ”What's the good of giving foolish answers?”
”What's the good of asking foolish questions? Look here, lad, we may as well look the position in the face.”
”Of course.”
”Very well, then; we've got a score and a half or so of Boers after us, meaning to take us prisoners or shoot us down.”
”Oh yes, that's plain enough!”
”Very well! Then as to distance to Kimberley, the General has dodged in and out so to avoid the enemy that, though I know a little about the country, I'm regularly puzzled as to where we are. I think it lies out here, but whether Kimberley is five miles away or a hundred I don't know. What I do know is that the surest way of getting there is to make right away west for the railway. Once we can hit that--”
”Yes, I see, and if we keep it on our right, riding south, we shall get there.”
”That's correct, my lad, but recollect this: we left the town invested, and you may depend upon it that the enemy are round it in greater strength than ever, so that how we are to get through their lines when we reach them I don't know.”
”Neither do I!” said West. ”But we did not know how we were to get into Mafeking! Still we did it, and we're going to do this somehow.”
”Ah, somehow!”
”Look here,” said West, after another glance back at their pursuers: ”do you think you could put matters in a blacker light if you were to try?”
”To be frank, old fellow,” said Ingleborough, laughing, ”I really don't think I could!”
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