reached aplace of safety."
"Well, you certainly did not show a bold front on that occasion,"laughed the Major.
"No, indeed," rejoined his friend. "But I can assure you that few mencould have presented a broader back than did the gallant purser; and ithas always been a mystery to me how a man of his rotundity got over theground at such a wonderful pace. He beat me by a good fifty yards. Nowwho is going to take first watch?"
"Black William is first on the roster, sorr, and I shall relave him,"answered Patrick Keown; and the Hottentot having been duly posted, theothers lay down before the camp fire and were soon wrapped in sleep--sleep--
"The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast!"
CHAPTER EIGHT.
TOM GIVES THE ALARM--RIFLE VERSUS ASSEGAI--TRIUMPH OF THE WHITEMAN!--"KICKING JAN" OUTKICKS HIMSELF--A CATASTROPHE--ARRIVAL ATRALFONTEIN.
The night passed away quietly and day dawned with all the splendour of aSouth African morning. By five o'clock the little camp was astir, andour friends, having first enjoyed a refreshing dip in the clear pool atthe foot of the hill, hastened to prepare breakfast; whilst PatrickKeown and his sable ally busied themselves making ready for the day'sjourney.
"Well, Tom, how did you get on between one and three am?" was MrWeston's first question when they sat down to break their fast with theremains of last night's supper. "Found it rather lonely, didn't you?"
"I should just think I did," was the candid reply; "horribly lonely!And I was obliged to keep trotting backwards and forwards like a hyaenain a cage to prevent myself nodding; not that I should have minded that,if I'd only had someone to talk to."
"Well, you look fresh as a four-year-old this morning," Major Flinderssaid. "I'm certain that a trip of this sort is a capital thing forgetting young fellows into condition."
"No doubt of it," assented his friend; "so long as it is not attendedwith too much fatigue or hardship."
As soon as Tom had finished his breakfast he expressed his intention oftaking a look round before they inspanned.
"Don't go far, my boy; keep within hail," said his father. "We shallmake a start directly Keown has the carts ready."
"All right, father," replied the boy, taking up his rifle. "I'll juststroll up the donga and see if I can get a crack at something or other.There's no fresh meat in the larder, you know." And off he trudged--
"Unknowing what he sought, And whistling as he went for want of thought."
Tom had not gone many yards when his attention was attracted by arustling amongst the reeds, and looking round, his quick eyes espiedseveral dark forms stealing down the watercourse towards the bivouac.He at once scented danger, but had the presence of mind not to show thathe was alarmed; and turning coolly about he returned to his friends andinformed them of what he had seen. Hardly had he given the alarm whenthirty or forty dusky figures rushed down the donga and advanced withthreatening gestures--brandishing their weapons and uttering loud criesof defiance.
"Inspan, Patrick!" shouted Major Flinders to his servant as he seizedhis rifle. "We can keep these black rascals off until you are ready."
In order that Keown and his assistant should have time to collect thefew articles which had been unloaded from the carts (the Major was notthe man to abandon any of his impedimenta) and inspan, it was necessaryto meet the enemy in the open and take up a position between them andthe carts. This of course somewhat exposed the little party; but MajorFlinders was pretty well sure that his assailants belonged to a rovingtribe--half Bosjesmans, half Korannas--more renowned for thievishpropensities than for valour or warlike qualities; and he felt satisfiedthat if he and his friends received them boldly they would beat a hastyretreat. These dusky warriors were indeed but sorry specimens of theirrace; they were short, narrow-chested, and hippy, whilst their faceswere of a very low type, with thick projecting lips, small depressednoses, and roguish shifting eyes. Their weapons consisted of rough,ill-made assegais, iron-wood clubs, or knobkerries, and small oval,hide-covered shields. However, seeing how small a force they had tocontend with, and animated by the hope of plunder, the dingy troopadvanced with more confidence and _elan_ than might have been expected.
"Give them one barrel first," said Major Flinders, bringing his rifle tothe "present." "Take a steady aim, and low. Now--fire!" The fourrifles rang out nearly together, and three of the enemy rolled over andover, but their fall did not stop the rush of the others; on they came,bent on the destruction of the little band of white men.
"Fire again!" shouted the Major as he discharged his second barrel.
This time every bullet found its billet, and four Caffres bit the dust;whereupon their comrades pulled up, sent a few assegais whistlingharmlessly through the air, and then went to the right-about and bolted.In the excitement of this, their first fight, Tom and George would havefollowed up the flying enemy had not the Major restrained them, saying:
"I have no wish to kill those poor benighted creatures save inself-defence. Go and help Patrick to inspan, and let us be off asquickly as possible."
"They're not gone yet!" exclaimed Mr Weston, seeing several woollyheads pop up amongst the shrubs and bushes to the left of the donga.
"No, indeed! And unless I'm greatly mistaken they intend to renew theirattack," rejoined his friend. "They've more pluck and determinationthan I thought for! Get the carts and mules under cover of the trees!"
Patrick Keown at once dragged the carts into the centre of the tope,whilst the boys and Black William drove in the mules and tethered thembetween the carts, forming a sort of laager, into which the Major andMr Weston retired. They all took up their rifles and opened fire uponthe advancing enemy, who showed no lack of courage, and sent theirassegais hurtling amongst the trees in a style that would have donecredit to Zulu warriors.
But they did not attempt to come to close quarters, their sole objectbeing to carry off their dead and wounded, not to renew their attack onthe white men, whose terrible rifles had already done to death so manyof their company. Had they been able to explain their intentions theymight have done this without let or hindrance; as it was, they lostthree more of their number.
At last Black William divined what they were about, and begged hismaster to cease firing for a minute or two. The savages then rushedforward, caught up their unfortunate comrades, and bolted back indouble-quick time.
"The beggars are off now, and no mistake!" cried Tom. "Let us see whatdamage they have done us."
"First and foremost there are two mules killed," responded his father;"Sandboy and Admiral--the best animals in either team."
"And Kicking Jan's got an ugly wound in his flank," put in Keown. "Badcess to the contrary baste; he's sure to git into mischief if there'smischief about!"
"I got hurt too," said Black William with a grin, showing a tear in hissleeve, which was covered with blood. "And dere's young Mas'r Georgebeen hit by dem niggers!"
An assegai had indeed grazed George Weston's shoulder, but happily noserious injury had been done to any of the party--nothing, in fact, thatcold water and a strip of lint would not cure.
The dead mules were now stripped of their harness; Kicking Jan's woundwas dressed--an operation that the "contrary baste," true to his nature,resented to the best of his power; and the travellers resumed theirjourney. No sooner were they well on the move, and at a respectabledistance from their late encampment, than the discomfited savages oncemore appeared on the scene, and fell tooth and nail on the carcasses ofthe slain mules.
"Bedad!" exclaimed the ex-sergeant when he saw the blacks cutting andhacking away with their short assegais, "they'll be having a foine gorgenow! Sorra a bit of flesh will they lave on the bones of poor Sandboyand Admiral."
"They have paid dearly for their feast," observed Mr Weston, who wasseated beside him. "Are all the Caffres such gluttons?"
"Indade they are, sorr," was the reply. "Just sit the best of them downbefore a d
ead animal of any sort, from an elephant to a dossie, andthey'd go on eatin' till they were fit to bust."
Deprived of the two best mules in the teams, and having a thirdpartially disabled, the travellers did not get so quickly over theground as they had hitherto done, and it was some time after dusk beforethey arrived at Ryk's Drift. Here they were entertained by the Germanmissionary, and on the following morning they started on the final stagebut one of their journey.
Soon after leaving Ryk's Drift the travellers came in sight of a rangeof mountains, whose varied outline struck out into
The War of the Axe; Or, Adventures in South Africa Page 8
