Off to the Wilds: Being the Adventures of Two Brothers

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

  HOW DINNY WAS LOST UNDERGROUND.

  "I shall be glad to get back home, boys," said Mr Rogers the nextmorning, "for the pleasure seems to have gone out of the trip now myhorses are all gone. Still there is one good thing, boys, yours aresafe."

  This was as they were at last getting out of the course of the fire andon to a tract of grass, so little scorched by the sun and so fertilisedby the stream that ran through that the oxen were out-spanned for a goodfeed, as it was doubtful when they might obtain another.

  Then followed days and weeks of trekking before they reached the part ofthe country where the caverns were, and out-spanned one night atWonderfontein, where, for a promise of payment, the son of a Boer livinghard by undertook to provide lights and to show them the wonders of theunderground region.

  The Boer lad said that they would require a light-bearer besideshimself, so Dinny was told to come, and after a little opposition hefollowed his master and their guide to the extent of about a mile, whenthe lad began to creep and slide down a well-wooded place in the plainthat looked like the crater of an old volcano.

  Here Dinny began to hesitate again.

  "An' is it go down there, sor?" he asked. "Shure and suppose the placehas no bottom to it at all."

  "Go on. Dinny, and don't be stupid," cried Dick; and poor Dinny foundhimself pretty well hustled down to the bottom of the funnel-like place,which seemed to bend round at the bottom and to lead into a littlebrook.

  Here the guide lit a couple of roughly-made torches: he handed one toDinny and retained the other, advising all the party to tuck up theirtrousers; and the reason for this was soon evident, for the floor of thegrotto they were about to explore formed the bed of the transparentlittle river that had found its way into this strange crack in the rock,and gradually enlarged it to give itself more room.

  "Ah, bedad, and the wather's cowld," cried Dinny. "Shure, Masther Dick,we're niver going on along there?"

  "Indeed we are, Dinny, with you to light us, like the brave, man youare," said Dick.

  Then Dinny growled out something about its being a shame to make such anaygur of a white man, and seeing no alternative, went on behind theguide, being followed by Mr Rogers, the boys bringing up the rear.

  The first part of their journey was for some distance through narrowpassages, where they often had to bend double, with only an opportunitynow and then for straightening themselves upright; but by degrees, asthey went on splash, splash, through the water, the roof rose higher andhigher, till its summit seemed to be lost in gloom, while the grey wallslooked wild and romantic in the extreme.

  A glance to right and left of the narrow way showed that in some greatconvulsion of nature, the rock had been split and separated to a smallextent, and the result was the formation of this cavern; for so similarwere the sides that had the natural action been reversed, the two sideswould have fitted together, save where the water had worn the rock away.

  It was a weird journey, made the more mysterious by the guide, whopointed out side passages where the water grew deeper, which passages,he said, had never been explored; and at last, after they had beentravelling slowly along the solemn echoing place, Dinny appealed to hismaster to go back.

  "Shure I'm not a bit freckened," he said; "but, sor, there's danger tous all if we go on there."

  "Absurd, Dinny," cried his master. "Go on. What is there to be afraidof?"

  "Oh, nothing at all, sor. It isn't that I mind, but we shall be comingupon some great big water-baste or a wather-shnake or something, andthen what'll we do at all?"

  "Let it eat us, Dinny," shouted Dick; and his voice sounded echoing andstrange.

  "Oh, an' is it ate us, Masther Dick? Shure ye'll have--murther!murther! murther!" shrieked Dinny. "I towld ye so. Oh! Help, here!Help!"

  Down went Dinny's torch into the water, to be extinguished upon theinstant, and the scared fellow kept on yelling with all his might.

  "What is the matter?" cried his master angrily.

  "Shure I towld ye so. A great big thing, wid awful black wings, flew atme and bit at me face, sor, and I belave he'd ha' killed me if I hadn'tput me light out so as he shouldn't see where I was."

  "Oh, Dinny, Dinny. If I were you I wouldn't be frightened of a bat,"cried Dick.

  "An' is it freckened of a bat I'd be, Masther Dick? I tell ye it was agreat big thing as large as a man, wid long black wings, an' it sent ashudder all through me, sor, to see the great baste come at me."

  "Which did you see, Dinny, the bat or the shadow?" asked Dick.

  "Ah, ye're laughing at me," said Dinny; "but wait a bit and ye'll see."

  Dinny's torch was fished out of the water, and after a good deal ofbeating and shaking to get rid of the moisture they managed to get it toburn once more, when Jack volunteered to carry it, and Dinny grumblinglytook his place in the rear.

  "Ah," he muttered, in Dick's hearing, "it's a dirthy counthry thisAfrikky. Wild bastes, and shnakes, and holes under the airth. Faix, itisn't fit for a dacent boy to live in at all."

  Dinny and his mutterings were little heeded, and they went on and onthrough the interminable place, following its windings and zigzag turns,where the rock had split, till they were tired, and Dick said that theyhad seen no more during the last hour than during the first fiveminutes, for the place was almost all alike--one great jagged rift withthe little stream flowing over the floor. Now the roof looked far abovethem in the gloom, and now again it was close enough to crush theirheads, while by the same rule there were times when they could touch thewalls on either side by stretching out their hands, while at others thesides receded so that the space was quite a chamber.

  "Well, then," said Mr Rogers, "suppose we turn back. Dinny, as you arelast now you'll be first going back, and ought to make a good leader; sotake the light."

  Dinny did not reply.

  "Do you hear what my father said, Dinny?" cried Dick.

  Still there was no answer.

  "Why, father," cried Dick; "he is not here!"

  "Nonsense! absurd!" cried Mr Rogers. "Here, Dinny!" he shouted.

  "Ny-ny-ny-ny!" came softly repeated like a mockery of his cry.

  "Dinny!" cried Mr Rogers again; and once again the echo was the onlyanswer.

  "Dinny!" shouted Dick and Jack together, with all their might; but theecho was the only response; and a cold chill of horror began to runthrough the little party as they stood there.

  "Poor fellow!" exclaimed Mr Rogers; "surely he has not sunk downfainting from fright. Oh, surely not; the idea is too horrible!Dinny!"

  He shouted with all his might, and the boys took up the cry, but therewas nothing but the echo to reply.

  "Has anybody ever been lost here?" said Mr Rogers, turning sharply onthe Boer guide.

  "Dot one dat I know," said the Boer lad. "Dere was leedle mans lost onedays, bud dey found der leedle mans again fasd ashleep on der rock."

  "He has grown tired, boys; quick!" said Mr Rogers. "Let's make hasteback, and we shall find him sitting down somewhere."

  Though he said this, he did not feel at all hopeful; but still there wasthe chance of finding that Dinny, taking advantage of being behind, hadclimbed on to one of the big shelves of rock to await their return,though Mr Rogers felt that it was very doubtful, and that the poorfellow would be too great a coward to sit there alone in the dark.

  It was then with sinking hearts, and a horrible sense of finding thattheir expedition had a terrible ending, that they hurried along the darkpassages of the weird grotto, pausing every now and then to shout, asthey searched the side-turnings with their light, and shouted down themin case the poor fellow had strayed away by mistake, though the chanceswere very small, for it seemed impossible that Dinny could have followedany route but the one indicated by the light in front.

  No, think of the matter how they would, there seemed no otherexplanation of Dinny's disappearance than that he had sunk down in thewater where it was deeper than usual, and be
en drowned from sheerfright.

  "It seems so shocking," said Dick, in a whisper, that, low as it was,seemed to run on before them; "that after going through all thatjourney, and escaping from lions and crocodiles, and all sorts ofdangerous beasts, we should lose one of our party in such a miserableway."

  Dick had unconsciously spoken his father's thoughts as they went onredoubling their exertions till, to their horror, they reached thebottom of the funnel-shaped entrance without finding a vestige of himthey sought.

  "Back again!" cried Mr Rogers; and returning, they again searched thegloomy passages for hours, till they were obliged to return to the mouthof the cavern for fresh lights.

  The Boer lad looked horrified, and he anxiously ran off for freshtorches, feeling himself to blame as guide, for having lost one of theparty.

  "Jack," said Mr Rogers hoarsely, "run to the waggon, and fetch somebiscuits, a little brandy, and the two large lamps, with a few extracandles. Be quick!"

  "I'll go too, father," cried Dick eagerly. And the boys were about tostart, when Dick added, "Shall I bring over the General, father?"

  "Yes, and his boys. We must find Dinny."

  Dick and Jack, weary and wet as they were, ran off to the little camp,the smoke of whose fire they could see, and on reaching it, panting andexhausted, the first object they saw was Dinny, lying under a tree withhis mouth open, fast asleep.

  "Oh, I am glad," cried Jack.

  "So am I," cried Dick; "and sorry--and cross," he added, running up toDinny, and giving him a kick in the ribs.

  "Aisy there," said Dinny, yawning and opening his eyes. "Shure, I'mcoming. Ah, Masther Dick, and have ye got back out of the black hole?"

  "How came you here?" cried Dick angrily.

  "How kim I here, Masther Dick? Shure it was on me own handsome pair o'legs."

  "But we thought you were lost."

  "Lost! bedad, not I. Shure, I sez, they're going to carry the lightthemselves, an' they don't want me anny longer; so I just sat down on abig shtone, while I took out me matchbox, and lit me morsel of candle Ihad in me pocket, and I kim back, and afther getting me dinner ready, Ilaid down for a rest."

  "Oh!" cried Dick wrathfully.

  He could say no more; but his brother spoke for him in a way that madeDinny uncomfortable, as the boys turned sharply and ran back, reachingthe mouth of the cavern just as the Boer lad came up with his torches.

  Mr Rogers started up.

  "Where are the lanterns?" he cried. Then, seeing that the boys hadsomething to say he eagerly listened; and the next moment, with his browknotted with anger, he strode off to the waggon.

  "Jack," whispered Dick, "I never saw father look so cross as that."

  He was angry indeed, and they saw him seize Dinny by the throat, forcehim upon his knees, and raise his clenched fist to strike; but the nextmoment education and manliness prevailed, his hand dropped to his side,and he stood there talking to Dinny for some time in a way that madethat gentleman slink away and go about his work with a very hangdogexpression of countenance.

  CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

  THE LAST ADVENTURE.

  Days of slow, steady trekking homeward, and then, to the consternationof all, they learned from a Boer, fleeing with his waggon and belongingsto another part of the country, that it would not be safe to go farther,for a war had broken out between a powerful Zulu tribe and theAmaswazis, both sides taking advantage of the disturbed state of thecountry to rob and plunder in every way they could.

  "Dey dake away all dose caddles," said the Boer, "and kill you all. Igo away."

  He went away, and the General was called into consultation.

  "What shall we do?" said Mr Rogers, who, without fearing for theirlives, had a horror of losing the fruits of their long journey into theinterior.

  "Go straight on home like brave men," said the Zulu, sturdily. "Theboss may not see enemies in the way. If he does, we shall see the boss,who can fight lions, will not be afraid of men. Man sees boss notafraid, he will not fight."

  "I shall take your advice, General," said Mr Rogers; and to the horrorof Dinny, who from that moment began to contrive a hiding-place in thebiggest chest, the order was given, "Forward!"

  They came upon danger sooner than they expected, for, steadily trekkingon, they had halted for the day in an open plain, when, to Mr Rogers'horror, he found that he had inadvertently halted in what was about tobe the battle-ground of the contending tribes.

  It was almost like magic. One hour the valley was empty, the next itwas swarming with contending men.

  Escape was impossible, and in a very short time the waggon was put in asgood a state of defence as could be, and they were surrounded by theenemy; but before hostilities between them could commence, the Zulutribe came swarming down from the hills behind them, advancing with aregular dancing tramp, forming themselves into a crescent, and dashingon to the attack.

  The Amaswazis who had first surrounded the waggon were largely armedwith rifles; but in spite of the superiority this gave them, they gaveway before the determination of the assegai-armed Zulu warriors, whocame trooping by the waggon, the greater portion of them thoroughcounterparts of the General, till some fifty remained about the waggonin company with three fierce-looking chiefs.

  "What are we to do, General?" said Dick stoutly, as he stood there withhis rifle--"fight?"

  "Wait and see," said the General calmly; and followed by Coffee andChicory, he walked out from the waggon to meet the Zulu chiefs.

  A short conference ensued, and then the three chiefs came back with theGeneral, to hold out their hands to Mr Rogers and his sons.

  "They say I am to tell you that they thank you in the name of our peoplefor making us your brothers in the hunt," said the General quietly, "andthat they will all fight for you and see you safe."

  Then, in obedience to the General's directions, the oxen werein-spanned, ready to go forward if necessary, or to retreat with theZulu tribe should it be beaten.

  This latter misfortune, however, did not occur, for before a quarter ofan hour had elapsed the Amaswazis tribe was being chased by the Zulus,and seeking safety in flight; while after making presents to the chiefs,to the General's great pride and gratification in spite of his calmdemeanour, they parted with mutual feelings of goodwill.

  "Saved from wreck," said Dick, who had made the principal chief happy,by taking off his belt with the stout, keen hunting-knife and sheath,and himself buckling it on, the others receiving similar gifts from MrRogers, and Jack.

  Three weeks' long journey was yet before them, during which the oxensuffered much from the prevailing drought, but there was little ofadventure upon the rest of their road; and it was with no little reliefthat the familiar land-marks in the neighbourhood of their home were atlast made out, the oxen trekking well during the last few miles, as ifthey scented plenty of water and fresh green pasture at the farm.

  The full moon was shining brightly as the waggon trekked up to thehouse, several friends having ridden out to welcome them, as soon as itwas known that the hunters were in sight; and then once more, as soon asthe dumb creatures were seen to, they sat down at a table to anold-fashioned English meat tea with their friends, glad to be able torecount that they had returned without a single loss, save that of thehorses from the dreaded tsetse, while the prime object of their journeyhad been attained--Dick sat amongst them completely restored, andglowing with vigorous health.

  "I should think, boys, you will be glad to sleep once more in a softbed," said Mr Rogers, smiling; but before either Dick or Jack couldanswer, Dinny presented himself at the door.

  "Av ye plaze, sor--"

  "Well, Dinny?"

  "I'd thank ye to come and shpake to the naygurs. We've put up a bed andblankets for them in the best barn, and they won't go there, but aremaking up a camp again, wid a fire, under the waggon."

  "Well, Dinny, if it pleases them, let them alone," said Mr Rogersquietly.

  "Shure, sor, I don't mind," said Dinny; "but it's
the naybours, sor, andwhat they'll think."

  "Never mind what the neighbours think," said his master. "Dick, go andsee that the General and his boys have everything they want."

  "Av ye plaze, sor," said Dinny, "I want to ax ye a favour."

  "What is it, Dinny?"

  "Shure, sor, we've had a long journey, and I'm moighty toired."

  "Then go to bed and have a good sleep."

  "That's just what I'm axing of yer honour. I want a holiday."

  "What for, Dinny?"

  "To go to shlape for a week."

  Dinny had as much sleep as he liked, but he contented himself withtwenty-four hours, and then helped to unpack the treasures from thewaggon, the store of feathers, skins, and curiosities far more thanpaying the cost of the expedition, even counting the loss of the horses.The boys' pets too, the leopard and giraffe, had to be sold, for theycould not keep them; but they fetched handsome sums for exportation toEurope.

  At last there was nothing to do but to recompense the General and hissons; not that they were going away, for they preferred staying aboutthe farm.

  Mr Rogers took his sons into his confidence, and the result was thepresentation to the three Zulus of gifts which they esteemed most highlyof anything they could receive, and these were the three double riflesof the father and sons, whose accuracy the Zulus had so often seenproved.

  Dick was right when he said the present was better than diamonds, forthe stern old warrior's face lit up with joy, and when Coffee andChicory could be made to understand that they were to have the rifles tokeep, their excitement was something wonderful to see.

  "Shure an' the master must be aff his head to give them boys suchthings," grumbled Dinny to Peter and Dirk, who were quite content withthe presents they had received in clothes additional to their pay.

  Right or wrong, he gave great satisfaction on all sides; and healthbeing restored, and the sorrows of the past somewhat assuaged, theregular duties of civilised life were resumed, and many a long eveningwas spent in arranging the various natural history objects brought home.Now and then, so pleasant were the recollections of the exciting trip,the boys have brought the blood flushing into the dusky cheeks of Coffeeand Chicory, and a flash into their father's eyes, on saying that theywonder whether their father will ever organise another such trip, whileDinny has been heard to say spitefully that they may drive in thatwaggon to Novy Sembley, New Zealand, or the big islands of the say, hedon't care a sthraw, so long as they'll only lave him at home.

  THE END.