Dead Man's Land Part 13

"Of course, sir;" and the boys looked at one another.

"Well," continued Sir James, "we have arrived at this pitch, that we are quite independent of the inn. I have paid everybody, and for the last two nights we have been practising camping out, and are going to sleep again to-night in our waggons as we intend to do during our campaign.

You, Robertson, have reported to me that everything is properly packed, the waggons loaded with our stores. You have trained our men to occupy their places; we make this waggon our tent or fort to sleep in or sleep under, according to the weather; in short, there is nothing to prevent our starting to-morrow morning."

"So soon, father?" said Mark.

"So soon, sir! Yes. Haven't we been busy here for a fortnight, making our preparations? And a very busy time it has been. I consider that we have finished our stay here with bidding good-bye to the officers and thanking them. You saw how I stopped back at the barracks this evening.

Do you know what it was for, doctor?"

"No, sir."

"To tell Captain Lawton that I would rather not have any nonsense and procession or firing of farewell salute, and that I had made up my mind that we would start early to-morrow morning."

"Then we really are to go to-morrow, father?"

"Of course."

"But, uncle," protested Dean, "there are several more things that might be useful and that I should like to get."

"Of course there are, sir," said his uncle shortly, "and so there would be if we stopped about here for another month. Now, no more words. You have got your marching orders, captain--I mean, doctor; and you will go round with your officers and see the blacks, the two drivers, and our own three men, so that there may be no excuse for their not being ready."

"Exactly so, Sir James. I am very glad that we have come to this climax."

"So am I," said Sir James. "Eh? What's that, Mark?" for the boy was whispering to his cousin. "What's that you are saying?"

"Oh, I was only talking to Dean, father," said the boy, rather confusedly, and his face turned scarlet, lit up as it was by the swinging lantern beneath which he was seated.

"Yes, sir; I saw you were; and you were protesting against my orders for what I presume you call this hurried start."

"That I am sure I was not, father. I was only joking to Dean."

"And what was the joke, sir? You, Dean, what did he say?"

"I don't like to tell you, uncle."

"I insist that you tell me at once, sir," said Sir James angrily.

The boy gave a deprecating look at his cousin, and then went on hesitatingly, "Mark said that it was comic--"

"Well, sir? Go on."

Dean coughed to clear his voice.

"He said it was comic that you had just made us all officers and then ended by taking it all out of the doctor's hands and playing captain yourself."

"Humph! Well," grunted Sir James, "it does sound a little odd. But this was the final instructions as I was making resignation. But stop a minute. I had just made the reservation that I should interfere if I thought proper. Now I have done. Give your final orders, captain; and then if it was my case I should say, lights out and let's all have a good rest till daylight to-morrow morning. By the way, whose turn is it to take the watch to-night, doctor?"

"Yours, Sir James, and I relieve you two hours after midnight."

"And to-morrow night?"

"Mark first watch, Dean the second."

"Next night?"

"Not settled yet."

"Good; and I think it was a very excellent arrangement of yours, doctor, to begin as we did on the first night of our moving into camp."

That night seemed all too short, and Mark could hardly believe that it was close on daylight when the doctor roused him to see the fierce-looking black, spear-armed, dimly showing by the light of the lantern the former carried, while Dean would not believe it at all, but treated it as part of a dream, and turned over, fast asleep again.

"Oh, I say," cried Mark, "did you ever see such an old dozey, doctor?"

"Catch hold of one arm," said the doctor. "I'll take the other. Here, Mak, take hold."

He handed the lantern to the black, who took it and stood looking on while the sleeper was regularly set upon his legs, to stand staring in alarm at the glistening eyes and the white grinning ivory of the man's teeth.

"Oh," he cried, in a half startled tone, "I thought--it can't be morning!"

"Can't it?" said Mark, laughing. "Let go, doctor, I think he's awake now."

"Awake! Of course I am. But I say, is breakfast ready?"

"No, Dean," replied the doctor, "and will not be till we are a couple of hours on our track."

The bustle attending starting had already begun; the waggon drivers were busy with the oxen, the keepers were saddling up two of the ponies, the sailor was proving his right to be called a handy man, and stowing the necessaries of the night in the fore and aft chests of the second waggon, and in an almost incredible s.p.a.ce of time everything was ready for the start, and the order was given by the doctor.

Then came the cracking of the whips and the lowing of a couple of uneasy bullocks; there was a strain on the long trek-tow, and the great lumbering waggons moved off into the early dawn, the ponies being led, for the heads of the expedition all agreed that it would be pleasanter to walk till after sunrise through the crisp, cool air and not let their blood stagnate by riding behind the slow, sluggish pacing of the oxen.

At the end of two hours there was a halt for breakfast at a spot selected by the black Illaka, and he looked on while Dan started a fire with a small supply of wood. Dance fetched water from a little stream that ran gurgling by the place, which was evidently in regular use for camping. Bob, after picketing the ponies so that they could browse, went off and brought back more wood, and there with everything looking bright and picturesque in the morning sun, so well had the doctor arranged matters that Mark declared that only one thing was wanting to have made it the most delicious breakfast they had ever had in their lives.

"Why, what did you want, boy?" said Sir James.

"We ought to have shot some birds of some kind, father, to have cooked."

"Oh, never mind the birds. We will have them for dinner," said Sir James merrily.

"If we shoot them," said the doctor. "Here, Dan, give me another mug of coffee, and then look thoroughly well after yourself."

Only about an hour was spent before a fresh start was made, and then the journey was resumed in the most orderly way and kept on till noon, when water was reached at a curve of the little river along which the track led through a dense grove of umbrageous trees. Here there was ample pasture for the cattle, which fed and rested in the shade for a good three hours in the hottest part of the day, while an abundant meal was prepared, after which a deliberate start was made by the well refreshed party.

Then followed a long, slow bullock march till quite early evening, and again the black led them to a beautiful woodland patch at a place where the river whose banks they were following showed a good shallow crossing, another display of traces proving that it was a customary halting-place on the way to some kraal.

Here the great creaking waggons were drawn up, a fire was made and the men busied themselves looking after the cattle and the ponies, a capital meal was prepared, but without any addition being made by rifle or gun; and just at dark, by the light of the twinkling lanterns, preparations began for pa.s.sing the night.

"I say, Mark, you have to keep the watch," said Dean. "Don't you feel proud?"

"Not a bit," said Mark. "Our black chap seems to be doing that. Look at him parading up and down there with his spear over his shoulder just as if he was the grand boss of it all and we were his men."