Dead Man's Land Part 16

"It can't be," replied the doctor. "It's right on the back of his shoulder where I placed my hand--yes, here it is."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mark again, for the doctor thrust his hand inside the door of one of the lanterns, to display a great thorn about two inches long.

"Ah, there's lots more here, sir," cried Bob Bacon. "Mr Mark must have been knocked right into these bushes."

"Why, Mark," continued the doctor, "hold up your hands. They are all covered with blood. Scratches. I don't find anything else the matter with you."

"No," said Mark; "I don't think there is. I say, don't make such a fuss about it. It makes one look so stupid. I say, father, I'm very sorry I fired."

"Sorry!" said his father warmly. "Thank heaven, my boy, you are hurt no worse. The brute, whatever it was, must have been tremendously strong, and struck you down in its leap."

"Well, it did come at me with a good bang, father, just the same moment that I fired. Here, who's got my gun?"

"Gun," said a voice, and the Illaka reached over to thrust it into the boy's hand.

"Oh, thank you," said Mark. "Mustn't lose that. Here, you catch hold, Dean. Then you think I did right in firing, father?"

"Why, of course, my boy."

"Here, that will do, doctor. I think I am all right."

"Well, really, my boy, I am beginning to think so too. But I will keep watch the rest of the night with one of the men. You had better go and lie down now."

"Oh, no," said Mark. "It's my watch, and I am going to finish it."

"And I will come and finish it with you, my boy," said his father.

"But he has finished it," said the doctor, who had hastily pulled out his watch. "Two o'clock!"

"Then it's my turn," said Dean quickly.

"But I can't let you undertake that task now," said Sir James.

"Let me come, sir, along with Mr Dean, sir," cried the sailor.

"No," said Sir James. "Thank you all the same, my man, I have my rifle ready loaded. What has become of yours, Mark?"

"I have got it, uncle," cried Dean. "Give me your pouch and the cartridges, Mark. I want to load."

"But where's your piece, Dean?" said Sir James.

"Mine, uncle--mine? I came out in such a hurry that I forgot all about it."

"Bah! Well, here's Mark's pouch. Take it and load."

"Yes, uncle," replied the boy hastily. "Why, Mark, I only heard one shot. Did you fire both barrels?"

"Eh? I don't know. Perhaps I did."

"Well," said the doctor, a few minutes later, as he stood with Sir James and Dean, "I don't think that there is any occasion to be uneasy about Mark. He can't be injured, or he wouldn't be so calm. The animals seem to be settling down again, and that's a sure sign that there is nothing near to alarm them. What I wonder at is that we heard no sign from the bullocks--"

"Or from the ponies," said Sir James.

"--Before Mark fired."

"Then I suppose," said Sir James, "that we may all go and lie down till you rouse us up again, doctor."

"Which I certainly shall if there is any cause."

The alarm had not proved serious enough to interfere with the sleep of the camp, with one exception, and Mark formed that exception, for during the second watch either Dean or Mark's father went to the waggon as quietly as possible to look after the injured lad, and oddly enough had the same report to give, that Mark was sleeping easily and well, while as soon as each visit had been paid the boy turned over, exclaiming, "Bother! Anyone would think the lion had half eaten me. I wish they would not make such a fuss."

The last time, when Dean was coming off duty, it was to find his cousin's eyes wide open.

"Oh, you are awake now," he cried. "How are you?"

"Oh, all right. Seen any more lions?"

"No; it's been quite still all the rest of the night."

"Father all right?"

"Yes; he will be here directly. I say, Mark, let's look where you were hurt before he comes."

But this was not achieved, Sir James darkening the opening of the waggon tilt just as the neck of his son's shirt was thrown open, to display a big blackening bruise upon the boy's right shoulder, and further examination revealed a small hole where a thorn had penetrated, and some scratches upon the boy's hands.

"Are those claw marks?" said Dean excitedly.

"Pooh! Nonsense!" said a voice which made all look up, to see the doctor climbing into the waggon.

He too examined the injuries, and exclaimed, "You are sure you saw some animal about to attack the ponies?"

"Yes, certain," said Mark.

"And you fired at it?"

"Well, yes," said Mark; "you heard me, and came."

"Exactly," said the doctor drily; "but are you sure that the beast, whatever it was, sprang at you?"

"I saw it rear up as I fired," replied Mark, "and I felt a tremendous blow on the shoulder. Yes: here's the bruise."

"Yes, my boy," said the doctor quietly, "but that is just such a bruise as would have been made if you had pulled both triggers of a heavy rifle at once."

"Well," said Mark quietly, "I have been lying awake almost ever since, and that's just what I've been fancying. Do you think it was that, doctor?"

"I feel sure of it, Mark; and what's more, I have been all round the camp with the Illaka and the two keepers, and even in the moistest place we can find, there isn't the sign of a lion's spoor."

"Well, that's queer," said Mark, scratching his head. "I don't understand it. Now I want some breakfast, and I am going to get up."