Dead Man's Land Part 20

"Your phiz. Why, whatever does that fellow call himself?"

"A horse stealer!" cried Dean excitedly. "That's what he meant by coming last night."

"Yes," cried Mark. "Come on and fetch them back."

"All right, sir," said Buck; "but how? You'd want a rifle to fetch him down."

"Hullo! What does this mean?" cried Sir James, as he joined them, with the doctor. "Why are the ponies being driven away?"

"That fellow!" cried Mark wildly. "A thief, father!"

"To be sure," said Sir James. "But this is a trick. We have been imposed upon."

"Yes, father. This is the chap that crawled up in the dark, and I took for a lion. He's a horse stealer."

"Well, the law will soon set that right."

"Yes," said the doctor, "but it means a long tramp back to the town."

"Say, Dan, old chap, this 'ere's a rum game," whispered Buck. "What do you think of it?"

"Think I should like to get hold of that long-legged 'un. I'd make him sing to a different tune instead of giving us another specimen of his whistlin'."

By this time the ponies were far down the track, headed by their strange visitor, whom the boys had fully expected from moment to moment to see leap upon one of his companion's backs.

"Well," said Mark, "this is getting up for a refresher before breakfast!"

"Yes, sir," said Buck. "It's about spoilt mine. Why didn't you bring him down last night, Mr Mark? I am sure he desarved it."

"No, he didn't," cried the lad addressed. "Look at that! I say, father, hooray! He's come back."

The boy was quite right, for it was plain enough now, distant as the objects were, to see in the clear bright morning their nocturnal visitor describe a curve upon the open country side and, slackening his pace, begin trotting back, the little drove of ponies dropping from their canter into a steady trot, coming nearer and nearer till their leader brought them to where the party had camped for the night; and here they drew up short and began to crop the tender green shoots again, while the strange visitor, who did not seem in the slightest degree out of breath, drew his long pendent moustachios through his hands.

"Well, sir," said Sir James sharply, "pray, what does this mean?"

"Mean?" said the man sadly. "Ponies--know me."

"So it seems," said Sir James; "but I've bought them."

"Yes," said the man, in his most melancholy tone.

"Well, what were you going to say by way of explanation?"

"Nothing."

"Well, what do you want?"

"Breakfast."

"That's what he said before," cried Dean.

"Hungry," said the man, quite reproachfully.

The doctor laughed, and the rest joined in chorus, Dan beginning to stamp about in the exuberance of his delight.

"Beg pardon, gentleman," he said, checking himself suddenly, "but he do set me off."

"But the worst of it is, my man," said the doctor, "that this is resolving itself into no laughing matter."

"No, sir," said Buck respectfully. "There's more cry about him than laugh."

"Yes," said Mark sharply. "If you had been here and heard him talk it would have sounded to you as if he had come for help because he was ill."

"Well, whatever is done," said Sir James, "we must give the poor fellow some breakfast, and follow it up with a few shillings, or we shall be having him putting a stop to our expedition."

"Mind he doesn't hear what you say, father," whispered Mark.

"To be sure," said the doctor. "We mustn't let him realise what a power he has in his hands."

"In his fingers, I think," said Mark.

"And it seems to me," said Sir James, "that he already knows it. Here, what about breakfast? We will talk about it over our morning meal."

They did, with the result that their party was afterwards increased by one who had already proved how he could manage the fresh purchases. And if further inducement were needed it was afforded by Mark, who suddenly exclaimed, "I've got it, doctor!"

"Got what?"

"This fellow can manage ponies splendidly."

"Well, we know that," said the doctor drily.

"Yes," continued Mark; "but why couldn't a man who can manage dumb animals like that be quite at home with bullocks?"

"Good boy," said Sir James. "There is something in that. You mean, for him to take the place of the bullock leader--fore--what you call him."

"Loper, father."

"Yes. Is there any connection between loper and leaper, doctor?"

continued Sir James.

"I cannot say on the instant. It wants thinking out, sir. Antelope-- loper--leaper."

"Well, never mind that," said Sir James. "But if he can manage the bullocks too that is an additional reason why he should stay."

"But he is such a dismal, unhappy sort of fellow," protested Mark.

"Yes, boy, but he can be very useful to us though not very ornamental,"

said the doctor.