Dead Man's Land Part 28

"That's what we all hope," said Mark, speaking for the rest.

"Yes, sir; but the worst of it is that when you want the sun to rise it takes such a long time before it will."

"Yes," said the doctor, who had been silently listening for a few minutes; "let's call the roll, and learn the extent of our losses."

"Oh, I can pretty well tell you that, sir," said Denham: "the four ponies, and eight-and-forty of my draught oxen."

"No, no, man!" said the doctor. "Not so bad as that?"

"Well, not quite, sir, for I hope we may pick up some of them here and there;" and he gave Mark, who was close at hand, a nudge with his elbow.

As the man ceased speaking the doctor began his roll call, as he termed it: four men did not answer to their names.

"This is bad--very bad," said the doctor, in a pained voice. "I should be loth to think that Dance neglected his duty in keeping up the fire, and rendered us exposed to this attack of lions."

"Well, sir, it do seem rather hard to lay it on to a man who may have got it badly, but I am afraid he let that fire out, for first thing after I come, when I looked torst where it should have been all was black as black."

"Oh, tut, tut, tut!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sir James.

"Then there's that man Brown."

"He lay down to sleep close beside me, sir. I don't feel much fear about him."

"And the Hottentot?"

"Well, he was lying just behind Dunn Brown, and my black close to him.

They'll turn up, sir, soon as it is daylight. I'm most skeart about Keeper Dance. You see, he's quite new to the country, sir.--Hah-h-h!"

continued the man, drawing a deep breath. "That's better! Here's this morning coming, and welcome as the flowers of May, as the country folks say in old England. Here, Dan, my lad, we have had a bad night of it, but we shall want some breakfast all the same. What do you say to putting the billy on to boil?"

"Ay, ay, mate!" cried the man addressed; and he made for the end of the nearest waggon to fetch a bucket and the great tin kettle, while the Illaka joined him on the instant.

"Breakfast!" said Mark, with a look of disgust. "After such a night as this?"

"Well, sir, it's not to be sneezed at," said the big driver good-humouredly, "and we shall work all the better at following up the spoor after a good mug or two of tea. Say, Mr Dean, sir, don't you feel as if a drop would do you good?"

"Yes; but what a horrid night!"

"Oh, not so very bad, sir. You will soon get used to lions."

"But the poor bullocks?" said Mark.

"Ah, that is a bit of a loss, sir, but it's only nature. Bullocks is animals as was made to be eaten, and the lions are always on the look out for their share. Well, gentlemen, I am ready. It's getting broad daylight now. We are all loaded up. What do you say to a start?"

"No," said the doctor; "no one shall stir until the sun is well up."

"All right, sir; you are boss; but I am getting a bit anxious to make a start. No bullocks, no more trekking, for a waggon ain't much use stuck here under the trees."

Meanwhile Mak had been with Dan to fill the water vessels from the stream, an affluent of the now big river by which they were camped. Mak had helped to draw together the glowing embers, and had then gone off again unnoticed, till all at once he was heard to utter a peculiar cry and come rushing towards them at full speed, as if pursued by one of the savage beasts that had attacked them in the dark hours of the night.

"Hi--hi--hi--hi!" he yelled, as he came swiftly threading his way amongst the trees, waving his hands, each armed with a half of the broken spear, and pointing with them now and then in the direction from which he had come.

Rifles were held ready, and all stood waiting for the next onslaught, till the black rushed, wildly gesticulating, into their midst.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

ANYBODY KILLED?

"h.e.l.lo, mate! What's wrong with you? Don't say as you have found Dunn Brown?" cried Buck.

"Pete, Pete, Peter!" said the black, in a high state of excitement, and he pointed with his broken spear in the opposite direction to that which the lions seemed to have taken.

"Peter Dance!" said Sir James excitedly.

"Oh, poor old Dance!" said Mark, in a low, hoa.r.s.e voice.

"Not dead! Not dead!" cried Dean.

The black shook his head violently, pointed again with his spear, and then bending down began to slap his right leg.

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Buck. "I thought he had come to say, gentleman, as he had found all that the lions had left of him."

"Well," said the doctor, "what does he mean?"

"Something wrong with his leg, sir, and I hope one of the great cats ain't mauled him, because their bites are likely to go bad."

"Here, show us where he is," cried Mark excitedly; and closely followed by Dean he caught the black by the arm and pointed.

That was enough. Mak pointed and smiled, and the whole party followed him at the double, Buck Denham grunting now and then as he ran, and pointing out where the undoubted footprints of a lion were plainly marked where the ground was soft.

It was quite a quarter of a mile from the waggons, and in the midst of some dense undergrowth, that their guide stopped short and stood pointing in a way that showed there was no danger in the approach, when Mark whispered, with his heart sinking, "Oh, Dean, I'm afraid he's badly hurt!"

But at the same moment Bob Bacon sprang in amongst the bushes, trampling them down, side by side with the black.

"Where are you, mate?" cried Bacon, in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

"Here, lad, here!" And then with a deep groan the poor fellow of whom they were in search said reproachfully, "Thought you were going to leave me here to die."

"Not likely," said Mark angrily. "Where are you hurt?"

"That you, Mr Mark?" groaned the keeper. "Oh, all over, and I'm afraid my leg's broke."

"Let me come," said the doctor. "Knives here: cut back some of these thorns. Now then, try to bear it, my lad," he continued, as he knelt beside the injured man, who was half invisible amongst the thick growth.

"Oh!" groaned the keeper.

"There, I will not hurt you more than I can help, but I must find where you are injured."