Dead Man's Land Part 43

This, however, proved to be evidently of some days' standing, but it was enough to add energy to the efforts made in having the waggons dragged up close to a ma.s.s of rock where they could form part of the protection needed and lessen the necessary labour in shutting in the beasts.

Every man had his own work to do, and even with the extra toil of strengthening their camp it was not long before the fire was blazing well, the cattle grazing upon the rich gra.s.s in the neighbourhood of the pools, and their guide, being satisfied that they had no unpleasant neighbours, now beckoned to the boys and pointed to the highest portion of the granite kopje, suggesting that they should follow him and have a climb.

The ma.s.s of granite, formed of huge, tumbled together blocks, was easily accessible, and the doctor followed them when they began to ascend, till the highest point was reached and they stood sweeping the vast expanse around which now lay plain in the beautifully limpid air.

During the day a soft, hot haze had shut off the more distant objects, but now everything showed up refracted, so that the distant hillocks and clumps of trees seemed quite near, lit up by the soft glow left by the sun that was now below the horizon.

Look in whatever direction they would, every object was in the fleeting minutes wonderfully clear. There lay in the direction from which they had come as far as their vision extended, the vast forest which they had skirted; in another direction all was plain; right and left open diversified land presenting easy pa.s.sage for the waggons; and when in obedience to a sign from Mak they turned to gaze to the north-west, the black raised his spear and pointed in one direction, where the beautiful landscape seemed to come to an end in ma.s.s after ma.s.s of tumbled together rock, showing with vivid distinctness patches of woodland, deeply marked ravine that was filling fast with velvety purple shadow, and heaped up ma.s.s that as they gazed began gradually to grow less and less distinct, till that which at the first glance had stood out sharply clear and marked against the pale, golden sky began to die away till nothing was left, not even a shadow.

The boys and the doctor had somehow been so impressed by the beauty of the scene that they spoke in whispers, Mark finding words just to say, "Oh, I wish father were here! I did ask him to come, but he wanted to rest."

"Yes," said the doctor; "we have had a very long day. But how beautiful! How grand! We ought to stay up here till the stars come out.--Eh, what do you say, Mak?" as the man touched his shoulder and pointed again right away into the west.

"All gone," he said.

"Yes, all gone," said the doctor, using the black's simple words.

"Sunshine come again, 'morrow morning."

"Yes," said the doctor thoughtfully, as he stood trying to pierce the soft transparent limpidity of the coming night. "Boys, we shall never forget this."

"Ah," said the black, thumping down the haft of his spear upon the ma.s.sive block where he had perched himself some two hundred feet above the plain. "Mak knows Mak's big stones."

"What!" cried Mark excitedly. "Is that where the old city lies?"

"Umps, yes," said the black. "Mak big stones."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

"DON'T SHOOT, FATHER!"

"Why, we are as snug here as can be," said Dean.

"Should be," said Mark, "if it wasn't for that fire."

For the night set in dark--a night which would have been of intense blackness but for the brilliant points of light that shone down like effulgent jewels spread upon a sky of the deepest purple dye.

But it was light enough within the enclosure formed by the perpendicular patch of granite rock, the two waggons, and the dense ma.s.s of th.o.r.n.y f.a.ggots which had been gathered and built up so as to hedge them in.

A goodly portion of the fourth opening into the little kraal was filled up by the large fire which was burning for the protection of the bullocks and ponies, and thoroughly lit up the camping place, but in return for its protection extorted the suffering from the heat, not only in front but reflected down from the rocks behind.

"Yes," said Dean, "it is rather a roaster. Couldn't we let it out now?"

"No," said the doctor decisively. "I have just been outside to have a look round with Mak. We were only out for a few minutes, and the black caught me twice by the arm to listen."

"Well, did you hear anything?" said Mark.

"Yes; lions."

The boy made a movement as if to reach his rifle.

"You need not do that," said the doctor, "for the sounds were distant.

Still, lions travel fast, and we might have a visit at any time; so you see that you have an answer to your proposal about letting the fire out."

"Yes," said Dean; "that settles it."

"Besides," said the doctor, "we should not be any cooler if there were no fire."

"Oh-h-h!" said Mark, in a tone that suggested doubt.

"Don't be too sceptical, my boy," said the doctor. "Let me prove it to you. Come a little nearer the fire."

The doctor had led the way, and together they stood so near to the glowing flames that they looked to those whom they left behind like a pair of figures cut out of black cloth.

"Now," said the doctor, "how do you feel?"

"As if my face would be scorched if I stopped here."

"Nothing more?"

"Oh, yes," said Mark; "I feel quite a cool wind blowing into my neck."

"Exactly," said the doctor. "As the heated air rises from the fire the cool air from the veldt rushes in to take its place. Why, don't you remember when the haystack was on fire at the farm at home how we went to see it, walked close up, and felt the cold wind rushing towards the flames so that you had a stiff neck the next day?"

"Of course! I had forgotten that," said Mark, laughing. "Well, we must put up with the fire, I suppose."

The watch was set that night, and fell to the lot of Sir James, who took up his post near the fire, rifle in hand, while every man lay down with his piece by his side, for three times by sounds much nearer, the animals were made uneasy. The bullocks couched close to the trek-tow and the ponies stamped restlessly again and again from where they were haltered to one of the wheels inside the enclosure and close up to the granite wall.

But in one case a deep growl from Buck Denham seemed to comfort the great sleek beasts, and a word or two in his highly pitched voice from Dunn Brown turned the ponies' stamping into a gentle whinny.

At last the only sounds within the walls of the kraal were the low whispering of the two boys.

"How far is it to black Mak's big stones, do you think?" said Mark.

"Eh?" was the reply. "You heard what I said."

"That I didn't!"

"Then you were asleep. I thought you were."

"Nonsense!" said Dean indignantly. "I had only just lain down. What was it you said?"

Mark laughed, to his cousin's great annoyance. "I said, How far is it to black Mak's big stones?"

"A whole day's journey."

"Nonsense! Why, this evening they looked quite near."