Dead Man's Land Part 60

"I quite agree," said Sir James.

"Here, come with me, Denham," said the doctor, and without heeding the two blacks, who stood aloof, leaning upon their spears close under the wall, the doctor, closely followed by Denham and the boys, descended into the deep square hole, where the sides of the round cavity torn out by the charge of powder were examined for a few minutes, and then word was given and the men set to work with alacrity to fill up the great hole again.

"I say, Mark," said Dean, who had been looking on, quietly observant, while the work progressed, for as there was no trampling down, that which had been dug out kept on rising, till the hole was filled and rose up above the edges in a loose heap, "have you noticed Mak?"

"Yes," said Mark, "and the Pig too. As usual, the doctor's right. The more the hole gets filled up the more they seem to grow good-tempered again. Yes, they didn't like it, and the doctor's always right."

"But I say, Mark, you didn't think so when he gave you such a snubbing for rushing forward to fire the train."

"Yes, I did," said Mark, in a whisper. "I did think so, and I think so now, and that's what makes it feel so hard."

It is impossible to say whether the doctor, who was supposed to be always right, had any idea of what the boys were saying, but just then in his cheeriest tones he cried, "Come along, boys; don't stop talking.

We have done work enough for one day. Let's go and see what Dan has ready for us in the way of cooking. I feel half starved, don't you?"

"But Dan is helping to finish the covering in."

"Oh, no, he is not," said the doctor. "Brown came and fetched him half an hour ago. He has been keeping up the fire, and I daresay we shall not have to wait for our evening meal."

The doctor started off, and the boys before following him went back to where the two blacks were standing waiting, to gaze at them with half questioning looks.

"Come along, Mak," cried Mark cheerily. "Come along, pigmy;" and he made signs suggesting something to eat.--"Oh, it's all right again," he said. "They don't mind now. Why, black Mak's face came out all in one big smile."

"Yes," said Dean, "and the little Pig looked as if he would like to rub his head against you just like the old Manor House cat when we had been out."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

A SUSPICION OF BABOONS.

A few nights later Mark, who had just finished his portion of the nightly watch, called up Dan and made his report that all had gone well till about an hour before, when he fancied he had seen something creeping along through the bushes just beyond the camp.

"Jackal," said Dan.

"No; it seemed too big."

"Well, didn't the horses seem uneasy."

"No."

"Fancy, perhaps."

"Well, it may have been, and I half thought so then, else I should have roused someone up."

"Which way did it go, sir?"

"Right into the middle of the temple square."

"Well, it wouldn't have been a black, because if it had been one of them he would have made for the open."

"The doctor said that most likely there would be blacks about."

"Well, but," said Dan, "no one has seen a sign of anyone but our chaps."

"That's true," replied Mark, "but there must be tribes about here, and they'd see us before we saw them."

"Yes, sir; that's pretty sure, and it might be one of them come in the dark scouting to see what we are like, and how many there are of us."

"That doesn't sound pleasant, Dan. We don't want any company of that sort."

"No, sir. But look here; I think I have got it. Are you sure it wasn't a leopard?"

"I can't be sure, because it is too dark to see spots."

"Well, was it a human, sir?"

"I don't think so, because it was going on all fours."

"Oh, well, sir, the n.i.g.g.e.rs are clever enough in that way. Both Mak and the little chap can run along like dogs and jump over a tree trunk or a big stone. It is wonderful what strength some of these half savage chaps have in their arms. Being a sailor and doing a great deal going up aloft has made me pretty clever hanging by one's hands or holding on by one's eyelids, as we say, at sea, while we furl a sail; but I am nowhere alongside of our Mak."

"But you as good as said you had an idea, Dan."

"Well, I have, sir, and I got it only the other day when I was down yonder right away towards the end of the ruins, seeing how far I could go without getting lost. I'd quite forgot all about it till you began to talk. I caught sight of something--just a peep of it as it looked up at me and then ran in amongst the rocks and bushes. I hadn't got a gun with me, and perhaps I had no business to be loafing about."

"Oh, never mind that," said Mark. "What was it you saw?"

"Well, it was something like a good big dog, but I had no chance of seeing it well; and I was just going to turn back when there it was again, or another like it, squatting on a stone at the end of one of them big walls; and when it saw I was watching, it was out of sight directly."

"Well, that doesn't help us much," said Mark impatiently.

"Don't it, sir? I thought it did, for it seems to me that it was what you saw to-night."

"Maybe," said Mark; "but what was it?"

"Well, I will tell you, sir. It was one of them big monkeys as Buck Denham talks about."

"I never knew him talk about any."

"Oh, he has to me, sir. He has seen them over and over again when he has been out with hunting gentlemen. He says they are as big as a good-sized dog, and a bit like one about the head. But they've got next to no tail. Go in packs, they do, like dogs, and make a sort of a barking noise. Pretty fierce too, he says they are, and bite like all that. Don't you think it might be one of them? Buck says they live in the kopjes."

"But would one be likely to be about here in the dark?"

"There's no knowing, sir--hanging round our kraal to see if it could pick up a bit of anything to eat. But there, I'll keep a sharp look out, and if I see anything worth while I'll fire."

"Do," said Mark. "Good-night."

"Good-night, sir."

Mark went to his blanket, and forgot all about the incident till after breakfast when he met his relief, who signed to him to follow into the clearing they had made by cutting down and burning the bushes.