The Dingo Boys Part 45

"Get out of one of the windows and go and look round."

"What for go along? Plenty damper--plenty water."

"To see if the black fellows have gone."

"Baal go see. Marmi come back tick.u.m full spear and go bong."

"Nonsense! the black fellows are gone."

"Black fellow all along. Come plenty soon."

"How do you know?"

"Mine know," said the black, quietly; and they waited again for quite an hour, fancying every rustle they heard was the creeping up of a stealthy enemy.

Then, all at once, there was a light, narrow, upright mark, as it seemed, on the kitchen wall. This grew plainer, and soon they were looking on each other's dimly-seen faces; and about ten minutes later Norman went to the chimney corner, took hold of the shovel there, and sc.r.a.ped together a quant.i.ty of the fine, grey wood ashes which lay on the great hearthstone about the cask which supported the chest in the chimney, to sprinkle them about in the middle of the kitchen.

The boys looked on, and Tim shuddered, but directly after uttered a sigh of relief, just as a hideous, chuckling laugh came apparently from the ridge of the house.

"Quick!" cried Norman, dropping the fire-shovel with a clatter, and seizing his gun; "they're on the roof."

"Baal shoot," cried Shanter, showing his teeth. "Dat laughum jacka.s.s,"

and he imitated the great, grotesque kingfisher's call so faithfully that the bird answered. "Say piggi jump up:" his interpretation of the curious bird's cry; and very soon after piggi, otherwise the sun, showed his rim over the trees at the edge of the eastern plain. For it was morning, and Rifle shuddered as he went to the window slit to gaze out on the horrors of the night's work.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

"HE HAS GONE."

But though a curious, morbid fascination attracted the boy to the loophole, there were no horrors to see. Silently, and unknown to the defenders of the happy little English home, the blacks had carried away their dead and wounded, and all outside looked so beautiful and peaceful, that the events of the past night seemed like a dream.

On all sides of the low, wooden house, eager eyes were scanning the wooded patches, trees, and ridges, but there was no sign of an enemy.

The only significant thing visible was that the rails of the great paddock had been taken down in one place, and the horses and cattle were out and about grazing.

"I can see no sign of them," said the captain, suddenly closing his gla.s.s; the others, after making their own inspection from the several loopholes left for defence, now waiting to hear the captain's announcement after using his telescope. "No, I can see no sign of them.--Here, Tam."

The black came to his side, gave himself a writhe, and said with a grin, "Baal mine ride horse fellow la.s.s night, Marmi."

"No, no," said the captain, smiling; "but look here; black fellow gone along."

"All hide um myall scrub," said Shanter, quietly.

"No, no, gone--gone," said the captain. "Plenty run away."

"Baal plenty run away," cried the black, who understood the mutilated English of the settlers, made for native comprehension, more easily than ordinary talk. "No, baal plenty run away. Hide."

"How do you know. You pidney?"

The black nodded, and a cunning smile overspread his face as he led the captain to the loopholes at the front, side, and back of the house, pointed out at the cattle, and then said with the quiet decision of one who has grasped a fact: "Horse fellow--bull-cow--say baal go near scrub, black fellow throw spear."

The captain uttered an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n, and the boys laughed.

"Well done, Shanter!" cried Rifle. "Look, father, they are all keeping together out in the middle."

"Oh yes there's no doubt about it," said the captain. "I shall end by having quite a respect for Tam."

"Baal whip Shanter?" said the black sharply.

"No; never again."

"Marmi gib Shanter plenty horse fellow ride?"

"Yes, you shall ride and herd the cattle."

"Big white Mary gib plenty soff damper?"

"Yes, plenty."

"How coo-ee! Big white Mary gib Shanter plenty soff damper now?" cried the black.

"Yes, come along, aunt; and Marian, you and the girls come and give us some breakfast; there is no danger at present."

"Shanter make plenty big fire," cried the black. "Pull down big box fellow--big tub. Black fellow no come long time."

The boys sprang to his help, the tub and chest were removed, and a fire lit, its ashes soon removing the traces which had been hidden by the cask.

The ladies looked very pale, but their neat aspect in the dim kitchen, along with the sparkling fire, gave everything a cheerful look in spite of the gloom.

Shanter marched to the front door.

"Open," he said shortly. "Mine go eat damper. Plenty see black fellow come and shut um."

"Yes, we could keep watch, and close it again quickly," said the captain. So bars and barricades were drawn aside, and the door thrown open to admit the fresh, delicious, morning breeze, which blew full in their faces, while the light darted into the interior of the shuttered rooms.

"Hurrah!" cried the boys in chorus; and they all came out into the front.

"What's the matter, Shanter?" cried Rifle, as the black suddenly threw back his head, dilated his nostrils, and began to sniff.

"Mine smell," he cried.

"What can you smell?"

The black was silent for a few moments, standing with his eyes closely shut, and giving three or four long sniffs, twitching his face so comically, that the boys laughed.

"Muttons," said the black, decisively. "Mumkull sheep fellow. Big fire where? Hah!"

He had been staring about him now as he spoke, and suddenly fixed his eyes on the low bushes down by the waterfall, and pointed to a faint blue curl of smoke just rising above the trees, and which might have been taken for mist.