The Kopje Garrison Part 33

"Ah!" he snarled; "cowards again. Always cowards, since the day when you ran away from us at Majuba."

"Hold your tongue, sir, before you are hurt by some of the men who know that they have one of the bravo miscreants before them who lay powder-mines ready to destroy those they dare not fight in the open field."

"Tell the dog I'll have him gagged as well as bound if he does not keep his tongue quiet," said Captain Roby, coming up.

The Boer laughed mockingly; and Captain Roby, who seemed unable to restrain the anger rising within him, turned away.

"See that he has no revolver, Lennox," he said hoa.r.s.ely, "and try to find out whether he has any companions."

"He wouldn't say if he had," replied Lennox; "but we'll soon search and see. Sergeant James is making him fast. Yes, he had a revolver," he continued as he saw the sergeant take the weapon and thrust it inside his belt.

The next minute the prisoner was secure between two men, and the light-bearers went forward, to be brought to a standstill almost directly by the contraction of the cellar-like place, out of which there was no way in that direction.

Having satisfied themselves of this, the party hastened back to the tree, and stood looking about for a time, examining a few cracks and rifts, before the orders were given to mount to the upper cave-a risky and unpleasant task, for the tree-trunk was loose. The men, however, for the most part made light of it, and as soon as the big chamber was reached they proceeded to thoroughly examine that, when, to the delight of all, its real character of a hiding-place and storehouse belonging to one of the native tribes was revealed: for scores of huge woven baskets were piled-up, looking at a few yards' distance, with no better illumination than the military lamps, like ma.s.ses of rock, but containing hundreds upon hundreds of bushels of hard, sweet corn, failing which there would soon have been only one chance of escape for the detachment, and that by a bold attempt to cut their way through.

The search was continued, but nothing more rewarded their efforts. There was the ample supply of corn, stored up by some tribe, and outside the bags of gunpowder hidden by the Boers, whose plan was quite evident, and thoroughly realised by all who had discovered the entrance-to blow up the great gun captured from them and destroy the stronghold that checked their advance.

Before long a sentry was marching up and down in front of that ingenious specimen of native work, the big stone entrance to the cave which ran so easily upon a pivot; while the detachment in charge of the big gun talked shudderingly of the risk they had unknowingly been running, for, given a little longer time and the right opportunity, their two crafty enemies would undoubtedly have fired their mine and blown the greater part of the kopje-top into the air.

"I was growing anxious over the long silence," said the colonel, smiling, after he had been made aware or the success attending the party that had hurried up at the alarm, and after he had examined the prisoners; "but you have done a splendid night's work-cleared away an impending danger, and secured a storehouse of com sufficient for a whole month."

"A month or more," said Captain Roby.

"Ha! Then we can hold out and wait. But about these prisoners. Here, major, what do you say?"

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the major. "Two of the treacherous hounds who deceived us, and whom we let go to fetch us supplies."

"And came back to blow us up," said the colonel.

"Failed in that," said Captain Roby, "and then started another cold-blooded, treacherous plan."

"Yes," said the colonel, "based upon the knowledge they must have wrung from one of the native tribes they have oppressed. Well, gentlemen, we have two of the miscreant spies. What next?"

"The fate of spies," said Captain Roby. "I think it is due to our men that they should be shot."

"Kept prisoners till we can hand them over to the general, and let him decide," said the major. "What do you say, Edwards?"

"They are prisoners, and beaten," said the captain. "Yes, I side with you."

"Two against you, Roby," said the colonel.-"Well, Lennox-and you, d.i.c.kenson-you may as well give your opinion. What do you say, d.i.c.kenson?"

"I should like to see that black-haired brute tied up and flogged, sir."

"Should you?" said the colonel, smiling. "Well, I dare say he deserves it; but it is not the punishment we can give a prisoner, so your opinion will stand alone.-Well, Lennox?"

"Oh, it's all war, sir; and the fellows are half-savage peasants who hate us like poison. You can't shoot them, sir, for fighting their best-their way."

"No, Mr Lennox, I can't shoot them; but it will be a horrible nuisance to have to keep them as prisoners. I wish they had died fighting like brave men. As it is they will have to live prisoners till the war is at an end. Now then, about where to place them."

"Here, I know, sir," said d.i.c.kenson, laughing. "Shut them up in the kopje. They'll be quite at home there."

"No," said Lennox, joining in his comrade's merriment; "don't trust them there, sir. They're malicious enough to spend their time destroying all the corn."

"Well done, Lennox!" said the colonel emphatically. "I'm glad you spoke, for before anything was said I had determined to make their hiding-place their prison. You are right. That would not do at all.-Roby, you must have your prisoners placed in the safest hut that you can find, and let a sentry share their prison, for they must never be left alone. Now, gentlemen: bed."

Chapter Sixteen.

The Lost Man.

"Yes, sir, I'm very sorry, and feel that it's a great disgrace," said Colour-Sergeant James.

"Sorry!" said Captain Roby contemptuously.

"It's all I can be, sir," said the sergeant sadly. "I'm not going to defend myself."

"But how could you miss him when the roll was called?"

"I don't know, sir. I suppose it was all due to the excitement and being f.a.gged out with what we'd gone through in that black hole."

"Black hole!" cried Roby. "You deserve the Black Hole yourself, sergeant."

"Yes, sir. I thought he answered, but the poor fellow must have lost his way somehow, and have got left behind."

"It's horrible," cried Roby. "I don't know what's to be done."

"Go in search of the poor fellow at once. It's enough to send a man out of his mind," broke in Lennox impatiently.

"I did not ask you for your opinion, Mr Lennox," said the captain coldly.-"Here, James, come with me to the colonel at once."

"Yes, sir," said the sergeant, and he followed his superior.

"What nonsense!" cried d.i.c.kenson. "Here, Drew, old man, let's go on up to the hole at once with half-a-dozen men and lanterns."

"That's what I wanted to do," said Lennox bitterly; "but I suppose it would be going against discipline."

"Going against your grandmother! Hesitate, when the poor fellow may be dying of fright? He is rather a chicken-hearted sort of a customer."

"So would you be if you lost yourself in that dismal hole."

"True, oh king! I should sit down in a fit of the horrors, and howl for my mother till I cried myself to sleep."

"No, you wouldn't, Bob. But old Roby does make me set up my bristles sometimes. I don't know what's come to him lately."

"I know what I should like to see come to him."