The Kopje Garrison Part 49

"And a nice thing to be proud of, sir! I'm not a vicious sort of fellow, but I do feel sometimes as if I should like to see him set up as a mark, and a couple of score o' Boers busy trying how his invention worked."

"Come along," said the lieutenant.-"Then you don't mind the job?"

"Not I, sir. I always loved powder from a boy. Used to make little cannons out of big keys, filing the bottoms to make a touch-hole. I was a don at squibs and crackers; and the games we used to have laying trains and making blue devils! Ha! It was nice to be a boy!"

"Yes, sergeant; and now we've got something big to do. But there, you're used to it. Remember getting away the powder-bags with Mr Lennox?"

"Remember it, sir? Ha! But I was in a fright then."

"Of being blown up?"

"Well, sir, if you'll believe me, I never thought of myself at all. I was all in a stew for fear the powder should catch from the lantern and make an end of Mr Lennox."

"I believe you," said d.i.c.kenson; and they stopped at the spot where the ambulance-wagons had trotted up, and the leader of the mounted escort had dropped from his panting horse to speak to the major.

"Then you've done it, sir?"

"Yes, as you see. What message from the colonel?"

"Covering party advancing, sir, to help you in. You are to get all the provisions and cattle you can, and retire. But that I see you have done. Enemy near, sir?"

The major glanced at the top of the kopje before replying, and then said briefly, "Not yet."

Chapter Twenty Five.

Another Explosion.

The wounded men-a couple of dozen all told, many of the injuries being only slight-were rapidly lifted into the light wagons while the horses and mules were given water, and all went well, the more slightly hurt cheering and joking their bearers, and making light of their injuries in the excitement of the triumph.

"Mind my head, boys," said one; "it's been knocked crooked."

"And my leg's loose, you clumsy beggar; it's there somewhere. Don't leave it behind."

"I say, Joey, I've got a hole right through me; ain't it a lark!"

"Here, you, sir! Take care; that's my best 'elmet. I want it for a piller." And so on, and so on.

Only one man groaned dismally, and that was Corporal May.

"I say, mate; got it as bad as that?" said one of the bearers.

"Oh! worse-worse than that," moaned the corporal. "I'm a dead man."

"Are you, now?" said one of his fellows in the company. "I say, speak the truth, old chap; speak the truth."

"Oh!" groaned the corporal. "Why am I here-why am I here?"

"I dunno," said the bearer he looked at with piteous eyes. "I never was good at riddles, mate. Can't guess. Ask me another.-There you are, lifted as gently as a babby. You're only a slightly; I do know that."

The corporal was borne away, still groaning, and the man who had spoken last handed him some water.

"Cheer up, corporal," he said; "you'll be back in the ranks in a week."

Meanwhile the bearers were busy in the shelter where Captain Roby lay, flushed, fevered, and evidently in great pain, while his brother officers stood round him, eager to do anything to a.s.suage his pangs and see him carefully borne to the wagon in which he was to travel.

"How are you, Roby?" said d.i.c.kenson, softly laying a powder-blackened hand upon the injured man's arm, while the bearers stood waiting to raise him.

The question and the touch acted electrically, Roby started; his eyes opened to their full extent, showing a ring of white all round the iris; and he made an effort to rise, but sank back.

"You coward-you miserable cad!" he cried. "You saw me shot down-I implored you to help me to the rear-and you chose that time to show your cowardly hate-you, an officer.-Coward! You ran-you turned and ran to save your beggarly life-coward!-coward! Oh, if I had strength!-I'll denounce you to the colonel. Cur!-coward!-cur!-I'll publish it for all the world to know."

d.i.c.kenson started at first, and then listened to the end.

"All right," he said coolly. "Don't forget when you write your book."

"Lift him, my lads, gently; we have no time to spare," said the major sternly; and as Roby was borne away, shouting hoa.r.s.ely, "Coward!-cur!" Captain Edwards said sharply in a whisper, so that the men should not hear:

"d.i.c.kenson! Is this true?"

"Oh! I don't know," was the reply. "I recollect the bugle sounding, and then I was too busy to know what I did till it sounded 'Cease firing!' I know I was out of breath."

"Take no notice," said the major quickly. "The poor fellow's raving. Coward! Tchah! Be ready, d.i.c.kenson. You've found the sergeant?"

"All ready, sir."

In a very few minutes the ambulance-wagons were off again, with their attendants ordered to go at a steady walk, and, if an attack was made, to keep the red-cross flag well shown, and avoid the line of fire if possible.

And still there was no alarm given from the top of the kopje of the Boers' approach.

A short time was allowed for the ambulance to get ahead, during which the officers had another look at the Boer wounded, the major ordering water to be given to the men. Next a few sheaves of abandoned rifles were cast into the wagons to be burned, and a final look was given to the preparations already made for the destruction of the camp.

At last, while the long line of captured stores was crawling over the veldt, and a great number of the other oxen which had wandered off to graze were, according to their instinct, beginning to follow their companions as if to make for Groenfontein, the order was given for the men to fall in ready for the march back.

All was soon in order, and the major turned to d.i.c.kenson, who stood aside with Sergeant James, waiting to perform their dangerous task.

"I was going to appoint four more men to fire the wagons," said the major, "but with the preparations you have made the flames will spread rapidly, and you two can very well do it; and as soon as the fire has taken hold you can light the fuses yonder."

"Men signalling from the top of the kopje," said Captain Edwards.

"That means the enemy in sight," said the major coolly. "Signal to them to come down."

As the captain turned away to attend to his orders the major held out his hand to d.i.c.kenson.

"Do your work thoroughly," he said gravely, "and then follow as fast as you can. I will leave pickets behind to cover you."