George Manville Fenn

“ I’m not a quarrelsome fellow, but I always feel as if I must kick him. He aggravates me.”
“Nice soft sort of a fellow to kick,” said West, laughing.
“Ugh!” ejaculated Ingleborough, and his foot flew out suddenly as if aimed at the person of whom they spoke. “Don’t know anything about diamonds! What things people will do for the sake of a bit of glittering glass! Look here, West, for all his talk I wouldn’t trust him with a consignment of stones any farther than I could see him.” ”

“ The words were hardly above his breath, but in the utter stillness of the night on the veldt they penetrated sufficiently far, and in an instant both the despatch-riders knew what the brief orders they had heard meant, namely that as the commando rode along a trooper was ordered to rein up at about every hundred yards and was left as a vedette.
For no sooner had West spoken than there was a sharp challenge to left and right, running away along a line, and directly after the reports of rifles rang out and bullets whizzed like insects through the dark night air. ”

“ As far as the fugitives could see, the ravine went in a devious course a couple of hundred yards into the eminence, but, as it proved, nearly across to the other side. It was darkened by overhanging trees and creepers, which found a hold in every ledge or crack of the almost perpendicular sides, and grew darker and darker at every score of yards; but the echoing rocks gave them full notice of what was going on near the entrance, the voices of the Boers and the splashing noise of their horses’ feet coming with many repetitions to drown any sound made by their own. ”

“ They both sprang into their saddles, to the intense astonishment of the ponies, one of which made a bound and dashed off round the enclosure at full speed, while the other, upon which West was mounted, reared straight up, and, preserving its balance upon its hind legs, kept on snorting, while it sparred out with its fore hoofs as if striking at some imaginary enemy, till the rider brought his hand down heavily upon the restive beast’s neck. ”

“ For voices could be heard as of two men talking together, while plash, plash, plash their footsteps in the water echoed for some moments from the rocky sides of the chasm, before they came leisurely into sight round the corner and stood knee-deep looking straight into the cave, little thinking of the peril in which they were, for a couple of rifles covered them, and the slightest pressure upon the triggers would have sent the long thin bullets upon their errand to pierce the Boers through and through. ”

“ West was disposed to say; but he followed his companion’s example, letting himself sink sidewise like a dying quadruped, feeling the despatch crackle beneath him as he lay listening to the trampling of horses growing more distant, and waiting for Ingleborough to speak.
“Seems a stupid sort of dodge!” said the latter at last; “but I thought it better to let them think we were hyaenas than human beings.”
“But we had a narrow escape of being shot!” replied West.
“Yes, and escaped. If they had taken us for human beings we should have been either shot or taken prisoners. Now we’re safe!” ”

“ The far side of the pile of granite and ironstone was reached in safety, placing the fugitives about a quarter of a mile from the Boers in a direct line, but quite a mile of intricate climbing if measured by the distance round; and they paused in a green patch full of refreshing beauty, being a wide ravine stretching up into the height, and with a bubbling stream of water running outward and inviting the ponies at once to take their fill. ”

“ The next minute they were lying amongst some stones and their ponies grazing, Ingleborough coolly filling his pipe and lighting it with a burning-glass, but keeping a watchful eye upon the long train of wagons and horsemen plodding along at the customary rate of about two miles an hour, and ready at any moment to spring upon his pony in case a party of the enemy should make up their minds to try and drive in the two ponies when they caught their eye. ”

“ No: mounted men! Ingle, old chap,” cried West excitedly, “they’re the party our men have cut off! They’ve headed them, and they’re trying to escape by this opening!”
“By jingo! No!” cried Ingleborough. “Our men have gone off to the right, I believe, and those Boers have seen us. Noll, old fellow, we’ve come a bit too far. Steady! Right turn! Now off and away, or somebody else will be cut off or shot; perhaps both of us, for we’re in for it once more.”
“Oh no,” said West coolly; “be steady, and we’ll show the Boers how English fellows ride!” ”

“ At the same moment a Kaffir of the blackest type and with his hair greased up into the familiar Zulu ring bounded into sight, tripped, fell upon his hands, sprang up again, ran on, and disappeared, whilst a rush was made for the man who fired, leaving Anson and the prisoners together.
The next minute West’s blood felt as if it was running cold in his veins as he saw, only a few yards from him and close to the stone upon which his jacket had been stretched, the sentry slowly re-loading his pistol. But the coat was gone.
West had hard work to repress a groan. ”

“ West turned his gaze from the dying pony, irritated beyond measure by his companion’s easy-going coolness, and then saw the full extent of their trouble, for Ingleborough’s pony had sunk upon its knees and then lain gently over upon its side, to die instantly without a struggle, one of the Boers’ bullets having passed right through its brain. ”

“ They were in great doubt as to whether they were unseen when they had to dismount and lead their willing steeds into a snug little amphitheatre surrounded by rocks and trees, while the hollow itself was rich with pasturage such as the horses loved best, growing upon both sides of the clear stream whose sources were high up among the rocks.
“You see to hobbling the ponies, Noll,” said Ingleborough, “while I get up as high as I can with my glass and give an eye to the farms. If we’ve been seen someone will soon be after us. We can’t rest till we know. ”

“ To have stopped and turned to fire, with their pulses throbbing, breath coming in a laboured way, every nerve and muscle on the jump, must have resulted in missing; and the next moment the enemy would have ridden over them and they would have been either shot or prisoners.
Knowing this, they tore on till the rifle-pit was only a hundred yards away. The foremost Boers spread out like a fan not fifty yards distant, and came on at full gallop, with the result appearing certain that before the fugitives had torn on despairingly another score of yards their enemies would be upon them. ”

“ And this and much more as the fugitives cantered easily along through the darkness, giving their ponies their heads and letting them increase the distance more and more, till all at once West broke the silence by exclaiming: “I say, Ingle, is it really true?”
“Is what really true—that Master Anson’s a fat beast?”
“No, no; that we have escaped and are riding away at full liberty to go where we please? It seems to me like a dream, and that in the morning we shall awake and find ourselves once again in that dreary wagon.”
“Partly true, partly imaginary,” said Ingleborough bluntly. ”

“ In spite of its vast wealth, Kimberley is still little better than a moving camp, and holds out few prospects of ever becoming a magnificent town.
The interior of that newly-created office, allowing for the tapping of the typewriter and the scratching of the pens, was very quiet; but outside there was the strange sound produced by the mingling of voices with trampling feet and the distant whirr and rattle of machinery, till a clock began striking, followed by the clangour of a bell, and then all was changed. ”

“ Being buttered is not an unpleasant sensation when you can honestly believe that you deserve it; and, without being vain, I suppose we can feel that our consciences are at rest.”
“Never mind that!” said West hurriedly. “I don’t like being buttered, as you call it. The chief said then that he should have to send another despatch back to Kimberley, and that he should ask us to take it.”
“What a cracker!” cried Ingleborough.
“Cracker—lie? I declare he did!”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Very well!” said West stiffly.
“No; it is not very well! Come now, he didn’t say anything about us. He said you. ”

“ Following Ingleborough, he dropped off the end of the wagon, boldly led him to the rifles, and together in the darkness they slipped on the bandoliers, two each, crossbelt-fashion, slung their rifles behind, put on their broad felt hats well down over their eyes, and then, imitating the Boer’s heavy slouching walk, they hurried on through the laager in the direction of the horses. ”

“ Why, Ingle, those are not rifles they’re carrying—they’re lances.”
“You’re dreaming!” growled Ingleborough. “Never mind what they’re carrying; they’re going to cut us off, and we’ve got to save that despatch!”
“And we shall save it too!” cried West, his voice sounding full of exultation. “Those are our Lancers—a regiment of them!”
“You’re right!” cried Ingleborough excitedly now, and he began to draw rein. “Look at the Boer line. There’s proof! They’re turning back from the front and hurrying up their rear so as to form laager round their big guns. ”

“ West, I assure you that I never set eyes upon those diamonds before in my life. It’s all a cruel, dastardly plot, and I— Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear! Is it possible that a man can be so base?”
He took out his handkerchief and applied it to his eyes, uttering a low piteous groan the while.
“You hear this, Ingleborough?” said West.
“Yes, I hear,” said Ingleborough sourly, as he thrust the gems back in his pocket. “So do you, and you know now what it is my duty to do.”
West was silent.
“Oh, do speak and help me!” cried Anson. “Don’t stand by and see me ruined, West! ”

“ The man grunted, Anson gave an order or two in a low tone, and in response to a shout a dimly-seen team of great bullocks roughly harnessed to the dissel boom and trek tow of a long covered-in wagon began to trudge slowly along over the rough track which led to the main road leading south. A second man led the way, while the Kaffir with the light swung himself up onto the great box in front of the wagon and drew out an unusually long whip, after hanging his horn lantern to a hook in the middle of the arched tilt over his head. ”

“ One to us!” shouted Ingleborough, glancing back.
“What is it? I see one of the enemy broken down and another pulled up to help him. It’s two to us.”
“There, you see now the good of looking at the worst of it.”
“It’s quite cheering!” cried West.
“Not very, for the rest are making a spurt.”
“Let them!” said West. “Our ponies are full of go. We will not push them unless absolutely obliged.”
“Words of wisdom! A long, steady pace wins. Keep on; we can afford to lose a little ground, for we have been gaining for some time!” ”

“ West had involuntarily dropped on all-fours as Ingleborough spoke, and none too soon, for another dozen bullets came rattling over them, cutting the twigs and spattering amongst the rocks, while several passed close to them with a buzzing sound.
“There!” cried Ingleborough the next minute. “No question now about what we’re going to do. Here’s our fort; there’s plenty of water; and the Boers have shot our provisions ready for us. We must cut some of the meat up for biltong, and eat as much as we can while the rest of it is fresh.” ”

“ Ingleborough held on tightly while he twisted his head to see that the two ponies had hurried out of the cave to wade to the place where they had started from, and were looking up wonderingly.
“Ha, ha!” laughed Ingleborough. “They’re afraid of being left behind! Here, you two, be off back into your stable,” he continued, getting hold of a loose piece of rock with the intention of dropping it into the water to scare the lookers-on.
“No, no, don’t do that!” said West softly. “You may scare them into cantering down into the midst of the Boers!” ”

“ We have only a short start this time.”
“But we’ll make the best of it,” cried Ingleborough, between his teeth. “Bend down well! The firing has begun!”
“It is speaking for itself,” said West grimly, as the buzzing whirr of the bullets began again, while faintly heard there came, half smothered by the thudding of their own horses’ hoofs, the clattering of Boer mounts being led out over the stones of the ravine in which they had been hid.
“See any more of the old party?” cried West, as they rode well out now on to the level.
“No; we’ve turned off so much that they are quite in our rear.” ”

“ But they hoped in vain, and the ponies at last began to grow sluggish and indisposed to proceed whenever some patch of bush was reached in the midst of the dried-up expanse.
“There, it’s of no use,” said Ingleborough; “we may as well let the poor brutes browse upon such green shoots as they can find! They’ll be all the fresher for the halt. As for us, we must feed upon hope and the remembrance of the good things we have had in the past.”
“Don’t let’s give up yet!” replied West. “It is cool travelling, and every mile brings us nearer to safety.” ”

“ No good; we should be pumped out in less than a couple of hours!”
“Then let’s make the brutes pay dearly for what they’ve done!” cried West angrily. “Now Ingle, let’s prove to them that we can use our rifles too! I’m going to shoot every horse I can.”
“Very well: so am I; and if that does not beat them off I’m going to bring down man after man till the rest of them run for their lives. Got a good place?”
“Yes,” said West, whose rifle-barrel rested in a crack between two stones.
“Then fire away; but don’t waste a shot!”
“Trust me!” cried West grimly. “Now then, fire; and remember the despatch!” ”