George Manville Fenn

“ I asked.
“What do you think?” said Denham, with a laugh. “Do you think we are the sort of people to let a party of rough farmers turn us out of Natal, just because they have been stirred up to fight by a gang of political adventurers? Is your father going to give up his farm that he has spent years of his life in making out of the wilderness?”
“What?” I cried angrily. “No! I should think not.”
“Well, that’s bringing it home to you, my lad. I said your father’s farm. His is only one instance.”
“It isn’t as if we wanted to turn the Boers out,” I said. ”

“ I don’t like it,” cried Denham to me, as he rode up to my side while we were cantering over the veldt one day. “We always seem to be running away.”
“Manoeuvring,” I said, with a laugh.
“Oh, hang so much manoeuvring!” he muttered. “The Boers set it all down to cowardice, and hold us in contempt.”
“It doesn’t matter what they think,” I said, as we rode on over the splendid open highland, with the brisk bracing air whistling past our ears, and our horses seeming thoroughly to enjoy the run; “we’ve shown the enemy time after time that we are not cowards.” ”

“ We yelled together with all our might; but our cheers sounded like whispers amidst the noises of firing in front and the rush of men from the rear. The Boer sentries, however, were true to their duty even in the midst of the terrible confusion in their lines; and four of them made at once, rifle in hand, for the wagon. But we were mad with excitement now, and crack, crack, our revolvers began to speak. Our shots and the rapid advance of the soldiers made them turn and flee. ”

“ There was the sound of a smart blow, and Denham staggered back against the men who were binding his wrists.
A cheer rose from some of the fierce men around us, a murmur of disapprobation from others, as Denham recovered himself and stood upright, with his chest expanded and a look of scorn and contempt in his eyes.
“Yes,” he said quietly, “you are a disgrace to a great name. I am a prisoner, and my hands are tied.”
“Silence, spy!” cried Moriarty fiercely, and a dead silence fell.
“I’ll not be silent,” said Denham. “Val, if we die for it, repeat my words in Dutch. ”

“ But change the scene: be hanging at the end of the same rope, with the knowledge that a friend and comrade is in deadly peril, and that, though resting against a rocky slope which gives you foothold and relieves the strain on your muscles, there is beneath you a horrible chasm full of black water, hidden by the darkness, but lapping and whispering as if waiting to receive the unfortunate. It is then that the nerves weaken and begin to communicate with and paralyse the muscles, unless there is sufficient strength of mind to counteract the horror, setting fear at defiance. ”

“ By a sudden effort I threw off the dreamy sensation—the feeling that I was half-stunned by the pressure of the task I had undertaken, now that it had suddenly grown so much greater than I had anticipated—and I walked alongside the wagon-box, breathing hard, and planning that at the first sound of approaching enemies I would rush forward to where Joeboy was tramping beside the foreloper, assagai in hand, and make a dash with him for liberty. ”

“ They all trusted to the front wagon for guidance, as their teams, until the oxen were tired, needed no driving whatever, but followed stolidly in the track of those in front.
So slow!—so awfully slow! when I wanted them to go in a thunderous gallop! Yet I knew this was folly. I wanted to play the hare, though I knew that in this case the tortoise would win the race; for to have hurried meant some accident, some breaking of the heavy wains: a wheel off or broken, the giving way of trek-tow or dissel-boom. ”

“ A young officer sprang into the wagon, sword in hand, followed by half-a-dozen of his men with bayonets levelled at us; but the officer halted the men.
“Prisoners,” he cried excitedly, “or a ruse?”
“Get out!” shouted Denham. “Do you take me for a Dutchman? Look at our hands and feet.”
A sergeant sprang forward and took the swinging lantern from the hook, opened its door, and, as he held it down, they saw our horribly swollen and useless limbs, with the hide-thongs just freshly cut through. ”

“ The next minute every man was in his place, and the pass so dark and still that it was impossible to believe that a terrible conflict was so close at hand. As I stood waiting and listening for the enemy’s order to attack, I could feel my heart go throb, throb, throb, throb, so hard that I seemed to be hearing it at the same time making a dull echo in my brain. ”

“ Night on the Veldt.
I sat there in the chilly darkness, listening till the last sounds of the beating hoofs died out—began again—grew fainter—finally ceased altogether. Sandho stood perfectly still, with the painful heaving of his flanks gradually easing down. At last he uttered a low whinnying sound, as if asking me why we did not go on; but I made no movement, spoke no word, only sat and listened for the return of the Boers. ”

“ Then the walls were echoing to the call “Boot and Saddle,” and every man sprang to his hung-up saddle and then to his horse, the willing beasts seeming all of a tremor with an excitement as great as that of their riders. Long practice had made us quick; and in an incredibly short time I was standing like the rest with my rifle slung across my back, holding Sandho’s bridle ready to lead him out through the gateway, military fashion, though he would have walked at my side like a dog. ”

“ I said; “the Boers ruined you. They ought to be made to pay.”
“Not ruined, Val,” said my father, “though the burning and destruction meant a serious loss; but I had not been idle all the years I was there, and I dare say we can soon raise a home in Natal, where we can be at peace. Nature is very kind out here in this sunny, fruitful land; and I dare say when Mr Denham comes to see us, as I hope he will often do in the future, we can make him as comfortable as in the past days when the farm was younger, and perhaps find him a little hunting and shooting within reach.” ”

“ I cried, recovering my balance a little.
“But isn’t he a renegade, sir?” said the Sergeant.
“We call him so,” replied Denham.
“And didn’t he attack you two and try to murder you, sir, just as he did poor Sam Wren?”
“Yes, I grant all that, Sergeant; but we’re not savages. Now, suppose you had gone in chase of this man, and say you had caught him. Would you have put your revolver to his head and blown out his brains?”
“That ain’t a fair question, sir,” said the Sergeant gruffly; “and all I’ve got to say is, that I’m very glad, knowing what I do, that I wasn’t in pursuit of him, sword in hand.” ”

“ Then the sentries began to talk together earnestly, and it seemed as if the man on duty in front of the wagon had joined those at the back, with the result that the conversation was becoming excited.
“They’re on the lookout after the advance,” whispered Denham. “It seems to be very dark outside. I believe it will not be long before we hear the attack begin.”
“No; they’ll wait till our men are asleep.” ”

“ I said to myself. “One drops asleep after dinner, and then wakes up ready to go for any length of time. It’s being a good comrade to the poor fellow,” I thought; and, picking up his rifle, I took over his duty just as if it were my own, keeping my eyes wandering over the dark grey stones in front, and sweeping the whole space. Then my breath suddenly felt as if checked in my surprise, for about thirty yards away, as near as I could guess, there was a dark shadow passing one of the great blocks. ”

“ Can you yell like a hyena?”
“No,” I said promptly. “Joeboy can.”
“Wouldn’t do,” said my companion, upon second thoughts. “Those beasts are singing all over the place sometimes, and they might lead us wrong.”
“So would the cry of any animal.”
“Yes,” said Denham thoughtfully. “I don’t know, though. Here, can you suggest something?”
“I can’t do it; but Joeboy can roar like a lion splendidly.”
“Wouldn’t that scare and stampede the bullocks?”
“Oh no,” I said; “the cry would cheat the Boers, perhaps; the bullocks would know better—wouldn’t they, Joeboy?” ”

“ Then his voice was drowned in the loud, spontaneous cheer which rose from those about me, in which at the moment I felt too weak to join.
“Here, get in, all of you,” cried the Major as soon as he could make himself heard. “You’re sure there is no pursuit?”
“Quite,” came in Denham’s familiar voice. “We have had a very long round since we wore cut off, and have not heard a soul as we came through the darkness.”
“How about wounds?” said the Major.
“Pretty tidy, sir,” said Denham. “The poor horses have got the worst of it. But we’re all starving, and choked with thirst.” ”

“ The men ran back into the rallying-place as quickly as so many rabbits, mounted, and once more we were in full retreat, with Joeboy trotting beside my horse holding on to the stirrup-iron, while Denham kept coming to me, to talk.
“Just to give you a few lessons in the art of war,” he said, with his eyes twinkling and a laugh beginning to show at their corners. “There, you see we have done exactly what the Colonel wanted us to do: made a regular reconnaissance and drawn the enemy’s fire, proving that he is holding the pass. What the old man will do now remains to be seen. ”

“ Before my father could reply a body of horsemen cantered up, every man well mounted, rifle in hand, and carrying a cross-belt over his left shoulder fitted with cartridges, bandolier fashion. Their leader, a big, heavily-bearded, fierce-looking fellow, dropped from his saddle, threw the rein to one of his companions, and then swaggered up to us, scanning us with his eyes half-closed, and with a haughty, contemptuous expression in his countenance. ”

“ One doesn’t think of the bullets when one is fighting and they ping and whiz by one’s head; but to stand up and face a row of rifles, waiting for the order to fire—I’m afraid I shall be a coward then.”
I shivered now; and a minute later, as I listened to Denham’s breathing, I shivered again. Perhaps it was from fear, perhaps it was from being cold, for the night wind, not far removed from freezing, blew up through the openings in the bottom of the wagon. ”

“ From beyond these came the peculiarly soft, chewing sound of working jaws; and I made out, partly by hearing and partly by the peculiar but not unpleasant odour, that there were the teams in their places, all the great oxen crouching down, from the pair on either side of the dissel-boom or pole to the foremost couple right in front, pair after pair, along the trek-tow—that is, the great rope which, for the team, serves as a continuation of the pole.
“Um?” whispered Joeboy as I stood listening to the dull cud-chewing of the resting beasts. “Now make um come out.” ”

“ Would it be right to stand fast here and let the Boers surround us and lie snugly behind the rocks to take careful aim and shoot us all down, horse and man?”
“Oh, I suppose not,” groaned my companion; “but I hate—I loathe—running away from these bullet-headed double-Dutchmen. They think it so cowardly.”
“Let them, in their ignorance,” I said. “It seems to me far more cowardly to hide one’s self behind a stone and bring down with a rifle a man who can’t reach them.”
“Perhaps so. But where are we making for?”
“That clump of rocks right out yonder, that looks like a town.” ”

“ Moriarty will have you shot in the morning when he comes back, and begin to rage because it is not done. Well, life’s very short, and we must all die. I’m going to fight to-night, and perhaps I shall start on the long journey too, for your men fight well. God knows best, lads; and there is no fighting yonder—all is peace.”
He bowed his head down and went out of the wagon without a word. When Denham asked me a few minutes later what the Boer had said, my voice in reply sounded hoarse and strange, quite unlike my usual tones. ”

“ We sat talking for a bit, and watched the Boers till they were quite invisible. Then we could do nothing but wait for orders, no one believing that any attack would be made by our mounted enemy. However, about an hour after it was quite dark an alarm was suddenly given; but every man was on the alert, and the entrances to our fort were doubly strengthened. For there was the sound of shouts and horses thundering over the plain towards the fort; and at last the order was given to fire, a sharp fusillade ringing out in the horsemen’s direction. ”

“ There, I won’t say another word.”
“Then I’ll speak for you,” said Denham. “You wouldn’t have cut the scoundrel down, nor shot him, but you’d have done your duty as trained soldiers do. You’d have taken him prisoner, and brought him in to the Colonel.”
“And he’d have had him put up against the nearest wall before a dozen rifles and shot for a murderous traitor, sir.”
“But not without a court-martial first, Briggs,” said Denham sternly.
“I suppose you’re right, sir; but I don’t see what comfort a trial by court-martial can be to a man who knows that he’s sure to be found guilty and shot.” ”

“ Once well started, and my rein free of the man who held it buckled to his saddle-bow, I had no fear at all, for I was sure that in a straight race there was not a Boer amongst them who could overtake me, they being heavy, middle-aged men, while I was young and light, quite at home in the saddle, and Sandho as much at home with me, upon his back. ”

“ Then the Sergeant thrust his piece of gold ore and quartz back into his pouch, and marched away.
“Val, old chap,” said Denham as soon as we were alone, “that fellow seemed to cheer me up a bit while he was here.”
“Yes,” I said; “he roused me up too.”
“But now he’s gone I’m down again lower and lower than ever I was before. I begin to wish I were dead. Oh dear! who’d be a wounded man who feels as helpless as a child?” ”

“ I exclaimed.
“Pooh! puff! stuff!—that’s what it is, old fellow. They’re about the most obstinate, stupid, ignorant brutes under the sun. They don’t know when they’re well off as subjects of Great Britain, so they’ll have to be taught.”
“Of course,” I said. “But they are brave.”
“Well, yes, in a way,” said Denham grudgingly. “They’ll fight if they’re ten or a dozen to one, and can get behind stones or wagons to pot us; but they haven’t got sense enough to know when they’re well off, nor yet to take care of six wagon-loads of good grain and meal, and nearly a hundred and fifty oxen.” ”

“ There were fully fifty friends, all good horsemen and able shots, coming to our help; so I need not despair. Thinking of what would be the best tactics under the circumstances, there seemed to be two ways open to us: for the troop to fall in on either side of the last wagon, and keep up a running fight; or, if the Boer party proved too strong, the six wagons could be drawn up laager-wise and turned into a temporary fort, with the bullocks outside, our men firing, till help came, from behind an improvised shelter formed by the sacks of grain and meal. ”

“ To deliver the message?”
“Of course.”
“No, Val, my boy. I like you too well to let you go to the old man. Do you know what he’d do?”
“Send me back to our friend there with a message as sharp as a sword. Of course I know he will not send him across to the Boers.”
“My dear Val,” said Denham solemnly, “let me inform your ignorance exactly what would happen. I know the chief from old experience. He’ll sit back and listen to you with one of those pleasant smiles he puts on when he’s working himself up into a rage. ”