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Charge! - A Story of Briton and Boer, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 21. I Have My Doubts |
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_ CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. I HAVE MY DOUBTS "Too late; too late," I muttered through my teeth as, sword in hand, I made a bound to keep up with Sandho, who dashed forward. It was lucky for me I did so; as it was, I nearly lost my hold. The poor beast had been sadly punished in the melee; and between temper and dread he was hardly controllable, and bearing hard against the curb in a wild desire to rush off. In fact, I fully expected at any moment to be shaken from my grasp, as, oddly enough, even in that time of peril, I recalled the gymnastic sport of giant strides of my schooldays, and held on; but I was certain we were now too late, and that it was only a matter of moments before we should be overtaken and cut down or taken prisoners by a strong party of the Boers who were in full pursuit. Then my exaltation increased, and I thought that Sandho would be able to go faster if relieved of my clinging hand, and so save the Colonel; and in another instant I should have let go, when--as he told me afterwards--the Colonel seemed to divine my thoughts, and I felt his sword strike against my back as it hung loosely by the knot to his wrist, while his strong right hand was thrust under and gripped my leather cartridge-belt. "Hold on tightly, my lad, and we'll do it somehow," he cried. These words drove all the heroic thoughts out of my brain, and I tried to look back to see how near our pursuers were; but I could not turn my head round, but only listen to the shouts, while _crack, crack, crack_ came the reports of rifles--badly aimed by the mounted men, who fired from the saddle, holding their weapons pistol-wise--the bullets from which went whizzing and buzzing past our ears. "It's all over," I thought, and a deep sense of depression was coming on at the thought of the Colonel falling wounded and a prisoner into the Boers' hands; but the depression was only momentary, being chased away by a wild feeling of excitement as I thought I had misjudged the gallant lads of the Light Horse. For as soon as they had pulled themselves together, under command of their remaining officers, and had discovered the loss of their chief, in response to our Major's orders they drew rein and divided into two squadrons, which swung round into line, with a short distance between them, and gallantly charged down upon our pursuers. They were none too soon. I remember feeling a strange choking sensation as, with a wild cheer, they swept round us, and, sword in hand, rode over and cut down those of the enemy who stopped to face them, the majority taking flight. Then our men came thundering back, seeming to sweep us up and carry us along with them, while the Boers in our rear and on both sides began to fire at our hurrying troopers. I was nearly breathless, and must have dropped but for the Colonel's strong grasp; and I was curiously giddy till I heard his voice just above me give the word for the men to halt. His orders were echoed by the troop-leaders, who and the racing retreat was checked. "Bring one of those horses here for me," shouted the Colonel; and I now noticed that just ahead were half-a-dozen of the brave beasts whose saddles had been emptied but had kept their places in retreat, charge, and retreat again. "That's right," cried the Colonel as he released my belt, so that I stood, hardly able to keep my feet as, with swimming eyes, I saw him stagger forward and mount the fresh charger, though evidently experiencing great suffering. "Now then, my lad--Moray--what's your name?--mount." His words seemed to galvanise and bring me back to a knowledge of my position, while Sandho helped to rouse me by turning and coming close up. I hardly know how I did it, but I managed to climb into the saddle, and from that moment, as we cantered away together, with the bullets whizzing after us, the terrible burning sensation of exhaustion from which I suffered began to die out, and the throbbing of my brain steadied down. "What are we going to do now, Denham?" I said at last, as, gazing straight ahead, I leaned over a little towards the left. "Eh? Denham?" said a voice. "I'm not--" "Ah!" I cried excitedly; "don't, say the Lieutenant's down!" "Well, I won't if you don't want me to," said the private at my side; "but he is, and pretty well half our poor fellows too." I uttered a groan, and down came the horrible feeling of depression again--a feeling I now knew to mean despair. "Can't be helped," continued my fellow-trooper. "We've fought as plucky a fight as could be; but they've been too many for us, and I suppose we shall have to surrender at last, or all be shot down. Ah! there goes another," he cried. "No; it's only one of the empty saddle-horses." As we swept past it, I looked at the poor beast struggling to get upon its feet again; and then it was in our rear, and my companion said bitterly the one word, "Down!" "Why, that's the old fort and the kopje yonder, a mile ahead," I said suddenly. "Are we going there?" "Eh? Yes, I suppose so," was the reply, "if the Doppies'll let us. They're coming on again." He was quite right, for upon glancing to my left I could see a perfect swarm of the Boers galloping as if to cut us off, while I learned from the right that they were also coming on there. Then came the news that they were advancing in force behind; and from that moment the crackling of rifle-fire ceased, and it became a hard ride for the haven of comparative safety ahead. "They'll reach the old place just about the same time as we do," said my companion on the left, "unless something's done." Something, however, was done, for the Colonel seemed to have recovered himself, so that he was ready for the emergency; and as we neared the place that offered safety he gave his orders, and these were cleverly carried out. Half of our flying troops drew rein and faced round, unslung the rifles from their shoulders, and proceeded to fire volley after volley with terrible effect upon the nearest of the Boers. Then this troop retired past the other one in reserve, who had halted to take their turn, and another half-dozen well-aimed volleys went hurtling through the Boer ranks with such terrible effect upon horse and man that, upon the repetition of the evolution, the pursuit was checked, and the enemy began firing in turn. We were in rapid motion again, so their shots had no effect; and a little more firing enabled us to reach and dash round the great walls to the entrance to the old fort, where our men sprang from their horses, which filed into safety of their own accord, while their riders put in practice the Boers' tactics, seeking the shelter of fallen stones and mounting the great walls, the steady fire from the ruins soon sufficing to send our enemies cantering back. "Water for the horses at once," cried the Colonel as he entered the court, where I was standing examining poor Sandho. "Ah, Moray!" he said as he saw me; "not hurt, I hope?" "Only battered and bruised, sir," I said. "Nothing serious." "Humph! I'm glad of it, boy. You did splendidly. But I'm a fool, am I?" My words, uttered in the wild excitement of our adventure, had slipped but of my memory; and as he brought them back to my mind so suddenly, I stood staring at him as if thunder-struck. "A nice way to address your commanding officer! Why, you insolent, mutinous young dog! you ought to be court-martialled. What do you mean!" "Not that, sir," I said, recovering myself. "I was half-mad with pain and excitement then, and I wanted to save your life." "Yes, I know; I know," he said, changing his manner. "I forgive you, for no one else heard; and now, thank you, my lad; thank you. If I survive to write to my poor wife and girls again, I shall tell them when they pray for me to put the name of some one else in their prayers--the some one who saved my life. Thank you, my lad, and God bless you!" I felt astonished and at the same time overcome by his words, and in my confusion could not find words to reply, till, lowering my eyes, I found exactly what I ought to say; for they fell upon the great patch of blood-stain which had been spreading terribly upon his right leg, till his knee was suffused, and ugly marks were visible right down his brown leather boot. In an instant my hand went up to my throat, and I loosened the silk handkerchief knotted there. "Your wound's bleeding dreadfully, sir; let me tie it up." "No, no; not till I've seen to the men, my lad," he replied peevishly as he turned away, only, however, to turn back. "Yes," he said, with a smile; "thanks, lad. First aid, and--here! Water, some one. Ugh! I feel sick as a dog." I caught hold of him and saved him from falling by lowering him down upon a stone, just as there was the soft _pad, pad_ of naked feet behind me, and a familiar voice said: "Water, Boss. Here water, sah!" "Joeboy!" I whispered as I turned and caught a waterbottle from an extended black hand. "You here!" "Um? Yes, Boss Val. Couldn't run no more, and come away back." I handed the water to the Colonel, who drank with avidity; then I tightly bound up the cut on his leg, for he impatiently refused to have it examined by one of the officers who had hurried up; and then, as soon as I was at liberty, I turned to the black. "Have you seen the Lieutenant, Joeboy?" I said excitedly. "Um? Boss Denham!" he replied. "No; all a rush and gallop. Lost Boss Denham. Lost Boss Val. Lost ebberybody. Joeboy said, 'All come back to water. Boss Denham come soon.'" "I pray to Heaven he may!" I said sadly; but I had my doubts. _ |
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