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Dead Man's Land: Being the Voyage to Zimbambangwe of certain and uncertain, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 44. A Surprise |
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_ CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. A SURPRISE Morning again, after a long sleep, and the rest and the feeling of confidence that had come like an inspiration enabled Mark to partake of some of the rough food brought to them by the blacks; and when in obedience to the latter Mark and his companions arose, he was better able to resume the march, which lasted till towards evening, while about noon they passed between the two kopjes, where they were allowed an hour's rest, and as the afternoon grew older, familiar objects made the boys' hearts bound and sink again with despair. For they were convinced now that before night they would reach the ruins, where the blacks who had made the first attack would be doubtless awaiting the portion of their tribe who had been so successful in their raid after the escaped party. There was no doubt about it now, and as the boys walked together their countenances showed the emotions that swelled their breasts. At one time their hearts seemed to sink lower with despair, and when this was at its worst, hope would come again as they marked portions of the ruins which they had visited; clumps of trees that had afforded them shade; plains that had never failed to furnish them with bucks when out with the rifle. Later on they caught again and again rays that darted, reflected from the river which had supplied their fish. Several times too they sprang coveys of the partridge-like birds that had been so welcome to their table; and at such times as this, with the full intent of cheering up the drooping spirits of Mark, little Dan had drawn his attention to a drove of antelopes or a flock of birds, with some merry suggestion connected with his old fire place--his kitchen, he termed it--at the ruins. Mark smiled feebly, and Dan shrank away to the side of Buck. "I didn't do much good, messmate," he said, "but it's wonderful how he's kept up. It's my belief, and I says it 'cause I know, and no one better, what it was to be as weak as a cat and as sick as a dog after my fever--it's these 'ere plains as does it. Soon as I had started up country I began to grow. One day I was like a little kid--just a baby, you know. Next day I was a toddler just beginning to walk. Next day I was a little boy as could run; and so I went on breathing and growing till--you know what I was like, feeling as if I was alive again, and I was a man ready and willing for aught." Buck grunted and frowned at the ruins they were approaching. "What's the matter, messmate? Cheer up, can't you!" "Can't, Dan. I'm a-thinking of my two span of bullocks." "Oh, they'll be all right." "Not they, Dan. I know what these blacks are. They will have sat down for one of their great big gorges. But if they have eaten six-and-forty of my bullocks I'll never forgive them--there!" "Well, we shall soon see, messmate." "I'm afraid, my lad, as we shan't see." "Well, but I didn't finish," said Dan. "I was talking about Mr Mark. The way in which he has pulled up has been just like me, and he'd be just wonderful only he's so low-sperrited about his governor--and no wonder. Young Mr Dean too's just as bad, and he arn't got the pluck left in him to do his cousin no good. Heave to alongside of him and say a word or two." "All right; but who's to heave to with his arms and legs all tied together behind him like a market calf?" "Well, it arn't worse for you, messmate, than it is for me. I don't like it a bit, and it's all very well to call a fellow's arms his feelers, but there arn't a bit of feel left in mine." "No," said Buck, "and I don't feel as if I'd got any. Just look and see." "Oh, they are all right, messmate. I did think of setting to and gnawing through them canes last night; but they would only have tied them up again, and tighter too." Buck nodded, giving his companion in misfortune a friendly look, and as he was about to approach closer to Mark, he stopped to whisper, "I don't know what to say, mate, for whenever I look at the poor plucky chap and think about all he's gone through, I feel as if I should like to sit down and howl. But there, that will do. I have thought on it now." The next minute, after making a quiet approach so as not to draw the attention of the blacks who were driving them, as he said, "like a span o' oxen," Buck was alongside of the two boys. "Say, Mr Mark," he said, "don't that there big kopje put you in mind of going up and finding that there cave?" Mark started, for his thoughts had a far different trend, and he shook his head. "I've been a-thinking of it, sir, ever since it come into sight. 'Member finding that there walking mummy as Dan said was such an old 'un?" Mark shook his head. "Oh, but you do, Mr Dean. I wish we had had time, all of us, to have got up there before the niggers came that night. We could have kept them back for a twelvemonth if we had only knowed." Poor Buck had joined the boys with the best intentions, but seeing the look of agony Dean directed at him he slackened his pace and let the pair go on without another word. "Why, what's the good of that?" said Dan, as the two men were alongside again. "You didn't half talk to 'em." "Didn't half talk to 'em, my lad? I talked a deal too much. Why, I no sooner opened my mouth than, as they said of the chap, I put my foot in it. Well, what's it going to be?" continued the big fellow sadly--"regular heartbreaking work for those two poor young chaps? I can't talk much about it, but I have thought a deal." "So have I, messmate." "Ah," said Buck, "I'm afraid it's all over with the poor old governor. Fine old English gentleman he was." "Ay," said Dan, "and the poor doctor too. Talk about a man, Buck--they don't build many craft like him. Thorough gentleman down to the ground, and all the same a regular working man too. If there's anything he couldn't do it's because it arn't been invented yet. My word, messmate, what a skipper he would have made! I should just like to have gone through life as his first mate." "Ah," said Buck, "well, we shan't be long before we know the worst. Look! Here they come, yelling and shouting and singing welcome home to our lot. Now, what's it going to be next?" "Ah, that's what I want to know," said Dan. "They arn't cannyballs, or it would mean a big fire and a wholesale roast." "Haw, haw!" ejaculated the big fellow, in a dismal attempt at a laugh. "Why, they will be making you cook, Danny. Well, if they do, put me out of my misery first, and good luck to 'em! They will find me pretty tough. I know what I should like to do, Dan. I have been wishing that I was a nigger like our Mak. He is just like a heel. No matter what happens he's always able to slip out of the way. But just now I don't wish I was a nigger. I should just like to be one of them Malay kris chaps, get my arm set free, and then run amuck." "What's the good of that, messmate? They'd only spear you at last." "Well, I should have sarved some of them out for what they've done to the boss and the doctor, and what they are a-going to do to them two poor lads." Buck Denham ceased speaking, for a party of about sixty of the Illakas came rushing out, yelling, from the ruins, and brandishing their spears, joining the boys' captors and beginning to indulge in a furious kind of war dance, a savage triumph, in which the prisoners were surrounded and hurried right in amongst the ruins to the opening of the kraal, and where the clearing had been made by the travellers and explorers of the wondrous ruins. Mark and Dean allowed themselves to be forced unresistingly along, wild-eyed and staring, but not with fear, for self for the time being had no existence in their minds. Their wildly staring eyes were searching here, there and everywhere for a glimpse of Sir James and the doctor. But they looked in vain. It is, they say, the unexpected that occurs, for all at once as the prisoners were standing right in the middle of the kraal, surrounded by fully a hundred of the gesticulating, yelling and spear-waving blacks, there was the clattering of hoofs and a shrill and seemingly familiar ear-piercing whistle. "Look, look!" cried Mark wildly, as a feeling of rage pierced his breast. "Look at him! The coward! He has come to join these wretches' triumph!" "Ah!" cried Dean excitedly. "Then he arn't going to stop," growled Buck. "No," added Dan savagely. "He just ketched sight of me. Oh, if I--" He got no farther, but stopped in astonishment as great as that of the surrounding blacks, for, whistling loudly as he galloped up on one of the ponies, and followed by the other three, and apparently leading a charmed life, careless too of the threatening spears, Dunn Brown swooped at full speed into and round the kraal, and then away again out of the opening towards the plain to join the advancing line of dust-clothed helmeted men who, raising the genuine old English cheer, were led on by a couple of mounted officers, and the next minute every stone and hillock of the ruins was being occupied; a bugle sounded, and then--_Crack! Crack! Crack_! every report being repeated scores of times as it rattled amongst the ruined walls. The little peaceful home of the explorers had become a miniature battlefield. There was a wild yelling and the hurling of spears, as for a few minutes a brave enough resistance was being offered by the savage tribe; but soon there was the peculiar spirit-thrilling metallic rattle of bayonets upon rifles, and then with black figures falling in all directions the company of British infantry swept through the kraal and cleared the little camp to line the great wall, and, taking up this commanding position, to bring down the enemy as they fled. It was only the work of minutes, and before long the wall at the back of the camp had its coigns of vantage lined, and was sending forth its little puffs of smoke, while Captain Lawton had sprung from his horse, and cut free the prisoners, and was warmly shaking hands with each in turn. "Thank God, my lads, we are here in time!" he cried. "But your father-- the doctor--where are they?" he added. "Don't say that--" "Hooray!" came faintly, quite a distant cheer, which was answered by the men upon the wall and taken up by every British soldier within hearing, and followed up by the triumphant notes of the bugle as it sounded cease firing--for the fight was at an end. There was another cheer in the distance, and another, and the boys, whose breasts were still swelling with emotion, doubled by the captain's words--his appealing "Don't say that--" now stared vainly and unable to comprehend why it was that fresh shots were raising the echoes again in the direction of the cavern kopje; and it was not till Buck Denham on one side, Dan Mann on the other, caught Mark, wincing and grimacing with pain from their numbed arms, and pointed, that the truth came home. Both he and Dean were beginning to have some glimmering of the truth, and then it was enforced by a volley fired from the slope leading down from the cavern. It was only a little volley fired from four rifles, but it was as if the echoes of the old ruins had multiplied it as being from four thousand. It was so little, but meant so much, for it was fired by Sir James, the doctor, and the two keepers, who had found a refuge in the old medicine man's sanctuary, which, in spite of fierce besieging, they had managed to hold until the rescue came. _ |
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