Fix Bay'nets Part 13

Whatever they were, they made straight for the gates, and the two Colonels walked down to meet them.

"Keep a sharp lookout up there, Captain Roberts. You command the approach. Are these men quite alone?"

"Quite, sir, as far as I can see."

"Can you make out any strong body stealthily approaching, Mr Bracy?"

"No, sir; they seem to be quite alone."

"Be on the alert for a rush, and fire at once if you see anything.--You will have the gates opened, I presume?" continued Colonel Graves.

"Oh yes; it is an emba.s.sage, and they will expect to enter the place.

Send for the two interpreters."

A couple of lithe-looking, dark-eyed hill-men came forward at once, the gates were thrown open, and the party of six stepped in, looking smiling and proud, ready to salute the two officers, who stood forward a little in advance of half a company of men with fixed bayonets.

Salutes were exchanged, and in a brief colloquy the eldest of the party, a smiling fellow with an enormous black beard, announced through one of the interpreters that he was the chief of the Red Dwats, come with his men to meet the English Captain and tell him that he and his people wore the most staunch friends the famous white Queen had, from there to the sources of the great river, the Indus.

Colonel Wrayford replied that he was glad to hear it, and if the chief and his people were faithful to Her Majesty's sway they would always be protected.

The chief said that he was and always would be faithful, and that he hoped the great white Queen would remember that and send them plenty of the guns which loaded at the bottoms instead of the tops, and boxes of powder and bullets to load them with. Then he would be able to fight for Her Majesty against the other chiefs who hated her, because they were all dogs and sons of Shaitan.

"Roberts, old fellow," whispered Bracy, high up on the wall, "I could swear I saw one of those fellows leading the attack made upon us from the cedar grove."

"Shouldn't be a bit surprised, dear boy. Perhaps he has repented and has come to say he is good now and will never do so any more. Can you understand any of his lingo?"

"Not a word. It doesn't seem a bit like Hindustani. What's that?"

"The Colonel asked what was the meaning of the attack made upon us yesterday."

"Ah, then he knows that fellow?" whispered Bracy.

"No doubt. The old man's pretty keen, and if that chap means treachery, I'm afraid he didn't get up early enough this morning if he has come to take in old Graves."

"I'm sure that's one of them. I had him at the end of my binocular, and I know him by that scar on his cheek."

"They all seem to have a good deal of cheek," said Roberts coolly.

"Look here; I'd better warn the Colonel."

"No need, old fellow. He knows what he's about. These n.i.g.g.e.rs are precious cunning, but it's generally little child's deceit, and that's as transparent as a bit of gla.s.s. Don't be alarmed. Old Graves can see through any tricks of that kind, and Wrayford hasn't been on this station a twelvemonth without picking up a few native wrinkles."

"Pst! Listen to what they're saying."

"Can't: it's rude," said Roberts.

"Not at a time like this, when perhaps men's and women's lives are at stake."

"All right; let's listen, then. What's the boss saying?"

"I don't like it, Wrayford. These are part of the tribe that tried to destroy us as we came up yesterday, and now they find we have escaped them they want to make friends."

"Well, we want the tribes to be friendly."

"Yes, but not with sham friendliness, to lull us into security, and then, after waiting their time, to join their fellows in a general ma.s.sacre."

"I am afraid you are misjudging our visitors here," said Colonel Wrayford quietly.

"I am sure I am not. I swear I saw that dark fellow with the cut on his cheek leading a charge."

"There; what did I tell you?" whispered Bracy.

"And what did I tell you about the old man seeing as far into a millstone as is necessary for being on the safe side?"

"Yes; and I am glad his observation was so keen."

"He's all right, old fellow; but hist! what is it? Ah, that's right.

Wrayford is glad to hear that the chief of the Red Dwats is so friendly to the Queen, and his request for arms and ammunition shall be sent to the proper quarter. Now, then, what does he say to that?"

One of the interpreters spoke to say that the great chief of the Red Dwats would camp in the valley above, so as to be close at hand if any of the sons of Shaitan who had been molesting the fort before should dare to approach again. They were all gone back now to their own valleys in fear, through his approach, and now the two great English Generals and their men might sleep in peace.

"Thank you. Bravo! Encore, Sambo!" said Roberts softly. "Going? Pray remember me to all at home."

"Ugh!" raged out Bracy below his breath; "if ever treachery was plainly marked upon a smiling, handsome face, it is there in that scoundrel's.

Roberts, we must never trust these men within our guard."

"Most certainly not, old fellow; but I suppose we must let them go back in safety, like the n.o.ble amba.s.sadors they are."

"What is going on now?" said Bracy. "Why, they're shaking hands with Colonel Wrayford, English fas.h.i.+on. Surely he is not going to trust them?"

"Seems as if he is," replied Roberts softly as the young men stood gazing down at the party below. "Perhaps he knows the native character better than we do, and thinks it's all right."

"Well, I don't," said Bracy shortly, "young as I am. Those fellows have come as spies, and I'm more and more convinced that they are the set who hara.s.sed us as we came."

"I begin to think you are right, old man," said Roberts.

"Well, of all--That scoundrel is going to offer to shake hands with Graves!"

"No, he isn't," replied Roberts softly. "Doesn't like the look of the old man's eyes. Made a sort of shy at him. Now they're off, after picking up all that they could about our strength and position. Well, it isn't right, perhaps, for us to pull our superior's actions to pieces; but I don't think Wrayford is right."

"And Graves seems to think as you do," said Bracy thoughtfully as he watched the departure of the chiefs. "Look! those fellows are not missing much with their rolling eyes. I wonder what they think of our lads. The poor fellows don't show up very well against these stout hill-men."

"They showed up well enough yesterday," said Roberts tartly. "Pooh!

What has size got to do with it? Well, I'm glad they've gone; but I should like to know what they are saying to one another."

"Talking about the strength of the gates, you may depend, and whether this would be a good place to make their first attack when they come to put the garrison to the sword," said Bracy slowly.

"Well, you are a cheerful sort of a fellow for a companion," said Roberts, laughing.