Charge! Part 28

"It doesn't matter so much about me," I meditated; "but for them to be dragged off, perhaps to fight against us-oh! it would be terrible."

There had until now been a sad feeling of restfulness about my position; but as I drew a mental picture of two forces drawn up against each other, with my father and brother forced to fight on one side, and myself a volunteer on the other, the rock upon which I was seated began to feel horribly hard, and I changed my position, to lie down on the soft sand at my feet.

Well, I had been very hard at work all day; and Nature intended the lying-down position to be accompanied by sleep. In less than a minute, I suppose-in spite of home troubles, risks in the future, and, above all, that one so very close at hand-my eyes closed for what seemed to be about a moment. Then some one was shaking my shoulder, and the some one's voice announced that it was Sergeant Briggs going round to all the men of his troop.

"Come, rouse up, my lad! rouse up!" he whispered. "We're off in less than half-an-hour."

I sprang to my feet, just as Denham came up. "Oh, there you are," he said drowsily. "I was just coming to wake you. I say, get right up beside me. We may as well go through it close together, and give one another a help-if we can."

That was a weird and strange business, moving about in the darkness, with the horses snorting and sighing as the saddle-girths were tightened, and bits and curbs adjusted for a ride where everything depended upon horse and man being well in accord; but the preparations did not take long, and we were soon all standing in our places, bridle upon arm, and in as regular order as the roughness of the stone-littered court would allow.

I now learned that the men posted upon the walls had been withdrawn, and that every one was in his place, waiting for the command to start upon a ride at the end of which many would not answer to their names.

Then, from out of the darkness, the Colonel's voice rose low and clear, giving the order "March!" and in single file the men moved off, leading their horses towards the openings, through which they pa.s.sed; then they bore off to their right to take up position in line till all were out, our troop being last. Next came the order, softly given to the first troop, to mount; and the same order was quietly pa.s.sed along from troop to troop till it reached us, and we sprang into our saddles almost without a sound.

"First come first served," said Denham to me in a whisper. "I should have liked to be in front so as to do some of the scouting and feeling for the enemy, besides having first go at them before they grew thick. I say, Val, we must mind that we don't get cut off and taken prisoners."

"Ugh! Yes," I said, with a s.h.i.+ver. "I say, isn't it rather chilly?"

"Be warm enough presently," said Denham bitterly. "Bah! This is too bad. I did want to be first in the column."

"Form fours-left!" came from the front.

I felt electrified as, quite accustomed to the command, the horses swung round to the left.

Then came the word "March!" and our column moved off, with Denham whispering to me.

"Talk about luck," he said. "Why, we're going round the other way, and we are to open the ball after all."

For so it was. We had made up our minds that we were to be last, but the Colonel's determination was to bear round to the left instead of the right; and in consequence of the movement the rear troop led. We rode on at a walk till we had pa.s.sed round by the rocks which harboured the baboons, and then on till we were nearly opposite the opening by which we had entered the old stronghold.

Then the order came, "Right!" and we struck off straight away for the Boer force opposite, an advance-guard and supports being sent out far ahead; while the silence of the night was only broken by the softly-m.u.f.fled tread of the horses, and once in a way by an impatient snort.

"That's the danger," said Denham to me softly. "Just at the nick of time our nags 'll be telling the Doppies we're coming."

"Perhaps not," I replied. "Where they are they have horses about them in all directions; and if they heard a snort, why shouldn't they think it was from one of their own ponies?"

"I hope they will," said Denham impatiently. "But, I say, the chief isn't going to keep us at this snail's-pace-is he? I want to gallop, and get it done.-Hullo! old Dark Night; I didn't know you were there."

This was to Joeboy, who was walking with one hand on the cantle of my saddle.

"Um!" said Joeboy; "come along take care of Boss Val."

"Good boy!" said Denham banteringly. "Take care of me too."

"Um! Yes! Take care too," replied the black; and just then an idea struck me, and I hastened to communicate it to my companion at once.

"Why, Denham," I said, "we ought to send Joeboy right on in front, away in advance of the guard. He wouldn't be noticed in the dark, and would be able to get close to the outposts and let us know when it is time to charge."

"Silence in the ranks there!" said a stern voice. "Not a word there! Who's here?"

"Denham, sir," replied my companion.

"Then you had better go to the rear. I want trustworthy officers in front during this emergency."

"Yes, sir," said Denham bitterly; and he was in the act of falling out from his place when, feeling unable to contain myself, I broke out:

"I beg pardon, sir; it was my fault. I spoke to propose-"

"To propose what?-Silence!"

I was mutinous in my excitement, for I continued:

"To send on this black we have with us right in front. He could get close up to the outposts without being seen."

I expected a severe rebuke before I had finished; but, to my surprise, the Colonel-for it was he who had ridden up to the front-heard me to the end.

"A black?" he said. "Is he to be trusted?"

"I'll answer for him, sir," I said eagerly.

"Here, Mr Denham," said the Colonel, "stay in your place. Yes-send the black scout on at once to creep forward far in advance of the column, and tell him to come back and give us full warning of how near we are to the enemy."

The Colonel drew rein as soon as he had spoken, and we pa.s.sed on, while as soon as we were getting out of hearing Denham gripped my arm.

"You brick!" he whispered. "Now then, send on your Joeboy.-Do you understand what for?" he now asked the black.

"Um!" replied Joeboy. "Find the Doppies, and come back."

"That's right," said Denham eagerly. "Creep up as close as you can, and then come and warn us. Oh, what a blessing to have a black skin, and no clothes to hide it!"

"Joeboy go now?"

"Yes. Off," whispered Denham, and the black uttered a peculiar click with his tongue, leaped out sidewise, and then bounded forward without a sound. One moment we saw his black figure dimly; the next he seemed to have melted away or been absorbed into the blackness right ahead, and for some time we were following the track of what had been like a shadow.

I listened as our horses tramped quietly on through what was, now that the kopje had been left behind, like a sandy desert, whose soft surface completely m.u.f.fled the hoofs. Once in a while there was a faint rustling as the horses brushed through a patch of thick bush or the yellow-flowered thorn; but not a stone was kicked away or sent forth a sharp metallic sound. So quiet was it that Denham turned to me and whispered:

"Who'd ever think there were four hundred of our fellows on the march behind us?"

"And somewhere about twelve or fifteen hundred of the enemy in a circle round about."

"Yes; but they're standing still," he said. "Think your Joeboy will make them out?"

"I'm sure of it," I said.

"That's right. Then in a few minutes we shall be at them with a rush. I don't like this fighting in the dark."

"It will be a shout, a rush, and we shall cut our way right through," I said.