Dead Man's Land Part 26

"Yes, this way, Denham," said the doctor. "Mind the lions."

"Oh, I hear them, sir. Anyone hurt?"

"I hope not," replied the doctor, as the man came nearer, rustling through the gra.s.s. "Where are your men?"

_Oomph! Oomph! Oomph_! came in a deep-toned roar, followed by a chorus of snarls.

"Old 'uns and young 'uns," said Denham, subduing his voice a little.

"They don't like our being so near. I expect my chaps have s.h.i.+nned up the trees somewhere. That's what they would do, gentlemen; and old Brown has used those long legs of his to put him miles away by this time."

"But have you heard anything of my two men?" asked Sir James--"Dance and Bacon?"

"I've 'eard them letting go with their rifles, sir."

"And what about Dan?"

"Oh, I haven't heard anything of him, sir."

"Ahoy!" came in the little sailor's well known voice, from somewhere in the darkness.

"Ahoy!" cried the boys together.

_Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! issued from the spot that had now grown familiar.

"Steady, gentlemen--steady! All cats have got the savage on strong when they are at work at their grub. Wait a bit. Let's get the others together, and then we'll give the brutes a volley as near as we can."

"Cooey! Cooey!" came out of the darkness.

"This way! Here!" shouted Buck Denham.

_Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! came now, with a fiercer roar than ever, which roused the lion's companions to utter a furious burst of snarls.

"Cooey! Cooey!" came again.

"All right, mate," said the big driver, in a low voice. "You must find your own way now. That last bit of tongue meant, look out for squalls."

"Anybody hurt?" came in a well known voice now from close at hand, and Dan hurried up.

"I think not, Dan," whispered Mark, and then he stretched out his hand and felt for the little sailor. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. I fired off all my cartridges."

"Here's someone else coming, gentlemen," said Denham, in a low, deep tone. "They are your two lads, I think."

"Yes," cried Dean eagerly. "n.o.body else would have cried cooey, unless it was little Dan."

"Yes, I might, but I didn't to-night; I have been too busy."

"That you, Peter. Where's Bob Bacon?"

"Me, Mr Mark, sir?" said the latter. "Here I am, as large as life. We have been at it pretty warm. But I want it to grow light, to see if we can retrieve any of the game."

"Yah! Ain't 'it anything," growled Buck Denham.

"But where's Peter? I heard two cooeys," said Mark.

"Yes; that was me, sir. I ain't seen him."

"Well, now then, gentlemen," said Buck Denham; "all loaded?"

"'Cept me," said Dan.

"Take these. Here are some cartridges," said Sir James.

"Now then--ready?" said Denham, quite loudly, and there was another burst of roars and snarls. "Thank ye," said Denham; "that's just let us know where abouts to fire. Now, all of you let them have it, as near as you can guess; and fire low. I'd kneel down. I'll just give them a rouse up with a shout. That will make them roar again. Then you, doctor, give the word, and let 'em have it."

"Right," said the doctor.

"Ready, my lads?" whispered Buck.

There was a low murmur of a.s.sent, and the driver put one hand to his cheek. "Hullo, there, you!"

_Er_--_rr_--_oomph_! came in a roar, followed by a snarl; and this time there was a sharp crackling of bushes, as one of the savage beasts made a bound towards them.

It was all guess work, but the volley fired at the advancing brute was followed by a roar from several feline throats and a struggling plunge and trampling amidst the undergrowth, with a fiercer snarling than ever.

"Load again quickly," said the doctor, "and stand firm, my lads."

"Ay, we've got to," added Denham. "I was in hopes that those shots would have scared them; but one of them has got it pretty warm." For the violent kicking and tearing amidst the bushes went on, supplemented by the snarling and growling of the hidden beasts.

"How long is it to morning?" asked the doctor in a whisper.

"Good two hours, I should say, sir."

"Then we had better retreat to the waggons before the savage brutes take courage and come on at us."

"They won't attack, sir, as long as they have got that bullock there, unless we go near. Now, if we had only got a light we could rouse up that fire--hullo!"

For all at once, as if the man's words had been heard, there was a soft crackling amidst the embers where the fire should have been blazing, and faintly illuminated by a glow from the earth, the watchers caught sight of the face of the Illaka, looking strange and ruddy, while as the black stirred up the ashes with the haft of his spear there was enough life in them to emit a bluish golden flame which caught the twigs he threw on.

The light cast upon him increased, and in a few minutes he had augmented the fire by throwing on armfuls of wood, till there was a fierce blaze which lit up the edge of the forest and made the waggons and their tilts show up as if of gold.

"Well done, Mak!" cried Denham. "That will do more than all our shooting. More wood--all you can."

The black understood him, and as snarl after snarl came from out of the forest the dry wood blazed up and the growling grew less and less.

"They're a-sneaking off, sir," said the big driver, "and I think you might give them another shot or two to hurry them."

"All together," said the doctor sharply. "Ready! Fire!"