Dead Man's Land Part 38

The little chief watched him attentively, and then led them in between the trees at the opposite side to where Mark had made the attempt, and the two boys and their little leader disappeared just as Mak and a couple more of the tribe joined the doctor with the two gourds of the previous day re-filled with clear spring water.

The boys found the place where the injured little black was lying, as dark as ever, but they made out that his eyes were closed, and that he was sleeping heavily, for he had not heard their approach, and Mark was bending down watching him intently when the doctor, guided by Mak, silently approached.

"Asleep, eh?" he said. "Come, that's a good sign. Quite calmly too.

That's a proof that he's not in pain." But perhaps from a feeling that others were present, the little fellow awoke with a start and stared up at his watchers with rather a scared look till he recognised who had come, when, though no muscle of his serious little countenance betokened the dawning of a smile, his eyes thoroughly laughed as they encountered those of the doctor, who knelt down by his side.

"Well, monster," said the latter good-humouredly, "you are better, that's plain."

The pigmy raised his right hand, pa.s.sed it across and gently stroked the white bandage the doctor had secured about the wounded limb.

"Yes," said the doctor. "It's rather soon, and I'm half disposed to wait till to-morrow."

"Better not," said Mark. "Father may have said we had better get on."

"H'm!" said the doctor, as he softly drew the little hand away and then laid his own upon the bandage. "Rather hot," he said gently. "No wonder, after what I had to do yesterday. Yes, it can't do any harm to re-dress it;" and to Mark's surprise he drew out a little bundle of lint and a roll of bandage from his breast-pocket, setting to work at once, laying bare the terrible wound, which he bathed and cleansed, and then after drying it tenderly he applied a fresh piece of lint soaked with the antiseptic drops from the little bottle, which also made its appearance from the doctor's pocket.

"I didn't know you had come prepared, doctor," said Mark, as he supported the arm so that his companion could easily apply the fresh bandage; and when this was done he laid it gently back by the little savage's side, looking at him admiringly the while, for he had not even winced.

"There," said the doctor, "I begin to think nature will do the rest for you; but I will come in and see you again. Why, hallo!" he continued.

"I didn't know we had such an audience as this."

For every tree seemed to have a little face peering round it watching what was going on, and some of the grave, serious-looking eyes were undoubtedly those of the little women, none of whom now shrank away as the doctor moved back towards the amphitheatre.

"There, Mak," cried Mark, "tell this little chief that we are much obliged for the two springboks."

The black stared at him.

"How stupid!" said Dean. "Much obliged!"

"Well, you try," said Mark angrily. "I wasn't going to pretend to chew and lick my lips as if the steaks were very good."

"Why not?" said Dean mockingly. "You know they were."

"Well, aren't you going to tell him better?" said Mark scoffingly.

"No, I'm not. Come on."

They made their way back, to find an early supper of venison awaiting them, and that night the boys lay talking in the waggon about the doctor's patient and the next day's visit, till Dean dropped off to sleep, but only to be woke up directly by Mark.

"Don't begin snoozing yet," he said.

"Bother! What did you wake me up for?"

"I want you to practise pigmy, and teach me how to say, `Thank you; much obliged for the venison.'"

"You go to sleep; and if you wake me like that again I'll kick you out of bed."

"Can't; we haven't got one."

"Old Clever!"

"But I say, seriously; isn't it a pity the doctor doesn't know Illakee, or whatever they call it? I fancy he will soon be able to make Mak understand."

"Yes," said Dean drowsily. "Who would ever have thought he could play at surgeon like that? I believe he could do anything if he liked."

"Yes. I will tell him you said so when we are on our way to Wonder Wood to-morrow morning."

But Mark did not, for they did not go to Wonder Wood, as the boy called it, for the simple reason that a strange surprise awaited them just as Dan had announced that breakfast was ready.

"What is for breakfast this morning?" said Mark.

"Flapjack, sir, buck bones stooed, and tea."

"Tea, and no milk!" said Mark grumpily. "Why, if we had thought of it--"

"Yes, sir," said Dan, catching him up sharply, "I did think of it, only last night, when I was wondering what I should get ready for breakfast."

"Why, what did you think of?" said Mark sharply.

"That it would have been as easy as easy, sir, to have had half a dozen bullocks less in the teams, and--"

"Why, what difference would that make?" said Mark. "What good would that do?"

"Why, we could have had cows, Mr Mark, sir, and then there would have been b.u.t.ter, and milk for the tea and coffee every day."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

SMALL FRIENDS.

But they might have had fresh venison steaks for breakfast that morning instead of the "buck bones stooed," as Dan called his dish, or rather, tin, for as the party took their seats beneath the wide-spreading tree where the meal was spread, they were all startled by quite a little procession winding amongst the trees. At least fifty of the pigmies were approaching, led by the miniature chief in his bangles and with his ornamented spear, and ended by four of the little fellows bearing a neatly woven hurdle upon which lay the doctor's patient, carried shoulder high.

"Tell them to set him under that tree, Mak," said the doctor--"yonder."

He pointed to the place meant, and had a little difficulty in making their guide understand.

"I had better make that my surgery, boys," said the doctor, as he hurriedly finished his breakfast, and moved into the shade where the black, glossy-skinned little fellows were waiting patiently, ready to gaze at him with something like awe. They formed a half circle a short distance away, while he went down on one knee beside the hurdle, Mark and Dean standing just behind, and Dan, according to the orders he received, having ready a bowl, a sponge, a can of water, and the doctor's case, while Sir James seated himself against a tree and Mak, spear-armed, stood beside him, looking frowning and important, as if everyone was working under his orders.

"Capital!" said the doctor, as he examined the wound, and then proceeded to re-dress it, Dan grasping his wants as readily as if he had been a surgeon's mate on board a man-of-war.

To the surprise of the boys the little patient evinced no sense of pain, and when the doctor had finished, his face lit up with the nearest approach to a smile that had been seen upon the countenance of any of the pigmies.

"Getting on splendidly," said the doctor, patting him on the shoulder.

"There, you may go."

At the word "go," Mak, who had been standing like a black marble statue, started into life, and a word or two, accompanied by signs, resulted in the little bearers coming quickly forward, raising the hurdle, and beginning to move off, followed by the rest of the party, and a few minutes later they had disappeared amongst the trees.