Dead Man's Land Part 79

"I must, and I will," cried Mark, with fierce determination. "And promise me this--"

"Promise you what?" said Dean, for his cousin ceased speaking.

"This," he cried again, with pa.s.sionate energy. "The others will talk about giving up now and saving ourselves, but whatever I say you must support me. Promise me you will."

"That I will."

"Oh, here you are then, gentlemen," cried Dan forcing his way in to where the two lads were standing. "Ahoy! Buck! Heave ahead! Here they are! Why, we have been hunting for you everywhere, gents. You must be better, Mr Mark."

"Ay, that's so," cried Buck, coming up; "but I don't believe we should have found you if it hadn't been for these 'ere two. I believe little Pig here sniffed you out all the way. Aren't you tired?"

Mark shook his head, and Buck gave him a look as much as to say "I don't believe you."

"Well, we are a good way from camp, my lad. If you will take my advice, Mr Mark, you will lie down and have a snooze while we light a fire and get ready something to eat."

"No, don't do that," said Mark angrily. "We must go on."

"Go on, sir? Where?"

"Where? Back to the ruins."

"You can't do it, sir. It's just about madness. You are talking wild.

What do you say, Dan? Don't leave it all to me."

"Same as you do, messmate."

"There, Mr Mark; and I put it to you, Mr Dean; isn't it about playing the lunatic for him to think of going to the help of Sir James, and the captain, with him like this?"

"Don't ask me, Buck," cried Dean excitedly. "My cousin is determined to go, and I have promised to help him."

"Of course you would, sir. But Mr Mark, sir, just think!"

"I have thought, Buck. It is my duty, and I appeal to you and Dan to come with me. Those faithful blacks will help, if they see you are with us, and go I must."

"Nay, sir. That's very well for you to talk, and I suppose folks would say it is very grand to go and throw away your life trying to save your father. If they gets to know of it at home they will say you are a hero, and write about you being a fine example. All very fine for you, because you are a gentleman; but I'm only an or'nary sort of fellow, and I don't want people to write about me."

"That will do," cried Mark angrily. "Go with them, Dean, old fellow."

Dean shook his head.

"I don't want to be a hero," continued Mark. "I want to save my father, and if I can't save him I'm going to die too. There, good-bye. I have talked about people being cowards, but it is only because I am half wild with misery. You have all done your best, and I know what I want you all to do is impossible. Shake hands and say good-bye." Mark shook hands with the men in turn. "Now you," he said, and he held out his hand to the blacks, who advanced smiling as if they did not understand, but took it that it was something all right, and then shrank back.

Mark hesitated for a moment, and there was something piteous in his look as he turned to the big driver again.

"I don't like to go like this," he said, "but go I will. I have always looked on you as a brave man, Denham, so I will make this last appeal to you. Will you come with me and help me to save my father and the doctor?"

"No, sir, I won't," said the man gruffly. "Nor your own friends and companions?"

"No, sir."

Mark sighed.

"Then I appeal to you, Dan. You will not let us two go alone?"

"Can't be done, sir," said the little sailor, shaking his head.

"Do you mean this, Dan?"

"Yes, sir," replied Dan, after glancing at his big companion.

"Very well," said Mark quietly. "I have no right to ask it. Come along, Dean; we will go alone."

Making an effort over his weakness, he strode off as nearly as he could guess in the direction of the ruins, walking fairly steadily now, neither of the pair attempting to look back, and the forest was so silent that the soft rustling of the two lads amongst the leaves sounded loud and strange.

They were walking in Indian file, for Mark had told his cousin to take the lead, and immersed in their own thoughts upon the desperate nature of the attempt they were about to make, they went on and on, in and out amongst the trees that grew more open as they progressed for quite an hour, when coming upon a patch of mossy stones Mark uttered the word, "Rest," and setting the example he sank down upon one of the stones, to lean his head upon his hand.

"Do you feel weak?" asked Dean.

Mark shook his head.

"No," he said; "I am getting stronger. We will go on again in a few minutes, and who knows what may happen? I feel that we shall save them yet. Ah!" he cried.

For all at once the little figure of the pigmy stood before them, holding his spear across his breast as if to bar their way.

"Look at that, Dean," cried Mark. "Faithful and true to us as ever, even when those three men have forsaken us."

"They have not," said Dean. "Look."

Startled by his cousin's tones, Mark turned from the little black, to realise the fact that the three men whom they had left must have taken a circuitous course under the pigmy's guidance, cut them off by the scattered stones where they were resting, and were now coming straight towards them.

"Then you have repented, Buck?" cried Mark eagerly.

"No, sir."

"Then why are you here?" said the boy, starting to his feet, and catching at his cousin's arm, for his weakness seemed to be returning.

"Because we think, Dan and I, that we have let you go on in your own way long enough. It won't do, Mr Mark, and you must come back with us; eh, Dan?"

"That's right, Mr Mark, sir. I never started mutiny before, but I am in for it now. We have ris' against our officers, and you are both prisoners."

"Prisoners!" cried Mark wildly. "You will not dare--"

"Yes, my lad."

"Here, Mak!" cried Mark fiercely. "And you too," he continued, turning upon the pigmy; "you will stand by us, after all?"

"There, sir," said Buck; "even they won't do what you ask. Can't you see now, my lad, how mad it is?" And the man pointed to where the two blacks had darted away amongst the trees. "There, there must be no nonsense now. We have got to save your lives. You are our prisoners, so give up like men.--Ah, I never thought of that!"

For at that moment there was a repet.i.tion of the fierce yelling made familiar to them by the night attack, and they were surrounded by some fifty of the Illakas, who came rus.h.i.+ng through the trees, flouris.h.i.+ng their spears and looking formidable enough to make the bravest heart beat faster.