CHAPTER NINE.
FOUR-LEGGED HELP.
"Here, you two boys," cried the director; "I've just heard of this wildproject. Are you mad, West?"
"I hope not, sir."
"But, my good lad, I really--I--that is--bless my soul! It's very braveof you; but I don't think I ought to let you go."
"I heard you say, sir, that everyone ought to be ready to devote hislife to the defence of the country."
"Eh?" cried the director. "To be sure, yes, I did--in that speech Imade to the volunteers; but then you're not everybody, and--er--er--yousee, what I said was in a speech, and sometimes one says more then thanone quite means."
"There'll be no work doing in the office, sir," said Ingleborough; "andI hope you will not place any obstacles in the way of our going."
"Oh no, my dear boys! I feel that I must not; but I don't like you torun such a terrible risk."
"We must all run risks, sir," said West gravely.
"And I beg your pardon: our time is up for seeing the Commandant," saidIngleborough, referring to his watch.
"Yes, I heard you were to go to him," said the director. "But it soundsvery rash. There, go on, and come to me afterwards."
They parted, and a few minutes later the young men were ushered into theCommandant's room.
"Then you have not repented, my lads?" he said, smiling.
"No, sir," replied West, speaking for both; "we are quite ready to go."
"Then I must take you both at your word. But once more I give you boththe opportunity to draw back if you like."
"Thank you, sir," replied West; "but if you will trust us we will takethe despatch."
"Very well," said the Commandant, turning very stern and business-like."Here is the despatch. It is a very small packet, and I leave it toyour own ingenuity to dispose of it where it cannot be found if you havethe bad luck to be captured. It must be sewn up in your pockets, orfitted into your hats, or hidden in some way or other. I leave it toyou, only telling you to destroy it sooner than it should fall into theenemy's hands."
"We'll consult together, sir, and decide what to do," replied West,looking frankly in the officer's eyes; "but--I have heard of such athing being done, sir--"
"What do you mean?" said the Commandant sternly.
"That to ensure a despatch not falling into the enemy's hands the bearerlearned its contents carefully and then burned it."
"Hah! Yes. That would make it safe," cried the officer, with asatisfied look. "But, no, it could not be done in this case. I have noright to open the despatch, and I do not know its contents. You musttake it as it is, and in the event of disaster burn or bury it. Destroyit somehow. It must not fall into the enemy's hands. Here."
"I understand, sir," said West, taking the thick letter in its envelope,as it was extended to him; and the Commandant heaved a sigh as if ofrelief on being freed of a terrible incubus.
"There," he said, "I shall tie you down to no restrictions other thanthese. That packet must somehow be placed in the hands of the ColonelCommandant at Mafeking. I do not like to name failure, for you are bothyoung, strong, and evidently full of resource; but once more: if you aredriven too hard, burn or destroy the packet. Now then, what do you wantin the way of arms? You have your rifles, and you had better takerevolvers, which you can have with ammunition from the military stores.Do you want money?"
"No, sir; we shall require no money to signify," said Ingleboroughquietly. "But we must have the best horses that can be obtained."
"Those you must provide for yourselves. Take the pick of the place, andthe order shall be made for payment. My advice is that you select asgood a pair of Basuto ponies as you can obtain. They will be the bestfor your purpose. There, I have no more to say but `God speed you,' forit is a matter of life and death."
He shook hands warmly with both, and, on glancing back as soon as theywere outside, they saw the Commandant watching them from the window,whence he waved his hand.
"He thinks we shall never get back again, Noll," said Ingleborough,smiling; "but we'll deceive him. Now then, what next?"
"We must see Mr Allan," replied West.
"Then forward," cried Ingleborough. "We must see old Norton too beforewe go, or he'll feel huffed. Let's go round by his place."
They found the superintendent in and ready to shake hands with them bothwarmly.
"Most plucky!" he kept on saying. "Wish I could go with you."
"I wish you could, and with a hundred of your men to back us up," saidWest laughingly.
"You ought to have a couple of thousand to do any good!" said thesuperintendent: "but even they would not ensure your delivering yourdespatch. By rights there ought to be only one of you. That wouldincrease your chance. But it would be lonely work. What can I do foryou before you go?"
"Only come and see us off this evening."
"I will," was the reply, "and wish you safe back."
"And, I say," said Ingleborough: "keep your eye on that scoundrel."
"Anson? Oh yes: trust me! I haven't done with that gentleman yet."
Directly after they were on their way to the director's room, and asthey neared the door they could hear him pacing impatiently up and downas if suffering from extreme anxiety.
The step ceased as they reached and gave a tap at the door, and MrAllan opened to them himself.
"Well," he said, "has the Commandant decided to send you?"
"Yes, sir," replied West.
"I'm very sorry, and I'm very glad; for it must be done, and I know noone more likely to get through the Boer lines than you two. Look here,you'll want money. Take these. No questions, no hesitation, my lads;buckle on the belts beneath your waistcoats. Money is the sinews ofwar, and you are going where you will want sinews and bones, bones andsinews too."
In his eagerness the director helped the young men to buckle on the twocash-belts he had given them.
"There," he said; "that is all I can do for you but wish you good luck.By the time you come back we shall have sent the Boers to theright-about, unless they have captured Kimberley and seized thediamond-mines. Then, of course, my occupation will be gone. Goodbye.Not hard-hearted, my boys; but rather disposed to be soft. There,goodbye."
"Now then," said West, "we've no time to spare. What are we going to doabout horses?"
"We've the money at our back," replied Ingleborough, "and that will doanything. We are on Government service too, so that if we cannot pay wecan pick out what we like and then report to headquarters, when theywill be requisitioned."
But the task proved easy enough, for they had not gone far in thedirection of the mines when they met another of the directors, whogreeted them both warmly.
"I've heard all about it, my lads," he said, "and it's very brave of youboth."
"Please don't say that any more, sir," cried West appealingly, "for allwe have done yet is talk. If we do get the despatch through there willbe some praise earned, but at present we've done nothing."
"And we're both dreadfully modest, sir," said Ingleborough.
"Bah! you're not great girls," cried the director. "But you are not offyet, and you can't walk."
"No, sir," said West; "we are in search of horses--good ones that we cantrust to hold out."
"Very well; why don't you go to someone who has been buying up horsesfor our mounted men?"
"Because we don't know of any such person," said West. "Do you?"
"To be sure I do, my lad, and here he is."
"You, sir?" cried Ingleborough excitedly. "Why, of course; I heard thatyou were, and forgot in all the bustle and excitement of the comingsiege. Then you can let us have two? The Commandant will give an orderfor the payment."
"Hang the Commandant's payments!" cried the director testily. "Whenyoung fellows like you are ready to give their lives in the Queen'sservice, do you think men like we are can't afford to mount them? Comealong with me, and you shall have the pick of the sturdy cob ponies Ihave. They're rough
, and almost unbroken--what sort of horsemen areyou?"
"Very bad, sir," replied Ingleborough: "no style at all. We rideastride though."
"Well, so I suppose," said the director, laughing, "and with your facesto the nag's head. If you tell me you look towards the tail I shall notbelieve you. But seriously, can you stick on a horse tightly when atfull gallop?"
"Oliver West can, sir," replied Ingleborough. "He's a regular centaurfoal."
"Nonsense! Don't flatter," cried West. "I can ride a bit, sir; butIngleborough rides as if he were part of a horse. He's accustomed totaking long rides across the veldt every morning."
"Oh, we can ride, sir," said Ingleborough coolly; "but whether we canride well enough to distance the Boers has to be proved."
"I'll mount you, my boys, on such a pair of ponies as the Boers haven'tamongst them," said the director warmly. "Do you know my stables--therough ones and enclosure I have had made?"
"We heard something about the new stabling near the mine, sir," saidWest; "but we've been too busy to pay much heed."
"Come and pay heed now, then."
The speaker led the way towards the great mine buildings, and halted ata gate in a newly set-up fence of corrugated-iron, passing through whichtheir eyes were gladdened by the sight of about a dozen of the rough,sturdy little cobs bred by the Basutos across country, and evidentlyunder the charge of a couple of Kaffirs, who came hurrying up at thesight of their "baas," as they termed him.
Here Ingleborough soon displayed the knowledge he had picked up inconnection with horses by selecting two clever-looking muscular littlesteeds, full of spirit and go, but quite ready to prove how little theyhad been broken in, and promising plenty of work to their riders if theyexpected to keep in their saddles.
"Be too fresh for you?" said the owner.
"We shall soon take the freshness out of them, poor things!" saidIngleborough. "Would you mind having them bridled and saddled, sir?"
The order was given, and, after a good deal of trouble and narrowlyescaping being kicked, the Kaffirs brought the pair selected up to wherethe despatch-riders were standing with the director.
Ingleborough smiled, and then bade the two Kaffirs to stand on the farside of the ponies, which began to resent the Kaffirs' flank movementsby sidling up towards the two young men.
"Ready?" said Ingleborough, in a low, sharp tone.
"Yes."
"Mount!"
They both sprang into their saddles, to the intense astonishment of theponies, one of which made a bound and dashed off round the enclosure atfull speed, while the other, upon which West was mounted, rearedstraight up, and, preserving its balance upon its hind legs, kept onsnorting, while it sparred out with its fore hoofs as if striking atsome imaginary enemy, till the rider brought his hand down heavily uponthe restive beast's neck. The blow acted like magic, for the ponydropped on all-fours directly, gave itself a shake as if to rid itselfof saddle and rider, and then uttered a loud neigh which brought itsgalloping companion alongside.
"Humph!" ejaculated their new friend; "I needn't trouble myself aboutyour being able to manage your horses, my lads. Will these do?"
"Splendidly, sir," cried West.
"There they are, then, at your service!" And, after a few directions tothe Kaffirs about having them ready when wanted, the party left theenclosure and separated with a few friendly words, the despatch-bearersmaking once more for the Commandant's quarters to report what they haddone so far, and to obtain a pass which would ensure them a readypassage through the lines and by the outposts.
They were soon ushered into the Commandant's presence, and he nodded hissatisfaction with the report of their proceedings before taking up a penand writing a few lines upon an official sheet of paper.
"That will clear you both going and returning," said he, folding andhanding the permit. "Now then, when do you start?"
"Directly, sir," said Ingleborough, who was the one addressed.
"No," said the Commandant. "You must wait a few hours. Of course it isimportant that the despatch be delivered as soon as possible; but youmust lose time sooner than run risks. If you go now, you will be seenby the enemy and be having your horses shot down--perhaps share theirfate. So be cautious, and now once more goodbye, my lads. I shall lookforward to seeing you back with an answering despatch."
This was their dismissal, and they hurried away to have another look totheir horses, and to see that they were well-fed, before obtaining ameal for themselves and a supply of food to store in their haversacks.
"There's nothing like a bit of foresight," said Ingleborough. "We musteat, and going in search of food may mean capture and the failure of ourmission."
The time was gliding rapidly on, the more quickly to West from the stateof excitement he was in; but the only important thing he couldafterwards remember was that twice over they ran against Anson, whoseemed to be watching their actions, and the second time West drew hiscompanion's attention to the fact.
"Wants to see us off," said Ingleborough. "I shouldn't be surprisedwhen we come back to find that he has eluded Norton and gone."
"Where?" said West.
"Oh, he'll feel that his chance here is completely gone, and he'll makefor the Cape and take passage for England."
"If the Boers do not stop him."
"Of course," replied Ingleborough. "It's my impression that he hassmuggled a lot of diamonds, though we couldn't bring it home to him."
"I suppose it's possible," said West thoughtfully. "But isn't it likelythat he may make his way over to the enemy?"
Ingleborough looked at the speaker sharply.
"That's not a bad idea of yours," he said slowly; "but, if he does andhe is afterwards caught, things might go very awkwardly for hislordship, and that flute of his will be for sale."
"Flute for sale? What do you mean? From poverty?--no one would employhim. Oh! I understand now. Horrible! You don't think our peoplewould shoot him?"
"Perhaps not," said Ingleborough coldly; "but they'd treat him as arebel and a spy. But there, it's pretty well time we started. Comealong."
Within half an hour they were mounted and off on their perilous journey,passing outpost after outpost and having to make good use of their pass,till, just as it was getting dusk, they parted from an officer who rodeout with them towards the Boers' encircling lines.
"There," he said, "you've got the enemy before you, and you'd bettergive me your pass."
"Why?" said West sharply.
"Because it has been a source of protection so far: the next time youare challenged it will be a danger."
"Of course," said Ingleborough. "Give it up, Oliver."
"Or destroy it," said the officer carelessly: "either will do."
"Thanks for the advice," said West, and they shook hands and parted, theofficer riding back to join his men.
"You made him huffy by being suspicious," said Ingleborough.
"I'm sorry, but one can't help being suspicious of everything andeverybody at a time like this. What do you say about destroying theCommandant's pass?"
"I'm divided in my opinion."
"So am I," said West. "One moment I think it best: the next I am forkeeping it in case we fall into the hands of some of our own party. Onthe whole, I think we had better keep it and hide it. Let's keep ittill we are in danger."
"Chance it?" said Ingleborough laconically. "Very well; only don'tleave it till it is too late."
"I'll mind," said West, and, as they rode out over the open veldt andinto the gloom of the falling night, they kept a sharp look-out tillthey had to trust more to their ears for notice of danger, taking careto speak only in a whisper, knowing as they did that at any moment theymight receive a challenge from the foe.
"What are you doing?" said Ingleborough suddenly, after trying to makeout what his companion was doing. "Not going to eat yet, surely?"
"No--only preparing for the time when I must. Look here."
"Too dark," said Ingle
borough, leaning towards his companion.
"Very well, then, I'll tell you: I'm making a sandwich."
"Absurd! What for?"
"I'll tell you. You can't see, but this is what I'm doing. I've twoslices of bread here, and I'm putting between them something that is notgood food for Boers. That's it. I've doubled the pass in half, andstuck it between two slices. If we have the bad luck to be takenprisoners I shall be very hungry, and begin eating the sandwich and thepass. I don't suppose it will do me any harm."
"Capital idea," said Ingleborough, laughing.
"That's done," said West, replacing his paper sandwich in his haversack,and a few minutes later, as they still rode slowly on, Ingleboroughspoke again.
"What now?" he said.
"Making another sandwich," was the reply.
"Another?"
"Yes, of the Mafeking despatch."
"Ah, of course; but you will not eat that?"
"Only in the last extremity."
"Good," said Ingleborough, "and I hope we shall have no last extremes."
He had hardly spoken when a sharp challenge in Boer-Dutch rang out,apparently from about fifty yards to their left, and, as if in obedienceto the demand, the two Basuto ponies the young men rode stoppedsuddenly.
Ingleborough leaned down sidewise and placed his lips close to hiscompanion's ear.
"Which is it to be?" he said. "One is as easy as the other--forward orback?"
"One's as safe as the other," replied West, under his breath."Forward."
They were in the act of pressing their horses' sides to urge them onwhen there was a flash of light from the position of the man who haduttered the challenge, and almost immediately the humming, buzzing soundas of a large beetle whizzing by them in its nocturnal flight, and atthe same moment there was the sharp crack of a rifle.
A Dash from Diamond City Page 9