The Kopje Garrison Part 13

"What!" cried Lennox, joining in after pretty well satisfying himself that there could be no danger in the unarmed Boers and their wagons.

"What's what?" said the Boer sourly.

"You're not going back?" cried d.i.c.kenson, staring.

"Well, we can't go back, of course. If we tried they'd shoot us, wouldn't they?"

The reply seemed to be unanswerable, and d.i.c.kenson merely uttered a grunt, just as Captain Roby and his men marched up to form an escort for the little convoy.

"Well, commandant?" he said.

The Boer grunted. "Not commandant," he said; "field-cornet."

"Very well, field-cornet; how did you manage to get here?"

"'Cross the veldt," growled the man.

"Didn't you see any of your friends?"

"No," grumbled the Boer. "If we had we shouldn't be here. Have you got the money for what we've got?"

"No."

"Stop, then. We're not going on."

"But you must now. The colonel will give you an order."

"Paper?" said the Boer sharply.

"Yes."

"Then we don't go."

"Yes, you do, my obstinate friend. It will be an order to an official here, and he'll pay you a fair price at once-in gold."

"My price?"

"Oh, that I can't say," replied the captain. "But I promise you will be fairly dealt with."

The Boer put his burning pipe in his pocket, s.n.a.t.c.hed off his battered slouch felt hat, and gave his s.h.a.ggy head an angry rub, looking round at his companions as if for support, and then staring back at the way they had come, to see lanterns gleaming and the glint of bayonets dimly here and there, plainly showing him that retreat was out of the question. Then, like some bear at bay, he uttered what sounded like a low growl, though in fact it was only a remark to the man nearest to him, a similar growl coming in reply.

"Come, sir, no nonsense," said the captain sternly. "You have come to sell, I suppose?"

"I shouldn't be here if I hadn't," growled the Boer.

"Then come along. You cannot go back now. I have told you that you will be well treated. Please to recollect that if our colonel chose he could commando everything you have brought for the use of our force; but he prefers to treat all of your people who bring supplies as straightforward traders. Now come along."

The Boer grunted, glanced back once more, and at last, as if he had thoroughly grasped his position, said a few words to his nearest companions and pa.s.sed the word to trek, when, in answer to the crack of the huge whip, the bullocks sprang to their places along the trek-tows, the wagons creaked and groaned, and the little convoy was escorted into the market-place, where, as soon as we saw him, the field-cornet made for the colonel's side and began like one with a grievance.

But the amount of cash to be paid was soon settled, and the Boer's objections died away. The only difficulty then left was about the Boers' stay.

"If we go back they'll shoot us," he said to the colonel. "We've brought you the provisions you asked for, and when you've eaten all you'll want more, and we'll go and fetch everything; but you must have us here now."

"My good sir," said the colonel, to the intense amus.e.m.e.nt of the officers a.s.sembled, who enjoyed seeing their chief, as they termed him, in a corner, "I have enough mouths to feed here; you must go back to the peaceable among your own people."

"Peaceable? There are none peaceable now. Look here: do you want to send us back to fight against you?" cried the Boer cornet indignantly.

"Certainly not," said the colonel; "and I would not advise you to, for your own sake."

"Then what are we to do? We got away with these loads of mealies, but it will be known to-morrow. We can't go back, and it's all your doing."

"Well, I confess that it is hard upon you," said the colonel; "but, as I have told you, I am not going to take the responsibility of feeding more mouths."

"But we've just brought you plenty."

"Which will soon be gone," cried the colonel.

"Oh, that's nothing," said the Boer, with a grin full of cunning; "we know where to get plenty more."

The colonel turned and looked at the major, who returned the look with interest, for these last words opened up plenty of possibilities for disposing of a terrible difficulty in the matter of supplies.

"I don't much like the idea, major," he said in a low tone.

"No; couldn't trust the fellow," was the reply. "May be a ruse."

"At the same time it may be simple fact," continued the colonel. "Of course he would be well aware of the whereabouts of stores, for the enemy always seem to have abundance. But no; it would be too great a risk."

"All the same, though," said the major, who afterwards confessed to visions of steaks and roast mutton floating before his mind, "the fellow would be forced to be honest with us, for he would be holding his life by a very thin thread."

"Exactly," said the colonel eagerly. "We could let him know that at the slightest suggestion of treachery we should shoot him and his companions without mercy."

"Make him understand that," said the major; and while the Boer party stood waiting and watching by the two wagons, which had been drawn into the square, a little council of war was held by the senior officers, in which the pros and cons were discussed.

"It's a dangerous proceeding," said the colonel, in conclusion; "but one thing is certain-we cannot hold this place long without food, and it is all-important that it should be held, so we must risk it. Perhaps the fellows are honest after all. If they are not-"

"Yes," said the major, giving his chief a meaning look; "if they are not-"

And the unfinished sentence was mentally taken up by the other officers, both Lennox and d.i.c.kenson looking it at one another, so to speak.

Then the colonel turned to the Boer cornet.

"Look here, sir," he said; "I am a man of few words, but please understand that I mean exactly what I say. You and your companions can stay here upon the condition that you are under military rule. Your duty will be to forage for provisions when required. You will be well treated, and have the same rations as the men; but you will only leave the place when my permission is given, and I warn you that if any of you are guilty of an act that suggests you are playing the spy, it will mean a spy's fate. You know what I mean?"

"Oh, of course I do," growled the Boer. "Just as if it was likely! You don't seem to have a very good opinion of us burghers."

"You have not given us cause to think well of you," said the colonel sternly. "Now we understand each other. But of course you will have to work with the men, and now you had better help to unload the wagons."

The cornet nodded, and turned to his companions, who had been watching anxiously at a little distance; and as soon as they heard the colonel's verdict they seemed at ease.