The Kopje Garrison Part 23

"But not boots," said Lennox quietly.

"I beg your pardon," said the captain warmly; "I could pick out a dozen of the black hangers-on who have boots which they have obtained from the men."

Just then an orderly arrived from the colonel to know what Captain Roby had made out respecting the alarm; and upon a full report being given, the colonel sent orders for Captain Roby to march his company to the foot of the kopje, surround it, and thoroughly search it from top to bottom.

This search was commenced as soon as it was light, the men having been led to the foot and stationed before day broke; and the arduous task seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed by the men, who, as they slowly ascended the rough cone, naturally closed in so that the prospect of missing any one hiding among the cracks and chasms grew less and less. To the soldiers it was like a game of hide-and-seek held upon a gigantic scale, and they shouted to one another in the excitement of the hunt. Every now and then a rift would be found which promised to be the entrance to a cavern such as abounded in many of the granite and ironstone piles; but in every instance, after the men had plunged in boldly with bayonets fixed, they found the holes empty and were brought up directly, not even finding a sign of the place having been occupied.

The officers advanced from four different places, but the incurvation of the mount, and its being only practicable for climbing here and there, caused Lennox and d.i.c.kenson to approach more rapidly than the others; hence it happened that by the time they were half-way to the top they were within talking distance, as they kept on trying to keep their men in line, and at the end of another hundred feet they were side by side, panting and hot from their efforts, and ready to give one another a hand or a leg up in difficult parts.

"Well, Drew, old man," cried d.i.c.kenson as they both paused to wipe their faces and give their men time to breathe, "nice job this! I suppose the old man meant it to give us an appet.i.te for breakfast."

Lennox laughed.

"He ought to have given us a task to take away the sharpness; but it's all right. I shouldn't be at all surprised if we started two or three Kaffirs from some hole higher up."

"Why, what would they be doing there?"

"Keeping their gregarious home tidy for their tribe to come back to when we are gone."

"Well, plenty do live in these kopjes. Remember about that one up in the Matabele country that was full of cracks and pa.s.sages, and had four or five caves one above another?"

"Oh yes, I remember it."

"This might be the same some day, but I believe it's all a reservoir of water inside."

"Or else solid, for there seems to be no door. We may find a way in yet; I shouldn't wonder."

"I should," said d.i.c.kenson; "and I believe after all now that the chirping I heard was made by some rat-like creature."

"The more I think about it," continued Lennox, "the more I feel ready to believe that two or three of the Kaffirs are here, and in communication with the Boers."

"What! acting as spies?"

Lennox nodded; he was still too short of breath to talk much.

"Well, now you come to talk like that, it does appear possible, for the Boers do seem to have known pretty well how and when to attack us."

"Exactly."

"Of course! Why, there was the night when they were bringing up the big gun. They must have had guides."

"Oh, if you come to that, they may have people with them who used to live here."

"Yes, they may have," said d.i.c.kenson; "but it isn't likely. Depend upon it, there are two or three Kaffirs somewhere about here, and we have them to thank for some of our misfortunes. If we do catch them they'll have it pretty sharp."

"Not they," said Lennox. "We shall treat them as prisoners of war."

"As spies," said d.i.c.kenson, "and you know their lot."

"Ps.h.!.+ The colonel would not shoot a set of poor ignorant blacks."

"Browns-browns, browns."

"For a reward they'd fight for us just as they may have been fighting for the Boers."

"But we don't want them to fight for us. If they'd try and feed us they'd be doing some good.-Yes, all right. Ahoy there!" shouted the speaker, for a hail came from higher up. "Forward, my lads; forward!"

This last to the men on either side, who had snapped at the chance of a few minutes' rest, after the fas.h.i.+on displayed by their officers.

The climbing advance went on again till the level patch at the top, which had been turned into a gun-platform, was reached, and the men halted in the bright suns.h.i.+ne, to group about the huge gun after they had been ordered to break off. They rested, enjoying the cool breeze and gazing eagerly about in search of enemies, seeing, however, nothing but the surrounding prospect all looking bright and peaceful in the morning sun.

"'Brayvo! Werry pretty!' as Sam Weller would have said," cried d.i.c.kenson as Captain Roby closed the field-gla.s.s he had been using and joined his junior officers, frowning and looking impatient.

"Look here, Mr d.i.c.kenson," he said sourly, "a little of that commonplace, slangy quotation may be tolerated sometimes after the mess dinner if it's witty-mind, I say if it's witty-but such language as this seems to me quite out of place, especially if spoken in the hearing of the men when on service."

"Yes, of course," replied d.i.c.kenson shortly; "but I took care that they were out of hearing."

"They are not out of hearing, sir," retorted Roby; "as Mr Lennox here will bear me witness, Sergeant James and Corporal May must have heard every word."

He turned to Lennox with a questioning look and waited for him to, as he termed it, bear witness.

"Well, really, I don't think they could have heard," said Lennox.

"What!" cried Roby indignantly. "Here, sergeant, you heard-you, Corporal May, you heard what Mr d.i.c.kenson said?"

"Yes, sir, everything," replied the corporal smartly.

"And you, sergeant?"

"I heard Mr d.i.c.kenson saying something, sir," replied the sergeant bluntly, "but I was looking along the gun here and did not catch a word."

"You mean you would not hear," cried the captain angrily.-"Look here, Mr d.i.c.kenson, don't let it occur again."

He jerked at the case of his field-gla.s.s and took it out again, then crossed to the other end of the roughly-made gun-platform and directed the telescope upon some object near the horizon.

The two subalterns exchanged glances.

"Mr Lennox-Mr d.i.c.kenson," said the latter in a low tone. "Poor old chap, he's regularly upset. Well, no wonder; wants his breakfast. I'm just as grumpy underneath for the same reason, but I keep it down-with my belt. Look here, Drew; go and prescribe for him. Tell him to buckle himself up a couple of holes tighter and he'll feel all the better."

"Hold your tongue! He isn't well, and he's put out about this mare's-nest hunt."

"Well, yes; we haven't done much good."

"Not a bit. How do you feel?"

"As if I should like to kick that time-serving corporal."

"What! the 'Lantern'? Yes: brute! Anything to curry favour with his master."