The Kopje Garrison Part 29

"So I see," said the latter officer coldly.

"The thing is, what was he doing here?"

"Playing the spy, or hiding and waiting for a chance to get away, I suppose."

"Well, you will take him down with you, and report to the colonel," said Captain Edwards.

"Stop a bit," cried d.i.c.kenson. "You haven't got the other."

"What other?" cried the two captains in a breath.

"This fellow's comrade."

"Has he one?"

"You heard what the private said about seeing two," cried d.i.c.kenson.

"Oh, the words of a man in a scare go for nothing," said Captain Roby contemptuously.

"Perhaps not; but this fellow was in no scare when he called for his companion-Dirck, did he call him, Lennox?"

"Yes, Dirck; and he must be somewhere close at hand. Look, Bob."

He touched his comrade's arm to draw his attention to the sneering smile on the prisoner's face.

"And where do you think his friend is?" said Captain Edwards.

"In the same place as this man came from. They have a hiding-place somewhere close by."

"Yes," cried d.i.c.kenson; "one that enables them to play a regular Jack-in-the-box trick."

"But how? Where?" said Captain Edwards.

"I don't know how, and I don't know where it is," replied Lennox; "but I do know that they have a hiding-place somewhere here amongst the rocks. This Boer was not here one minute; then we heard the creaking and grinding of a stone door close at hand, and he was standing out against the sky."

"Whereabouts?" said Captain Roby.

"About here," said Lennox, stepping to the rock close at hand.-"Bring the lantern, quick."

Sergeant James stepped forward with his and held it up for his officer, who began to examine the rock; but d.i.c.kenson paid no heed. He employed himself in watching the prostrate Boer attentively, and noticed that his eyes were being blinked violently, as if the man were in a great state of excitement. But he seemed to calm down rapidly as the young subaltern walked to and fro, holding the light up, then down, and always coming back to the starting-place.

"Well, can't you find it?" said Captain Roby, with a sneer.

"No," replied Lennox frankly. "I can see no signs of it."

"And are not likely to," replied Captain Roby, with a grunt indicative of the contempt he felt. "It's all absurd. What did you expect to find? A hidden Aladdin's cave, with genii keeping the door?-Here, d.i.c.kenson, you are a gentleman of fine imagination. Go and help him. Expand your lungs, and cry Open Sesame!"

"Why don't you," said d.i.c.kenson, "as you know Persian, or whatever it is, so well?"

Captain Roby was about to make an angry retort, but Captain Edwards now interfered.

"I don't think there is any hiding-place along here," he said. "There may be a rift or cave somewhere about the kopje, but certainly there does not seem to be one in this part."

"I am not satisfied," said Lennox, who was busy still directing the light in and out among the crevices of the rocks. "It hardly seems possible, but the natural form of the granite is in blocks which look as if they had been piled-up by the hand of man. Could any one of these be a rough door?"

"No; absurd," said Captain Roby. "There, we have captured our prisoner; let's get him down to the colonel."

"But what about his calling for Dirck to help him?" said Lennox eagerly.

"I did not hear him call for Dirck to help him," said Roby contemptuously.

"No, but we did," cried Lennox, as he went on tapping the granite blocks with the b.u.t.t of his revolver, curiously watched the while by the prisoner, who was in complete ignorance of the fact that d.i.c.kenson, who stood half behind, was intently watching him in turn.

"Give it up, Lennox," said Captain Roby. "You are doing no good there."

"Burning!" cried d.i.c.kenson so suddenly that every one turned and stared.

"What is burning?" cried Captain Edwards.

"Drew Lennox is."

"Burning?"

"Hang it all, sir! have you forgotten all your childish games?" cried d.i.c.kenson impatiently. "'Hot boiled beans,' you know. Lennox is seeking, and he's burning."

"Am I?" cried Lennox excitedly, and the grim faces of the men thrown up by the lanterns grew eager and excited too.

"To be sure you are," said d.i.c.kenson.

"How do you know?"

"By my lord the prisoner's phiz here. He gave quite a twitch when you tapped that last rock but one."

"Ha!" cried Lennox; "then there is a way in here. I thought it sounded hollow."

He stepped back and began to tap the rough stone again to prove his words, every one now noticing that the rock gave out a dull, hollow tone; while, unable to contain himself, the prisoner, as he lay tightly bound upon his back, uttered a low, hissing sound as he drew in a deep breath.

"Here we are," cried Lennox, more excited than ever. "Sergeant, give some one else that lantern; take a man with you up there by the gun, and bring back a crowbar or two, and one of the engineers' picks."

The men went off at once, and while the party awaited their return Lennox went on examining the rough block of granite by which he stood, but looked in vain for any sign of hinge or fastening.

"I hope you are right, Lennox," said Captain Edwards, who had stepped to his side; and he spoke in a low voice.

"So do I," was the reply; "but I feel sure that there is, for there must be a hiding-place somewhere. Wait a bit, and we shall capture the prisoner's mate."

Lennox involuntarily glanced down at where the carefully bound Boer lay with the light s.h.i.+ning full upon his eyes, and he could not repress a start as he saw the malignant flash that seemed to dart from them into his own. It affected him so that he ceased his examination for the moment, waiting impatiently till the distant sound of steps announced the return of the sergeant and the man bearing the implements he had sought.

"Got the crowbar?" cried Lennox eagerly.