The Kopje Garrison Part 65

"Why, of course, sir," said the sergeant confidently. "The colonel would be sure to send out to see why we didn't come back. There's a lot of our fellows out yonder that the enemy is firing at, and we can't see them for the haze. It is haze, and not giddiness and our eyes."

"No, sergeant; we can see clearly enough. I can make out the advance of the relief party. Wait five minutes, and I'll see what a few signal-shots will do."

But before the time mentioned the Boers could be seen steadily retreating, and the puffs of smoke from the firing of an advancing party could be made out. Signals followed, and but a short time elapsed before the Boers were driven off and the rescued party were reviving under the influence of the water proffered from the relief party's bottles.

The return to Groenfontein commenced at once, with Lennox carried by four men by means of scarfs; but he was not the only man who needed this aid, four more being hit during the return, the driven-off Boers hanging at a safe distance on flank and rear, sniping at every chance with the longest of shots, till the outposts were reached, and a cheer welcomed the rescued men as they marched in.

The motion through the air had gradually revived Lennox, so much so that when the party was met by the colonel and officers the young lieutenant was able to reply to a question or two before the doctor intervened.

"Leave him to me for a bit," he said, and had Lennox borne toward the hut where Roby and the corporal were lying, d.i.c.kenson following close behind.

"The colonel did not shake hands with him," said the young officer to himself, "and the major never spoke. Surely they don't think-"

He got no farther, for they had reached the hut, when, to the surprise of all, Roby wrenched himself round to glare at Lennox being carried in, and then in a harsh, excited voice he cried:

"Lennox here? Coward! Cur!-coward! How dare you show your face again?"

And at these words Corporal May wagged his head slowly from side to side and uttered a weary groan.

Chapter Thirty Two.

An Unpleasant Business.

"Why, Roby!" cried Lennox, after standing for some moments gazing wildly at his brother officer, and then going close up to his rough resting-place. "For goodness' sake, don't talk in that way!"

"Coward! Cur! To run away and leave me like that!" cried Roby.

Lennox stared at him with his eyes dilating, and then he turned sharply and looked from d.i.c.kenson to the doctor and back again, ending by clapping his hands to his forehead and holding his breath before gazing wildly at Roby once more as if doubting that the torrent of reproaches he listened to were real.

"Am I off my head a little, doctor?-the sun, and that dreadful thirst. Am I mad?"

"Mad? No, my lad; but you're in a parlous state.-Here, orderly, I must have Mr Lennox in the next hut. He is exciting Captain Roby horribly."

"Yes; horribly," said Lennox. "Poor fellow! Is he so bad as that?"

"Oh yes, he's bad enough," said the doctor gruffly.

"Corporal May, too," said Lennox, with a troubled look at the other patients occupying the hut. "Are you much hurt, May?"

For answer the man glared at him and turned his face away, making Lennox wince again and look at the other patient. But he was lying fast asleep.

"Rather a queer welcome," said the young officer, turning now to d.i.c.kenson, and once more his eyes dilated with a wondering look. "Why, Bob, you're not going to call me a coward too?"

"Likely!" said the young man gruffly.

"Don't stand talking to him, Mr d.i.c.kenson," said the doctor sharply.-"Here, lean on the orderly, sir; he'll help you into the next hut. I want to try and diagnose your case."

"Yes-please if it's necessary," said Lennox, catching at the orderly as if attacked by vertigo.-"Thank you, old fellow," he whispered huskily as d.i.c.kenson started forward and caught him by the other arm. "Not much the matter. Gone through a good deal. Faint. The sun. Touch of stroke, I think."

He hung heavily upon the pair, who a.s.sisted him out into the next hut, while Roby's accusation was reiterated, the words ringing in his ears: "Coward!-cur!-runaway!" till he was out of sight, when Roby sank back exhausted.

"Don't question him, and don't let him talk about what he has gone through," said the doctor a short time later, when he had made his fresh patient as comfortable as circ.u.mstances would allow, and he was growing drowsy from the sedative administered. "It's not sunstroke, but a mingling of the results of exposure and overdoing it altogether. I don't quite understand it yet, and I want to get at the truth without asking him."

"Oh doctor! don't you join in thinking the poor fellow has been behaving in a cowardly way."

"Tchah! Rubbis.h.!.+ What is it to me, sir, how the man has been behaving? He's all wrong, isn't he?"

"Yes; terribly."

"Very well, then, I've got to put him all right. If he has committed any breach of discipline you can court-martial him when I've done."

"But, hang it all, doctor!" cried d.i.c.kenson fiercely, "you don't believe he's a coward?"

"Humph! Very evident you don't, my lad," said the doctor grimly.

"Of course not."

"That's right; then stick to it. I like to see a man back up his friend."

"Who wouldn't back him up?" cried d.i.c.kenson.

"Oh, I don't know. It's very evident that Roby won't."

"Roby's as mad as a March hare," cried d.i.c.kenson.

"Well, not quite; but he's a bit queer in his head, and I'm afraid I shall have to perform rather a crucial operation upon him. I don't want to if I can help it, out here. It requires skilled help, and I should like some one to share the responsibility."

"Internally injured?" asked d.i.c.kenson.

"Oh no. The bullet that ploughed up his forehead is pressing a piece of bone down slightly on the brain."

"Slightly!" said d.i.c.kenson, with a laugh. "Turned it right over, I think."

"Yes, you fellows who know nothing about your construction do get a good many absurd ideas in your head. Here, talk softly; I want to get at the cause of his trouble. He's not wounded."

"Why, his skull's ploughed up, and the bone pressing on his brain."

"Do you mean that for a joke-a bit of chaff, Mr d.i.c.kenson?" said the doctor stiffly.

"A joke, sir? Is this a subject to joke about?" replied d.i.c.kenson.

"Certainly not, sir; but you thoughtless young fellows are ready to laugh at anything."

"Well, sir, you're wrong. Roby and I were never very great friends, but I'm not such a brute as to laugh and sneer when the poor fellow's down."

"Who was talking about Captain Roby?"