The Kopje Garrison Part 72

"Take my place in my company, and wait till we're relieved, and then be ready for a court-martial."

"That's good too, for no one can prove you guilty. What else?"

"Keep well in the front, and get myself killed as soon as I can."

"If he said that, he's a brute!" cried d.i.c.kenson. "Gammon! I don't believe the old man would say such a thing. But look here, I'm precious glad. This means you're going to live it down."

Lennox nodded. "Here," he said, "let's go into our hut."

"No, not yet. I want to walk up and down in the fresh air a bit."

"But the sun is terribly hot."

"Do you good," said d.i.c.kenson abruptly. "Let's go right to the end and back three or four times."

"Bah!" said Lennox. "You want to do this so as to ostentatiously show that you mean to keep friends with me."

"Suppose I do. I've a right to, haven't I?"

"Not to give me pain. It does. Help me to live it down quietly."

"Very well; if you like it better. But I say, you'll show up in the mess-room to-night?"

"Why should I?"

"Because the place is wretched and the fare's-beastly. There, that doesn't sound nice, but I must say it."

"I had rather stay away. It would only provoke what I should feel cruelly, and I could not resent it."

"No, but I could; and if any one insults you by sending you to Coventry, I'll provoke him. I suppose I mustn't punch my superior officer's head, but off duty I can tell him what I think of him, and I'll let him have it hot and strong."

"Then I shall stay away."

"No, you sha'n't. I will instead."

"That would be worse, Bob. Look here; I want you to help me to live this charge down, to treat it with quiet contempt. If you make yourself so fierce a partisan you will keep the wound sore and prevent it from healing up."

"Very well, then; I'll give it a good chance. There, I promise you I won't show my temper a bit; only play fair."

"In what way?"

"Don't turn upon me afterwards and call me a coward for not taking your part."

"Never fear. I don't want you to get into hot water for my sake."

"My dear boy," said d.i.c.kenson, chuckling like a cuckoo in a coppice in early spring, "that's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because I'm in hot water now with everybody, and have been ever since."

"I am sorry."

"And I am glad-jolly glad. Oh, don't I wish there was duelling still!"

"Haven't you killed enough men to satisfy you?" said Lennox sadly.

"More than enough. I don't want to kill brother officers, only to give them lessons in manly faith. But bother that! I say: you promise to come and take your place this evening?"

"Yes; I promise," said Lennox quietly.

"Then I'll tell you something. Roby's coming too."

"Roby!"

"Yes; for the first time since he got his wound."

Lennox was silent.

"There, I'm not going to try and teach you, old fellow," continued d.i.c.kenson; "but if I were you I should ignore everything, unless the boys do as they should do-meet you like men."

"Well," said Lennox, "we shall see."

That dinner-time came all too soon for Lennox, who had sat in his shabby quarters thinking how wondrously quiet everything was, and whether after what the colonel had hinted it was the calm preceding the storm.

"Come along," cried d.i.c.kenson, thrusting his head into the hut.

Lennox felt his heart sink as he thought of the coming meeting, for this was the first time he had approached the mess-room since the night of the attack upon the kopje. He winced, too, a little as he pa.s.sed two sentries, who seemed, he thought, to look curiously at him. But the next moment his companion's rather boisterous prattle fell upon deaf ears, for just in front, on their way to the mess-room, were Roby and the doctor walking arm in arm, and then they disappeared through the door.

"Oh, won't I punish the provisions when the war is over!" said d.i.c.kenson. Sniff, sniff! "Ah! I know you, my friend, in spite of the roasting. I'd a deal rather be outside you than you inside me. And yet it's all prejudice, Drew, old man, for the horse is the cleanest and most particular of vegetable-feeding beasts, and the pig is the nastiest-cannibalistic and vile."

They pa.s.sed through the door together, to find the colonel present, and the other officers about to take their places. Roby had evidently not been prepared for this, and he looked half-stunned when the doctor turned from him, advanced to Lennox, and shook hands.

"I wish we had a better dinner in honour of my two convalescents."

"This is insufferable," said Roby in a voice choking with anger.

"Let that wait, doctor," said the colonel.

"Come along, Lennox," cried d.i.c.kenson, after darting a furious glance at Roby. "Very, very glad to see you once more in your place."

No one else spoke for a few moments, and the dinner was about to be commenced, when Roby suddenly rose to his feet.

"Colonel Lindley," he said, in a husky voice full of rage, "are you aware who is present here this evening?"

"Yes, Captain Roby," said the colonel sternly. "I desired Mr Lennox, now that he is convalescent, to return to his usual place at the mess-table."

Roby's jaw dropped, and he stared at the officers around as if silently asking them whether he heard aright. But every man averted his eyes and a.s.sumed to be busy commencing the miserable meal.