The stranger led the way to the centre of the enclosure.
"Here's my blockhouse," he said. "We've piled up the baggage, you see.
I say, you're a trump, you know. Are any more coming up?"
"I sent word to Fort Hall, but that's seventy miles from here, and we
can't expect help for two or three days."
"That's bad. We've been on short rations for a week and haven't got a
single full meal left. My men are as weak as rats, and I've had a knock
myself, as you see"--his right arm was in a sling--"so that if those
fellows outside pluck up their courage to make a rush I'm afraid we
shall be done for."
"Not a bit of it," said John cheerfully. "How did you get hurt?"
"An arrow made a gash in my forearm. I was in a bit of a funk at first;
my men said it was sure to be poisoned. But I'm all right so far: had
some antiseptic lotion, and the wound seems to be healing. My man told
you how we got into this mess, didn't he? We've had an awful time of
it; for six weeks on end had to fight and dodge these ruffians; and my
poor father----"
"Yes, I'm very sorry," said John, as the other stopped.
"What I can't make out," went on the young man presently, "is why these
fellows haven't rushed our boma. They were reinforced yesterday by six
or eight men with rifles, Swahilis, too, to judge by their dress, and as
I've only sixteen men left out of the forty we started with, and only
five have rifles (four deserted with rifles yesterday), we couldn't have
held out for an hour. There's a couple of hundred of them, I guess, and
a dozen or more have got rifles or else smooth-bore muskets, and those
at close quarters are just as dangerous as rifles, as we know to our
cost."
He did not say, but John learnt afterwards, that it was probably his own
fearlessness and activity which had daunted the besiegers. He had had
to get assistance in loading his rifle, and could only fire from the
left shoulder; but as sure as one of the enemy showed himself within
range he became a target, and several had been accounted for during the
past few days. Having no doubt been informed by the deserters from his
safari, however, that provisions had run short, the besiegers were quite
content to play a waiting game.
"What do you think we can do?" asked the stranger.
John said nothing for a few moments: he was thinking hard.
"I wish I could see your face," went on the other. "It's rather odd,
this--two fellows who don't know each other talking in the dark. I
don't even know your name."
"Halliday," said John, adding with a laugh, as he struck a match; "take
a good look while the light lasts."
By the feeble light each saw a clean-shaven face burnt almost the colour
of copper by the sun.
"You aren't a bad-looking chap, and my name's Ferrier," said the
stranger. "Can we do anything, do you think?"
A listener might have smiled at the quick transition from banter to
serious business. During the brief illumination, John had observed, how
thin and worn Ferrier looked, and it seemed to help him to make up his
mind.
"Well," he said, "it's risky, but I vote we make a bolt for it."
"Now?" asked Ferrier quietly.
"No, but you'll do it, I can see. You don't say, 'How can we?' You
see, we can't expect help for two days at the least, and it may be much
more. You look worn out as it is, and another day without proper food
might do for you. But we can save time by fighting our way southward,
though it'll be a pretty risky business, as I said. The best time to
clear out will be just about dawn; the fellows outside will be dead
tired with watching and won't expect any movement then. With luck we
may get a mile or two away before they find out we've gone."
"Why not start in the dark?"
"Safer not, I think. We could easily be rushed in the darkness, and any
damage we might do among them wouldn't have half the moral effect it
would have in the light, because they couldn't see it. Now give me an
idea how the land lies round this place: I only saw it from the side I
came in at."
"Well, there's bush pretty well all round, but the ground's clearest on
the east side. There's a gap in the bush there which would be the best
road."
"We'll make for that, then. But look here, you're dead tired, and
you'll want all your strength to-morrow. Get a sleep: I'll see to
everything and wake you when the times comes. What are your men, by the
way? Swahilis?"
"No, most of them are Bantus of one sort or another. I've got one
Swahili; he's headman; and two or three Wakikuyu, strapping fellows who
can shoot."
"That's all right, then. Now go to sleep like a good chap, and don't
worry."
It was so long since Ferrier had enjoyed a good night's rest that he
thankfully availed himself of the presence of a white man capable of
taking command. John immediately set about his preparations for the
sortie. He ordered the porters to make their loads ready as quickly as
possible, discarding everything that was heavy or cumbersome and likely
to impede rapidity of movement. Thinking over the position, he decided
that the best plan would be to issue from the boma on the east side as
if to pass through the gap. This movement, if detected, would probably
draw the enemy to both sides of the gap, where they would wait in the
bush, thinking they had the safari ambushed. But before reaching the
gap he proposed to turn sharp off to the right, seizing a tongue of
woodland jutting southward which he had noticed from his post of
observation in the wood. Beyond that he could not make any plans, but
must trust to the inspiration of the moment and the nature of the
ground.
All preparations being made, John told the men to sleep. He would keep
watch until the moment for departure came. He walked round the
enclosure to make sure that no ammunition or anything else of value had
been left, inspected the spot where the boma had been cut to allow the
egress of the party, and then sat down on the tent, which it had been
decided to leave behind.
Shortly before six o'clock he woke Ferrier, and Coja woke the men, who
shouldered their loads, and the whole party moved silently across the
enclosure. Some of the men removed the piece of the boma which had been
previously loosened, and John led the way out. There was a slight mist
over the ground, which favoured the escape. They had covered about two
hundred yards in safety when there was a loud shout from both the camps
of the enemy, proving that a determined watch had been kept, and that
their departure had been discovered. A few shots were fired, and John
caught sight of two or three black figures darting among the trees of
the wooded tongue towards which he intended to march; but the absence of
a general rush seemed to show that his anticipation was being justified,
and that the enemy were swarming from their camps to the two sides of
the gap. John threw himself down on a knoll and sent two or three shots
into the woodland to check any movement of the enemy to station
themselves there, which would be fatal to his plan. The result of his
firing was that the men who had been scouting there rushed away to join
their comrades in the bush skirting the gap.
Now that the party was fairly out, John asked Ferrier to take the lead,
while he brought up the rear with Coja. Ferrier at first demurred to
this arrangement, protesting that the greatest danger would lie in the
rear, and he didn't see why he should not share in it.
"You shut up," said John, with friendly brusqueness. "We haven't time
to argue. We can settle that afterwards. Don't go above a walking
pace: if they think we are bunking they will make a rush for us, and we
must avoid that at all costs. On you go: wheel to the right when you
come opposite the end of the wood."
Ferrier obediently went on with the unarmed porters and his six men who
had rifles, including the one captured from the sentry, John and Coja
marching behind with the man who acted as messenger, turning every now
and then to guard against a rush, and not hurrying their pace though
shots were dropping at unpleasantly close quarters. There were loud
shouts from the enemy lining both sides of the gap when they saw the
safari suddenly sweep round to the right towards the spur of woodland.
Several men on the northern side at once broke cover and began to rush
across the gap. John saw that the best service he could do was to hold
this portion of the enemy's force in check until the woodland was
reached, and so reduce their striking strength. The question was, could
he and Coja and the one other man with him make things so hot for any of
the enemy who tried to cross the gap that they would hesitate until it
was too late? Another question which he dared not think about was
whether the men with Ferrier would be steady enough to meet the attack
from the southern portion of the enemy, which they could hardly escape.
Telling Coja and the Baganda to shoot steadily, he took aim from behind
a bush at the first man who crossed the gap, and dropped him. Coja
aimed at the man immediately behind, but missed. A second shot from
John, however, brought him down, and his companions, firing into the
midst of a group of half-a-dozen who were following their leaders, gave
a shout of delight when they saw two other men fall, and the rest
immediately turn tail and scamper at full speed back to cover.
"Come on," cried John.
Leaving the bush from behind which he had fired, he ran towards another
which would give still better cover and was at the same time slightly
nearer the enemy. The distance was about thirty yards, and several
shots were fired at them as they sprinted across. John felt a bullet
slap through his helmet, but no other hit was made, and they reached the
second bush safely. It afforded excellent cover against the enemy on
the north side of the gap, but would have been useless against any that
remained on the south side. These, however, had left their positions in
order to deal with the safari making for the woodland, since it was
plain to them that they would be at an immense disadvantage in the more
open bush if the copse were once gained. Indeed, if they had had the
courage and the quickness of perception to seize and hold this spur of
woodland, the fate of the safari would almost certainly have been
sealed.
John, for the moment left unmolested, had time to look round, and saw
with delight that Ferrier and his men had disappeared among the trees.
But at the same time he realized that the enemy who had tried
ineffectually to head them off from the woodland were now free to attack
him, and there was a danger that he might be surrounded. The northern
end of the woodland was about a hundred yards from the bush at which he
had stationed himself, and there was no time to be lost if he was to get
out of harm's way. It was a straight run across the open. From his
experience of negroes' shooting he did not fear that a flying shot would
hit him except by accident; the only question was whether all three
could rush across the open space before they were intercepted by the
other section of the enemy.
Since delay was dangerous he ordered the men to follow him at full
speed, and made a dash for the woodland. A few shots were fired at
them, but luckily the movement had not been seen by the men he had most
reason to fear, and by the time they were warned of it by the shouts of
their comrades beyond the gap the three runners were safe among the
trees. John felt that in the shelter of the wood the party might hold
out all day against an enemy who was so reluctant to come to close
quarters; but to be beleaguered in the wood would be no better than
their situation within the boma, and it was necessary to press on to the
south, both with the idea of lessening the distance between the safari
and the force of East African rifles or Protectorate Police which he
hoped was on the way from Fort Hall, and also of obtaining food. It was
not easy to see how the party could cross in safety the open country
south of the wood, and John felt the necessity of consulting with
Ferrier. Accordingly he hastened on towards him.
Soon he came upon Ferrier's askaris, who informed him that their master,
having reached the extremity of the wood, had sent them back to assist
him. Ordering them to remain with Coja where they were and keep the
enemy in check if they showed any sign of advancing, he hurried on until
he reached Ferrier. After explaining how matters stood, he suggested
that Ferrier with the porters should hasten with all speed across the
open country until they reached the clump of trees in which he had left
his donkeys, about two miles away. The enemy would scarcely suspect
that the party would emerge from the wood into the open, and he felt
pretty sure that, reinforced by the rifles, he could keep them in play
until the safari had reached its goal. The course proposed was favoured
by the fact that the safari, by striking off in a south-westerly
direction, would soon be out of sight owing to the undulating ground.
Ferrier agreed to this plan, and John hurried back to the men.
Nothing had happened during his absence. The enemy on the north side of
the gap had not yet plucked up courage to cross, and the rest were
apparently still lurking in the bush to the east of the stretch of
woodland. John led his men back to the southern end of this, where he
halted to watch the progress of the safari, and to assure himself that
its escape had not been noticed.
From this position he saw, a quarter of a mile to the right, a mound
which would form an excellent defensive position in case he was
seriously attacked, and he determined to betake himself thither as soon
as the safari was out of sight. After waiting for a few minutes he saw
the enemy, who had no doubt become suspicious, at last swarm from the
further side of the gap and join their comrades. The combined force,
emboldened by numbers, emerged from the bush, and appeared to be
intending to make a dash upon the wood. John waited until they had come
within two hundred yards, and then gave the word to his men to fire a
volley. The effect was instantaneous. Several of the enemy fell; the
rest made all speed back under cover. Taking advantage of the repulse,
John ordered three of the men to rush to the mound, and as soon as they
had reached it, he followed them with the rest. The movement was seen
by the enemy, who, knowing now that the safari must have escaped them,
and probably suspecting that it had already taken refuge on the other
side of the mound, were at last impelled by their rage to make a
determined rush to the spot. John and his men were, however, so well
ensconced that their fire checked the advance, and the assailants, once
more baffled, fled back either into the wood or to their former position
in the bush. Twice they repeated the assault: each time they were
driven back; and though they came closer each time, and sent a shower of
arrows and bullets on to the mound, they were utterly unable to make an
impression, the little party of riflemen lying flat on their faces at
the top of the reverse slope, so that only their heads were exposed.
During the last rush, however, Coja, who was vastly excited at this
fight against odds, incautiously raised himself, and received a bullet
in the shoulder. John was a good deal concerned: the mere shock of such
an injury would have rendered a European helpless; but the African is
not so highly strung, and Coja went on all day with admirable fortitude.
John chose the moment when an assault had just been repelled to evacuate
the mound, and keeping it between him and the enemy, to strike off to
the south-west, intending to make a circuit and rejoin Ferrier at the
clump of trees. He had marched for more than half a mile before the
meaning of the movement became plain to the enemy. Seeing the little
party now in the open, with no cover of any kind, the men set off with
loud cries to intercept them before they reached the clump of trees
which was the only shelter for miles. It was a race between the two
parties. John was north-west of the clump, the enemy due north, and
equidistant from it. Ferrier, who had reached the spot some time
before, and was watching eagerly his new friend's manoeuvres, fired an
occasional shot at the savages as soon as they came within range, but
his single rifle was unable to check the advance. It was fortunate that
John had somewhat easier ground than the enemy, sloping gently down to
the clump of trees. He ran as he had never run since he won the
quarter-mile in his school sports, and the negroes kept pace with him,
in the fierce heat of the sun. Ferrier saw that he was gaining on the
enemy, and shouted to encourage him. Another two hundred yards and he
would be safe. On he came: now he was several yards ahead of his men,
then they spurted and came up with him: and in another fifteen seconds
the whole party gained the wood, the enemy being no more than a hundred
yards away.
Ferrier sent a shot among them which brought them to a halt. Even now
they might have overwhelmed the little party, for John and the men were
hot and breathless, and their limbs trembled so violently that for some
seconds they were unable to hold their rifles steadily. But Ferrier's
shot gave them the breathing-space they needed. Then all the rifles
spoke together. A gap was made in the halted throng of negroes; there
was a moment's hesitation; then with furious yells of rage and
disappointment they turned their backs upon the clump of trees, and ran
swiftly towards the distant bush.
That was the last that was seen of them. John and the riflemen held the
wooded clump while the safari, taking the donkeys, pressed on to the
south. Then, when all danger of pursuit seemed at an end, he followed
in its track and overtook it within two hours. No pursuers being in
sight, he thought it safe to make a long halt for rest and food, both
badly needed by the whole party, and especially by Ferrier and his men.
Ferrier blessed John's forethought in bringing a quantity of food on the
donkeys. It was only sufficient for one meal, and that not a very good
one; but a little is a feast to men who are famishing, and there was
great contentment among the negroes as they baked little millet cakes at
their fires. When the march was resumed, John shot a wart-hog during
the afternoon, which he allowed the men to cook and eat there and then.
They camped for the rest of the day, building a thorn zariba and keeping
a careful watch all night. Early in the morning they went on again, and
passing through the friendly village and across the river, they came at
midday to the farm. John at once sent Ferrier's headman towards Fort
Hall to say that there was no longer any need of help. Then he
committed the negroes to the care of Lulu, doctored Coja's wounded
shoulder as well as he could, and asked Said Mohammed to use all his
skill in preparing dinner for his guest.
"Your esteemed order shall be punctually attended to," said the Bengali.
"The honourable gentleman shall smack his lips and feel jolly well
bucked up. I will do him tiptop."