As soon as the Zulus appeared, Percy had insisted on his sisters
retiring from the ramparts.
"You have performed your parts, girls, and I cannot allow you to run the
risk of being hit by one of those black fellow's assegais. Down with
you! down, quick!" he shouted.
Heroines as they were, they perhaps not very unwillingly obeyed; but
when Percy told Biddy that she must retire, she exclaimed--
"What! me a gineral, an' goin' to desert me post! Sure, I don't mind
the niggers' long spikes more than if they wor mop-handles." And
levelling a rifle, of which she had possessed herself, she fired down on
the still advancing Zulus. Then picking up one after the other, she
blazed away with deadly effect, bringing down a Zulu at every shot,
until Percy told her to begin reloading, while he, with the other men
who had now mounted to the platform, kept up the fire. Meantime Captain
Broderick, with Lionel, had entered the fort. Mrs Broderick, who had
been waiting with feelings it would be difficult to describe, seeing her
husband and the young stranger appear at the gate, hurried forward to
meet them. A brief embrace was all Captain Broderick had time to give
his wife, before he, with Rupert and Crawford, climbed up on the
platform, he having scarcely recognised his daughters in their strange
attire. Lionel thought it was his duty to follow them. He was about to
do so, when his eyes met those of the lady approaching him.
"Yes!" he exclaimed, "you must be--I know you are--my mother."
Mrs Broderick threw her arms round his neck, and pressing him to her
heart, kissed him again and again, as she exclaimed, in a voice choking
with emotion, "You are my long-lost Walter: I need no one to tell me
that; I remember every lineament of your countenance."
For the moment, as she clasped her boy in her arms, she heard not the
rattling of the musketry, the shrieks and yells of the assailants, the
shouts of the defenders, the din of battle; every feeling, every sense
was absorbed in contemplating her recovered child. She would scarcely
release him from her embrace to receive the welcome which his sisters,
who now came up, showed their eagerness to give him.
He looked at them with no little astonishment at first, not
comprehending who they were, until they told him that Percy had
persuaded them to dress up in order to deceive the enemy.
"But I must not let the rest be fighting on the walls while I remain
down here in safety," he said at length. "I don't like to leave you,
mother; but while others are exposed to danger, it is a disgrace to me
to keep out of harm's way."
"But, my dear boy, I cannot let you go," exclaimed Mrs Broderick. "You
have only just been restored to me, and the assegais of the cruel Zulus
might reach you on the platform. Percy has sent your sisters down,
which shows that he considers there must be danger."
"The same kind Being who has hitherto preserved me will take care of me
still," answered Lionel; "and my father and my brothers are exposed to
the same peril."
Mrs Broderick had a severe struggle, but his arguments prevailed, and
she at length allowed him to join the defenders on the walls. The Zulus
in the meantime had only retreated beyond musket shot.
Percy had pointed out to Captain Broderick where the main body were
encamped. Taking the telescope, he looked through it in that direction.
"They have heard the firing, and are marching down towards the river,"
he observed. "They little expect to find the farm so well garrisoned.
Percy, you have acted admirably; for I believe, had our assailants not
been led to suppose that a large number of men were posted round the
walls to give them a warm reception, they would have come on much more
boldly. It would be as well now to get rid of the dummies, lest their
keen eyes should discover how they have been deceived, and they should
then fancy that we have even fewer men than is really the case."
"I don't like so summarily dismissing my garrison, but of course you are
right, father," said Percy; and he and Rupert went round and began to
throw the dummy warriors off the platform, two of the pumpkins
splitting, however, in falling.
"I say, we must lower them more gently," observed Percy, "for we may
want them again, and it won't do to place them in position with cracked
skulls."
They accordingly fastened them to the rope by which the swivels had been
hoisted up, and let them all quietly down, one by one.
"Sure, cap'in, ye don't want me to go down," cried Biddy. "Whether they
take me for a gineral or an old woman, it won't much matter, for they'll
find that an old woman can fight as well as many a gineral. Let thim
come on as fierce as they may, I'll not be after showin' the white
feather."
"We mustn't tell my sisters what you say, Biddy, or they'll think you
are throwing reflections on them," said Percy. "However, after the way
in which you have handled a musket, I'm sure you will prove an able
defender of our farm, should the Zulus venture again to attack it."
Besides Captain Broderick, his three sons and Crawford, the garrison
consisted of Vermack and Matyana, and six Kaffir and Hottentot servants.
They were but few in number to oppose the host of warriors threatening
them. Mangaleesu seeing this, begged that he and Kalinda might be
allowed to come up on the ramparts to assist in the defence.
"If the white chief thinks we shall be recognised, we can soon so
disguise ourselves that the enemy will not know us," he said.
"Of course you can fight, as you desire it; but unless your wife
insists, as Biddy does, in joining in the defence, I don't wish to
expose her to danger, answered the captain."
Kalinda, however, declared that her desire was to join her husband, and
in a short time both of them came up, their countenances so concealed by
the hats and the plumes of feathers which adorned their heads, that it
would have been difficult for those outside to have discovered who they
were. The other Kaffirs, who usually wore scanty attire, dressed
themselves in the same fashion, and thus the enemy might easily have
supposed that a native contingent had arrived to assist in the defence
of the fort.
Captain Broderick, however, feared that although the apparent strength
of his garrison might keep the Zulus at a distance, they would ravage
his fields, and carry off the cattle and sheep which had been left
outside. They might also lay siege to the place, and attempt to starve
him out. He anxiously watched the movements of the main body. Instead
of directing their course towards the usual crossing place near the
farm, they marched to a spot much lower down the river, showing that
they had some dread of being opposed by the garrison, had they attempted
the passage higher up. The party which had made the first attack had
now gone in the same direction to cover their passage.
"We cannot save the crops, if the fellows are determined to destroy
them," he observed to Rupert; "but we may preserve the cattle and sheep,
by driving some into the fort, and others among the hills, where the
Zulus will not dare to follow them."
"We have time to do that, if we don't lose a moment. I'll go at once,"
cried Percy.
"No, let me go," said Rupert. "Percy is not accustomed to the cattle.
I will take Vermack and Matyana, and we will bring in as many as we can,
while the herdsmen who remain with the rest drive them off in the
meantime to the mountains. If we are seen by the Zulus, they will
suppose that the whole have been driven into the fort, and will not go
and look after the others."
Captain Broderick, although he would gladly have avoided employing his
son in so dangerous an expedition, did not think it right to forbid it.
And Rupert, calling the two men, immediately set off, all three carrying
their rifles as well as their long stock whips, required for driving the
cattle. As they made their way towards the meadows where the cattle
were feeding, they bent down and kept as much as possible under cover,
so as not to be seen by the Zulus. They were watched anxiously from the
ramparts. Captain Broderick could not help wishing that he had not let
Rupert go, when he saw through his glass the horde of savages
assembling, and who might come rushing up to the farm before there was
time for him and his companions to get back. The drawbridge was kept
down and the gate open ready for their return. Fortunately the ground
was sufficiently clear in front of the farm to prevent any of the Zulus
coming near enough to make a sudden rush.
While he kept a look-out on their movements, several men were stationed
at the drawbridge to haul it up, should they again draw near. He had
charged Rupert, to whom he had given his own pocket telescope, carefully
to observe what they were about, and should he feel doubtful as to being
able to bring the cattle into the farm in time, not to attempt
returning; but to drive them all off into the mountains. He should thus
lose three of his best men for the defence of the fort; but it would be
better than to allow them to risk losing their lives and the cattle into
the bargain. Fortunately Mrs Broderick was not aware that Rupert had
gone out, so that she was saved much anxiety on his account. When the
Zulus had retreated, the captain sent Lionel down to remain with his
mother and sisters.
"They will wish to hear more about my expedition to bring you back," he
said. "You can tell them all you know, and how unwilling my friend
Hendricks was to give you up, although he hesitated no longer, when
convinced that you were really my son."
Lionel, or rather Walter, gladly obeyed. His mother's thoughts were
thus drawn off from the dangerous position in which the farm was placed.
Walter spoke in the warmest terms of the kindness of Hendricks, and his
regret at leaving him.
"He told me," he added, smiling, "should you ever get tired of me, that
he will be glad to receive me back, though I don't think that will ever
happen. I am sure that I don't wish to go, for I have often and often
thought of you, and fancied I saw your loving eyes looking down upon me.
I am very sorry for Denis, who will be all alone. If it had not been
for his wish to go in search of his father, he would gladly have come
back with me. He told me to say so, and to ask leave for him to return,
should his father not be found."
"I shall be glad if he comes back," said Maud; "he was as much at home
here with us as Rupert and Percy are, and I liked him almost as much as
I do them."
"He is a capital fellow!" exclaimed Walter warmly, "and I too should be
very glad if he were able to live with us always; for I don't think he
would ever grow tired of the life here, although he has been so long
accustomed to travelling and hunting."
Maud hoped that the buoyant and spirited young Irishman would some day
return to the farm. Meantime Captain Broderick, with Percy and
Crawford, kept watch on the platform, while Biddy marched about
flourishing her sword, of which the captain had not thought fit to
deprive her. Every now and then she gave vent to her feelings by
shouting out defiance to the enemy, who still kept at a distance from
them. Why they did not come on at once to attack the fort it was
impossible to say. Captain Broderick was thankful for the delay, as it
gave Rupert a better chance of being able to drive in the cattle. They
appeared to be holding a council of war, he suspected for the object of
forming some plan of attack. His mind was greatly relieved when at
length he saw the heads of the cattle coming round a wood to the
north-west, and heard the crack of the stock whips. Presently Rupert
and Vermack appeared, urging on the slow-moving and obstinate animals
with all their might.