"Is that doctor ever coming to see us again?"
"Yes," said a sharp, clear voice. "Now then, most impatient of all
patients, how are you getting on?"
"Getting ready for the firing-party to waste a few cartridges over,
doctor. Can't you see?"
"Humph!" said our visitor, feeling the poor fellow's head and then his
pulse. "Here, drink a little of this."
"More physic?" groaned Denham despondently.
"Yes, Nature's," replied the doctor, holding out a folding cup which he
had refilled. "Fresh water; a bucket just brought to the screen there
by the orderly."
As he spoke he raised the poor fellow up with one arm and held the cup
to his lips.
Denham took a few drops unwillingly, then a little more, and finally
finished the cupful with avidity, while the sight of my companion
drinking seemed to produce a strange, feverish sensation in my throat.
The next minute the doctor had let Denham sink down, and refilled the
cup and handed it to me. It was delicious, and I drained the little
vessel all too soon. Then I was gently lowered, and the doctor repeated
the dose with us both.
"That's better," he said quietly. "You two fellows have been talking
too much; now shut your eyes and have a good long sleep."
"What! in the middle of the day?" protested Denham.
"Yes. Nature wants all your time now for healing your damaged places.
No more talking. I'll come again by-and-by."
"How absurd!" said Denham as soon as the tilt had fallen back to its
place. "I can't sleep now. Can you?"
"Impossible," I said, and I lay looking up at the long slit of blue sky
over the wagon-tilt. Then I was looking at something black as ink, and
beyond it the slit of blue sky was fiery orange.
"Joeboy?" I said wonderingly.
"Um? Yes, Boss," was the reply.
"How long have you been here?"
"Um? Long, long time. Boss Val been very fass asleep."
"Hist! Is Mr Denham asleep?" I whispered.
"Um? Very fass; not move once."
I was silent for a few moments, struggling mentally to say something, I
could not tell what.
"Boss Val like drink o' water?" said the black just then.
"Yes--no. Ah, I remember now," I cried eagerly, for it all came back.
"Where have you been all this time?"
The black smiled.
"Um? Been to see Boss and Aunt Jenny."
"You have?" I cried eagerly. "But stop a moment. You went after that
Irish captain?"
The black nodded, and, to my horror, his face contracted and his lips
drew away from his white teeth, but not in a grin.
I lay back looking at him wildly, and as I gazed in his eyes the
appearance of his countenance made me shudder just then, lit up by the
fiery glow of the sunset which flooded the place through the openings
above the tilt. It seemed to me horrible, and for a long time I could
not speak. At last the words came:
"Did you know that he struck down Mr Denham, and nearly killed us
both?"
"Um? Yes. Soldiers tell Joeboy."
"And you followed him?"
"Um? Yes," came, accompanied by a nod.
"And you've killed him with your assagai?" I said, with a shudder, as I
glanced at where three of the deadly weapons lay at the side of my rough
couch, across his shield.
"Um? No. Nearly kill Joeboy."
"Ah!" I cried, with a curious feeling of relief.
"Joeboy run after him all away among the Doppies; when they shoot,
Joeboy lie down, and then follow um till he see um. Then he shoot,
and--look here."
Joeboy held up his left arm, smiling, and I saw that it was roughly tied
up with a piece of coarse homespun.
"He wounded you?"
"Um? Yes. Shot pistol, and make hole here."
"And he got away unhurt?"
"Um? Yes; this time," said the black. "Next time Joeboy make hole froo
um somewhere. Hate um."
"But your wound?" I said. "Is it bad?"
"Um? Only little hole. Soon grow up again."
"Now tell me, how are all the people at home--my father, my aunt, and
Bob?"
Joeboy shook his head.
"What do you mean?" I said. "Haven't you seen them?"
"Um? No; all gone right away. Doppies been and burnt all up. All
gone."
"What's that?" said Denham, who had been awakened by our talking--"the
Boers have been and burnt up that jolly old farm?"
"Um? Yes, Boss. All gone."
"The brutes!"