"What a breakfast!" groaned Denham half-an-hour later.
"Never mind," I said; "we'll get something better, perhaps, to-morrow."
"That we will, even if we commando it at the point of the sword, which
is another way of saying we shall steal it. I say, though, the thought
of all this is sending new life into me."
"I feel the same," I said; then we sat back waiting till the doctor
visited us, examined our injuries, and expressed himself satisfied.
"Another week," he said, "and then I shall dismiss you both. Nature and
care will do the rest."
The doctor then left us; and, watching for an opportunity, we called to
one of the men passing the hospital, and told him to find the black.
However, ten minutes later we found that this might have been saved, for
the Sergeant paid us a morning call, and on leaving promised to go round
by the horses and send Joeboy to us.
"What news of the messengers?" we asked. The Sergeant shook his head
sadly, and replied, "Don't ask me, gentlemen. It looks bad--very bad.
The Boers ain't soldiers, but they're keeping their lines wonderfully
tight."
"That's our fault," said Denham. "We gave them such lessons by our
night attack and the capture of the six wagons and teams."
"I say," said the Sergeant, and he looked from one to the other.
"Well, what do you say?" cried Denham.
"Doctor been changing your physic?"
"Why?" I said.
"Because you both look fifty pounds better than you did yesterday."
"It's the hope that has come, Briggs," cried Denham, his face lighting
up.
"Haven't got a bit to spare, have you, sir?" said the Sergeant; "because
I should like to try how it would agree with my case, for I'm horribly
down in the mouth at present. I don't like the look of things at all."
"What do you mean?" asked Denham.
"I had a look round at the horses, sir, last night."
"Not got the horse-sickness, Briggs?"
"No, sir, not so bad as that; but, speaking as an old cavalry man, I say
that they mustn't be kept shut up much longer. But there, I shall be
spoiling your looks and knocking your hope over. Good-morning,
gentlemen--I mean, lieutenant and private. Glad to see you both look so
well. I'll tell Joe Black you want him."
"Yes, he'd upset our hopefulness altogether, Val, if it wasn't for one
thing--eh?" said Denham as the wagon-tilt swung to after the Sergeant.
"But, I say, that fellow of yours ought to be here by now."
"Yes," I said. But we waited anxiously for quite an hour before the man
we had sent came back.
"Can't find the black, sir," he said.
"Did you go to the horses?"
"Yes, sir, and everywhere else."
"You didn't go to the butcher's?" I asked.
"Yes, I did; but he hadn't been there."
"Perhaps he's gone out with the bullock drove."
"No," said the man; "the oxen are being kept in this morning because the
Boers have come a hundred yards nearer during the night. They're well
in opposite the gateway, and the Colonel's having our works there
strengthened."
"The Sergeant didn't say a word about that," Denham said to me.