"Is he asleep somewhere about the walls?" I asked.
"No; I looked there," was the reply. "He always snoozes up on the inner
wall, just above the water-hole. There's a place where a big stone has
fallen out and no bullets can get at him. I looked there twice."
"Hasn't fallen down one of the holes, has he?" said Denham.
"Not he, sir," replied the man, laughing. "He'd go about anywhere in
the dark, looking like a bit o' nothing, only you couldn't see it in the
darkness, and never knock against a thing. It's his feet, I think; they
always seem to know where to put theirselves. He wouldn't tumble down
any holes."
"Keep a sharp lookout for him, and when you see him send him to me
directly."
"Yes, sir," replied the man. "I dessay he'll turn up in the course o'
the morning. He's always hiding himself and coming again when you don't
expect it."
"I say, Val," cried Denham as soon as we were alone, "we didn't reckon
on this. Why, if he doesn't turn up our plan's done."
"Not at all," I said.
"Eh? What do you mean? We couldn't go without him."
"Indeed, but we could; and what's more, we will," I said firmly. "I
would rather have had him with us; but we're going to-night--if we can."
Denham seized my hand and wrung it warmly.
"I like that," he said; "but you shouldn't have put in that `if we
can.'"
"Obliged to," I replied. "We may be stopped."
"Oh, but I shall give the password."
"We may find even that will not be enough. The orders are very strict
now. Besides, if we did not come back the guard would report us
missing, and then there'd be great excitement at once."
"What would you do, then?" he asked.
"Take a lesson out of that Irishman's book."
"Knock two or three sentries on the head with a stone?"
"No, no," I cried, laughing. "Get a couple of reins, tie them together,
and then slide down from the wall."
"Good!" exclaimed Denham; and, after a pause: "Better! Yes, that will
do. Start from the far corner?"
"No, from just up here where Joeboy arranged the stones. We can tie up
to one of those big ones that you stand on to look over. You feel
strong enough to slide down?--it isn't far."
"Oh yes."
"Then, once on the ground, we can crawl away. That's how I mean to go
all along."
"What about the tethering-ropes?"
"We'll go and have a look at our horses towards evening, slip the coils
over our shoulders, and bring them away. No one will interfere."
"Val," he cried, "you ought to be a commissioned officer."
"I don't want to be," I said, laughing. "I want the war to be over, and
to be able to find my people, and settle down again in peace. This
fighting goes against the grain with me."
"But you always seem to like it, and fight like a fury when we're in for
it."
"I suppose it's my nature," I said; "but I don't like it any the
better."
We said no more, but waited anxiously in the hope that Joeboy would
return, and waited in vain, the time gliding by, some hours being passed
in sleep, till we were suddenly aroused by firing. There were two or
three fits of excitement in the course of the afternoon, and a smart
exchange of shots which at one time threatened to develop into a regular
attempt to assault the fort; but it died out at last, direct attack of
entrenchments not being in accord with the Boers' ideas of fighting. It
is too dangerous for men who like to be safely in hiding and to bring
down their enemies as if they were wild beasts of the veldt.
No Joeboy appeared, and in the dusk of evening we went across the yard,
had a good look at our horses, stopped patting and caressing them for
some time, then went back to the hospital unquestioned and, I believe,
unseen, with the coils of raw-hide rope. From that time everything
seemed to me so delightfully easy that it prognosticated certain
success.
The doctor came at dusk and had a chat; then the Sergeant looked us up
to tell us that he had seen nothing of Joeboy, but that the butcher told
him he had missed some strips of beef hung up in the sun to make
biltong, and that he believed the black had taken them.
"Why?" I asked sharply.
"Because he was so fond of eating; and he said the black would be found
curled up amongst the stones somewhere in the kopje among the baboons,
sleeping off his feed."
"It isn't true," I said warmly. "Joeboy wouldn't steal unless he knew
we were starving, and then it would be to bring it to his master and his
master's friend."
"That's what I like in you, Val," said Denham as soon as the Sergeant
had left us. "You always stick up for a friend when any one attacks him
behind his back."
"Of course," I replied angrily.
"Don't be cross, old man," he cried. "I didn't mean to insult you by
calling a black fellow your friend."
"That wouldn't insult me. Joeboy is a humble friend, who would give his
life to save mine."
"I wish he was with us, then, so as to make a present of it to somebody
if we should be in very awkward quarters."
"I can't understand it," I said; "but we mustn't worry about that now.
What about arms?"
"Revolvers under our jackets, out of sight, and a few cartridges in our
pouches along with the cake and beef we saved."
"No rifle, bandolier, or sword?" I said thoughtfully.
"Neither one nor the other, my lad. We're going to get through the
lines as sick men tired of it all, and whose fighting is done."
"Perhaps to be taken as spies," I said.
"Ugh! Don't talk about it," cried Denham. "We're invalids, and no one
can doubt that who looks at your battered head."
"Or yours," I replied. "But look here, Denham; we must give up all idea
of capturing wagons. What we have to do is to fetch help."
"Yes, I think so too--get through the Boer lines and find the General's
quarters. The other idea was too mad."
We sat in silence for a while, till we felt that the time had come; then
we passed our coils of rope over our chests like bandoliers, and
strolled out into the dark court, to saunter here and there for a few
minutes, listening to the lowing of the oxen or the fidgety stamp of a
horse annoyed by a fly. Here Denham exchanged a few words with some of
the men. Finally, after a glance at the officers' quarters, from which
a light gleamed dimly, Denham led the way to the rough ascent, and with
beating heart I followed right up on to the wall. So intense was the
darkness that we had to go carefully, not seeing the first sentry till
he challenged us and brought us up.
Denham gave the word, and stood talking to the man, who lowered his
rifle and rested the butt on the stones.
"How are they to-night?" said Denham. "Quiet?"
"No, sir; they seem to have been having a good eat and drink. More
wagons came up from their rear; so the man I relieved told me. It's
been a sort of feast, I think. Wouldn't be a bad time for a good attack
on the beggars, sir. The boys are, as one of them said, spoiling for a
fight."
"Let them wait a bit," said Denham shortly. "It will come."
"The sooner the better, sir," said the sentry; and we went on as far as
the next sentry, passing the stones where we had sat to sun ourselves.
We talked with this second man about the Boers, received a similar
account of the proceedings of the enemy, said "Good-night," and then
strolled back to the stones, to sit down for a few minutes, my heart
beating harder than ever.
"Now," said Denham at last, in a low tone of voice; "off with your rope,
and give me one end. I'll make your line fast to mine, while you secure
the other end to that big stone. Tight, mind; I don't want to fall
sixty feet and break my neck."
"Nor I," was my reply. "Be sure of your knot, too."
"Right."
Then, in the silence, we each did our part of the task, ending by Denham
letting the strong thin rope glide over the edge of the great stones
which formed the breastwork. The next minute we stood listening to the
sounds from the court, and narrowly watched for our sentries. Far out
in the darkness a feeble light or two showed where a lantern burned in
the Boer lines. Everything seemed to favour our design, even to the
end, and I was breathing hard with excitement, waiting to begin. Just
then a hand touched my arm and glided down over my wrist. I knew what
it meant, and grasped Denham's hand.
"Good luck to us!" he whispered. "I'll go first and test the rope--
hush! I will. As soon as I'm down I shall lie flat and hold on.
Ready?"
"Yes."
"Off!"