"Yes, I know," said Denham; "but my hands are not powerless now, and I
have still a knife in my pocket--the one with which I cut the reins--and
it will cut these."
His words sent a thrill through me, and I glanced at the two openings in
the wagon.
"Be careful," I whispered.
"All right; but the Boers don't understand English. Look here, Val; if
the big friendly fellow is going to fight to-night, what does it mean?"
"Of course," I replied excitedly, "an attack upon the fort. They're
going to get in when it's dark; and if they do there'll not be half of
our poor fellows left by morning."
"Couldn't we slip off as soon as it's dark, and warn them? Once we were
outside the lines we might run."
"Might run?" I said bitterly. "I don't believe we could even stand."
"Ah! I forgot that," he muttered, with a groan. "Well, nothing
venture, nothing have. It'll be dark enough in a few minutes, and then
I shall slip the knife under your ankles and set your legs free. When
that's done you can do the same for me."
"Suppose the Boers come and examine us?"
"We must risk that. Perhaps they'll just come and look at the cords
with a lantern. We must sit quite still until they come."
"No," I said eagerly; "don't let's cut the rope till they've been. I
dare say they'll come for the pannikins, and perhaps that Boer has told
them to bring us those rugs again."