But what a world of meaning there was in the word, as with a hiss of
rage the boy thrust his piece from the loophole and sent two heavy
charges of shot right into the midst of a crowd of blacks who were
coming up to the house carrying fire-sticks and brushwood, with which
they ran round and piled it up against the angle formed by the kitchen
where it projected at the back. There was a tremendous yelling as the
boy fired, and two men fell, while others ran about shrieking; but the
mischief was done, and in a few minutes there was a burst of flame, and
a peculiar pungent odour of burning wood began to find its way in and
threaten suffocation.
"What's to be done, father?" whispered Norman, as light began to show
through the thin cracks or chinks of the wooden wall.
"I'd say go out and die fighting like men, boys," said the captain, with
a groan; "but there are women. Come, we must not give up," he added,
and going to the loophole nearest to him he set the example of firing
with unerring aim, whenever he had the chance, at an enemy.
Uncle Jack followed suit, and in obedience to orders, the boys went on
steadily reloading.
But the side of the house was growing hot; the kitchen had caught, the
crackling of the dry wood began to increase to a roar, and that side of
the house was rapidly growing light as day, when Uncle Jack said in a
whisper, which the boys heard: "Ned, lad, it's very hard for us, but
we've had our day. Can nothing be done?"
A tremendous triumphant yelling drowned any attempt at speaking on the
captain's part, but as it lulled for a few moments, he said, "Nothing.
We have done all we could."
"Rifle, Tim," whispered Norman, in horror, "couldn't we get out by the
front and take them down to the scrub? The wretches are all on this
side."
"Impossible, boys," said the captain, sternly. "Can't you hear? they
are piling wood by the other door."
Rifle uttered a sobbing groan, and just then there was a flash of light
in the front, and a furious burst of shouts as a tongue of flame shot up
past the loophole, accompanied by a crackling roar.
"Your hands, boys," said a deep low voice, that was wonderfully soft and
musical just then; "destroy no more life. God bless you all, and
forgive me!"
At that moment there was a burst of sobs; then it seemed as if all
emotion was at end, and the little group gathered together, feeling that
all was over, for already the smoke was forcing its way in by crack and
chink, a feeling of difficulty of breathing was rapidly coming on, and
the yelling of the blacks was growing strange and unreal, when Rifle
sprang up from his knees.
"Yes, yes," he shouted; and again with all his might, "yes!"
For there was a wild shout close at hand.
"Marmi! Marmi!"
The yelling ceased, and all now started to their feet, for there was the
beating of hoofs, and in rapid succession shot after shot, with good old
English shouts of rage, as a party of mounted men galloped by, tearing
on in full pursuit of the fleeing enemy.
"Quick!" roared the captain. "Guns, boys, quick!"
As he spoke he dashed to the front, tore down bar and board, and banged
the door back.
A burst of flame rushed in, but the brushwood touching the woodwork was
being torn away, and through the flames they saw a fierce black face and
two bare arms tossing the burning wood aside.
"Marmi! Marmi! Rifle--'Temus! Coo-ee, coo-ee!"
"Coo-ee!" yelled Rifle; and he tried to cry again, but the word stuck in
his throat as he forced his way out over the burning twigs, his father
next.
"Sam! Jack!" yelled the captain, "your fork--anything. Boys--water."
He rushed round to the back, closely followed by the black figure, on
which the firelight glistened, and began tearing away the burning
brushwood. This was being tossed aside by Sam the next moment, and then
buckets of water were brought, and none too soon, for the angle of the
house was now blazing furiously.
But the water made little impression, and the captain shouted:
"Quicker, boys! More, more!"
"There ain't no more," growled Sam, sourly.
"What!"
"Stand back, all of you," cried the captain in a stern voice. "Jack!
the women! get them to a distance. The place must go, and you know--"
"Look out!" shouted Norman, and he ran forward and threw something at
the bottom of the blazing wall.
There was one sharp flash, a puff of hot flame, a great cloud of smoke,
and then darkness, with the side of house and kitchen covered with dull
sparks.
"Hurrah!" rose from the boys; and the captain drew a deep breath, full
of thankfulness.
"All the powder from the big flask, father," cried Norman. "There must
have been a pound."
At that moment there were shouts, as a dozen mounted men cantered up,
cheering with all their might, and the task of extinguishing the still
burning wood was soon at an end.
Amidst the congratulations that followed little was said about the
blacks.
"Come back?" cried a familiar voice, fiercely. "I only wish they would,
eh, Henley?"
"My dear Freeston," was the reply, "I never felt such a strong desire to
commit murder before."
"God bless you all, gentlemen," cried the captain in a broken voice.
"You have saved our lives."
There was a low murmur here from the rescuers.
"But how--how was it?" asked the captain; "how did you know?"
"Don't you see, father?" cried Rifle, indignantly; "it was poor old
Shanter."
"What? You went for help, Tam?"
"Yohi," said the black simply. "Baal budgery stop along. All go bong."
"My good brave fellow," cried the captain, seizing the black's hand in a
true English grip.
"Wow! wow! yow!" yelled Shanter, struggling to get free, and then
blowing his fingers. "Marmi hurt mine. Burn hands, burn all down
front, put out fire."
"Tam, I shall never forgive myself," cried the captain.
"Forgib mine," cried the black eagerly; "forgib plenty soff damper--
forgib mine horse fellow to ride?"
"Yes, yes, anything," cried the captain, "and never doubt you again."
"Yohi," cried Shanter. "Where big white Mary? Mine want damper."
He hurried off to where the ladies were seated, trying to recover their
calmness after the terrible shock to which they had been exposed, while
the captain turned to the leaders of the rescue party.
"And the black came to you for help?"
"Yes," said Dr Freeston. "He came galloping up with a drove of horses,
I don't know how many days ago, for it has been like an excited dream
ever since. I ran to Henley, and we got ten stout fellows together, and
rode on as fast as we could, but I'm afraid that we have punished your
horses terribly as well as our own."
"Oh, never mind the horses," cried Henley, "they'll come round. But we
came in time, and that's enough for us."
The captain could not speak for a few moments. Then he was himself
again, and after all were satisfied that there was not the slightest
danger of the fire breaking out again, proper precautions were taken to
secure the horses, watch was set, and the rescue party had quite a
little banquet in the kitchen, one which Rifle declared to be a supper
at breakfast time, for morning was upon them before some of the most
weary had lain down to sleep, and slept in peace.