When Jack Somerton and his friend Guy Richardson awoke on the morning
following their escape into Natal, and looked out cautiously between the
rough boulders which surrounded and hid them from sight, a scene at once
picturesque and awe-inspiring met their eyes. They were on the top of
an immense and precipitous hill, situated some three miles from the
railway, and almost encircled by a wide plain of lovely grass land,
looking beautifully cool and green beneath the rays of the morning sun.
Away in the distance, and jutting forward on to the grassy plain, were
hills and short mountain ranges innumerable, their summits for the most
part brilliantly lit up, and flashing back the light from the white
faces of thousands of boulders, while the valleys between were still
hidden in deep shadows and mist. Here and there, nestling in among the
hills or out on the open veldt, were groves of waving trees, while away
in the distance the sparkle of an immense cascade of water could be
distinctly seen.
It was a peaceful and lovely country, and on that fine summer's morning
appeared perhaps even more beautiful than it might have done had Jack
and his friend not so recently escaped from a flat and cheerless part,
where hills were scarcely to be met with. And yet, much as they admired
it all, the presence of a large force of Boers marred the scene, and
filled them with forebodings for the future. Two miles south of them
there was a large camp, mainly composed of bullock wagons, and to the
left of this another could be seen; while crawling across the plain were
strings of vehicles laden with supplies.
In every part, too, galloping about singly or in knots, were mounted
Boer patrols, searching every foot of the country, and making it a
practical impossibility for anyone to slip across it unseen.
Still farther south the tops of other hills could be seen, and as Jack
looked at them through his glasses there were two sudden bursts of smoke
and flame, closely following one another, while the faint reports which
reached him almost a minute later told him that another day of
bombardment had commenced for the troops in Ladysmith.
"Now, what's to be done, Guy?" he asked, shutting the glasses with a
snap and slipping them into the case. "We are fairly surrounded now,
and this will be the hardest part of our journey."
"Humph! It doesn't look over promising," Guy answered slowly. "But
we're going to get through, old chap! Luck has been on our side up to
this, and will be yet. Remember, if it had been any other Boer who
caught you when trying to slip out of the farm, all our plans would have
been hopelessly ruined. Ladysmith cannot be more than seven miles from
here, and during the darkness we must manage to get through these
fellows and reach our friends."
"We'll do it!" Jack answered shortly; "and now, as there seems to be no
need for us both to keep awake, I propose that we take it in turn to
have a snooze. But first of all, we'll have breakfast and a smoke."
Accordingly, taking the greatest pains to keep below the boulders and
not expose themselves to anyone who might be on the plain below, they
breakfasted off some bread which they still had left, and washed it down
with water. Then they lit their pipes, and smoked for an hour or more.
As soon as darkness had fallen again, they picked up their rifles and
stole down the hill on to the veldt. Then, keeping slightly to the
right, they marched on in silence, listening for sounds of approaching
footsteps and ready at a moment to stand back to back and defend
themselves.
But no one appeared to disturb them, and they pushed on steadily for
five miles till they found themselves on a slight eminence and close to
a farmhouse which they had seen from their hiding-place that morning.
They were on the point of moving on and stealing past it, when a
groaning sound caught Jack's ear, and he stopped abruptly, detaining Guy
with a tug at his coat.
"What was it?" he asked. "I heard a groan, or something of the sort.
Did you hear anything?"
"No, nothing," Guy answered.
"Well, let us wait a moment and listen."
Standing perfectly still, and almost holding their breath, they craned
their heads in the direction from which the sound had come, and strained
their ears to listen for it.
There was deep silence for a minute, and then a low, sobbing groan broke
the stillness, seeming to come from the interior of the house.
"What is it, Guy?" Jack asked again; and then, as the sob was heard
again and broke into a loud wail, he blurted out in a hoarse whisper:
"There's something wrong there. Come along, and let us find out what's
the matter."
Creeping noiselessly across the ground, they reached the house, and
skirted all round it till they came to the back, where a broad stream of
light showed through a window. The window was wide open, and as they
stood watching it the sobbing wail once more reached their ears, and
told them that they were close to some woman in distress.
"Come along, Guy. We'll see what is up," Jack whispered, and at once
stole forward and looked into the room.
The sight which they witnessed was one which neither will ever forget.
Over the figure of an infant, sleeping peacefully in a cot in the middle
of a dismantled room, was a distracted woman, weeping bitterly, with big
sobs which showed her to be heart-broken. At any other time she would
have been described as a comely woman, for she had young and pleasant
features and was tastefully dressed. But now grief seemed to have
utterly unhinged her mind, and she bore upon her face deep lines of
sorrow and despair which would have made the hardest villain pity her.
Jack was on the point of risking all and calling to her, when a change
of temper seemed to alter her. From a grief-stricken woman she suddenly
became a tiger, and, leaving the child, flung her arms wildly into the
air and called down the wrath of heaven upon those who had injured her.
She stopped abruptly, and, catching sight of Jack looking at her through
the window, rushed to the cot, and, turning to face him like a hunted
animal, exclaimed: "What do you want? You have taken my husband; do you
now want my child? Come a step nearer, and I will kill the boy rather
than let him fall into your hands!"
"We are friends, and English like yourself," Jack answered soothingly.
"We are escaping from the Boers, and on our way to Ladysmith passed
close by and heard you. Tell me what has happened."
For a minute or more the lady stared at him as though her senses had
gone, then she stepped forward and clasped him by the hand.
"Then help me," she urged eagerly. "If you are Englishmen help one of
your countrywomen who is in deep distress. My name is Robb, and my
husband and I took this farm five years ago. Now the Boers say they
have annexed this part to the Transvaal, and have dragged my husband off
to work in the trenches for them. It is awful. Help me to reach
Ladysmith with my child, and God will bless you!"
"There, there!" said Jack soothingly. "We will take you with us, never
fear, and before long you and the child shall be amongst friends. How
long will it take you to get ready?"
"Half an hour," Mrs Robb answered; "and while I am preparing you can
have a meal. Open the cupboard at the end. There is some meat and
bread on the top shelf."
Jack and Guy willingly accepted the invitation, for they had not had too
much to eat on their journey from Pretoria. Accordingly, opening the
cupboard, they sat down on the floor with their backs to the wall, and
tackled the welcome meal provided, while Mrs Robb left them and went
into the front of the house to collect the things she required to take
away with her.
A few minutes later she returned hurriedly, banged the door, and put out
the light. "Quick!" she said. "About fifty Boers have ridden up, and
are entering. Fly for your lives!"
Next second the door was again burst open, and a light shone through
from the front room.
Jack and Guy were crossing the floor at the moment, hoping to escape
from the window, but voices which they suddenly heard outside showed
them that their flight was cut off in that direction.
"Surrounded!" Jack muttered harshly. "Into the cupboard, Guy!"
It was their only chance; and, rushing across to it, they had squeezed
themselves and their rifles into it before the man bearing the light had
entered the room. It was one of those roomy cupboards often to be found
in old country-houses at home, and once in it, Jack and Guy deposited
their weapons on the floor, and, standing there behind the doors, glued
their eyes to the chinks, of which there were many, and looked out to
see what was happening.
By this time a young Boer, with rifle slung across his back, had placed
on a table a lighted candle which was jammed into the neck of a bottle,
and was looking round for chairs. A second later five men entered, and
one of them they recognised at once as a prominent Boer general, the
commander of the burgher forces in Natal. Another was evidently a
Frenchman on the directing staff, to whom the others showed rough
deference.
Meanwhile Mrs Robb had flown to the cot again and stood bending over
it, ready to protect her child.
"Leave the room, woman!" the general said harshly. "Now," he continued,
turning to the man who had brought the light, "fetch chairs and benches,
and form the court. You can bring in the food or prisoners, whichever
is ready first."
The Boer saluted like a clumsy plough-boy and disappeared, to return
with two others bearing chairs. They placed the table close beside the
cupboard, and a few moments later the general and his staff were seated
behind it, the former being in the middle.
"I am hungry," the general suddenly exclaimed, "and hope the food will
not be long in coming. Then we must eat our meal and get this business
done as soon as possible, for we have many miles to ride to-night. But,
wait! Look in that cupboard, Fritz. Perhaps there is something there
in the way of food on which we can commence."
Jack and Guy heard the words with feelings of despair, and still stood
silent, rooted to the spot and with their hearts pulsating violently.
To reach the cupboard the man addressed as Fritz had to go round the
table; and as he was doing so, and had stretched out a hand to pull open
one of the doors, there was a joyful shout from the men sitting round
the table, and a burgher appeared bearing horn mugs and a plate, on
which was a joint of cold meat.
"Never mind, Fritz; we shall do better with this," the general cried,
and immediately began to carve the meat placed before them.
As for Jack and Guy, they had braced their muscles, and were on the
point of bursting the cupboard door open and making a wild rush for the
window, when the man dropped his hand at the general's words, and turned
to help at the table. It was a narrow squeak, and the two young fellows
breathed deeply with relief, while beads of perspiration appeared upon
their foreheads and trickled down their faces. But they were still in a
precarious position, and remained in silence watching the party of men
in front of them.
A few minutes later there was a stamping of feet in the front room of
the house, the door opened, and a big bearded Boer stepped up to the
table, and, leaning with one hand upon it in a most free-and-easy
fashion and removing a big pipe from his lips, said something to the
general.
"Ah, the prisoners are outside!" exclaimed the latter; "and now,
Monsieur Villebois-Mareuil, I will show you how we deal with these
Rooineks. These are not like the brave soldiers who are fighting
against us. They are chicken-hearted fools, who will fight for neither
side. But they are burghers of the Transvaal, and have received the
voting rights. Therefore they shall do their utmost for us, their
brothers, in these days of difficulty. March them in, and let them be
surrounded by a strong guard, for there is no saying what reckless act
an Englishman is not capable of. You have seen it for yourself,
monsieur, for have not the British troops times out of number attacked
us from the open and been mowed down by our rifle fire?"
"That is so," answered the French mercenary. "They are a fine race to
fight against; for though I detest them to a man, they are lion-hearted,
and the best troops the world can show. Look at their discipline. It
is superb. But we shall beat them, and then what joy there will be in
the Transvaal, my friend!"
A minute later the prisoners who had been spoken of were marched into
the room in the centre of a strong guard of armed Boers, and the latter,
opening out, halted in front of the table, and stood on either side and
behind the two Englishmen who were in their charge.
Jack and Guy stared across at them, and both gave a violent start, which
might easily have betrayed them had not the attention of Boers and
prisoners been otherwise engaged.
"That is Father! My God, what will they do with him?" Guy whispered
fiercely, grasping Jack firmly by the wrist.
"And the other man is Mr Hunter, my old friend from Johnny's Burg!"
answered Jack in a low voice. "Steady, Guy! You will let them hear
you. Keep quiet, man! If we are found, we can be of no use to them;
but if we remain silent, we may be able to rescue them."
Jack gripped his friend by the arm and whispered the words into his ear,
for the excitement of seeing his father had proved almost too much for
Guy, and he was on the point of rushing from the cupboard.
But Jack's commanding tones stopped him, and a moment later he was calm
again.
"Prisoners, you are brought before me for refusing to fight for the
cause," the general now began. "You are burghers of the Republic, and
have disobeyed the call of your country. What have you to say?"
Jack and Guy listened attentively, and then looked across at the
prisoners. Both were absolutely calm, and stood there, in front of the
table, with an air of stubborn determination and courage which showed
that, come what might, their minds were made up on one subject.
"We are burghers of the Transvaal, it is true, general," Mr Hunter
answered in a firm voice, "and we are ready to do our duty by that
Republic at any time but this. Against the natives, or the Portuguese,
or even your own kith and kin, the men from the Orange Free State, we
were prepared to fight, but when you tell us to bear arms against our
own flesh and blood we refuse to obey you at all costs."
"Yes, and I'll go one further," burst in Guy's father impetuously, and
with a total disregard for the consequences; "if we had been able we
would have joined our comrades, the English troops, and fought there in
their ranks against you."
"You are a bold, but a foolish man," the general answered, laying down
his knife and fork with which he had been busy. "I will give you both
another chance. Will you go to the trenches and do your duty like men?"
"We have already refused," Mr Hunter replied shortly. "Is that not
enough?"
"Very well, then, you shall be put there by force," the general
exclaimed harshly. Then, turning to the Boer in command of the guard
over the prisoners, he said: "Remove these men, and take them straight
to the gun hill nearest to the English camp, and tie them there to the
wheels of the gun. That shall be their punishment. They will not fire
on the Rooineks, but the Rooineks shall fire at them. It is a fitting
reward. Perhaps, my friends, if you live through to-morrow you will be
glad to change your minds. Believe me, it is far pleasanter to lie
behind a rock and pick off the foe than to be tied up in the open and
exposed to the lyddite shells which your barbarous British gunners
employ."
Meanwhile the prisoners listened calmly to their fate, and Mr Hunter
bowed when the general had finished speaking.
They were then hurried out of the room, and some ten minutes later the
Boers followed them.
The stamp of hoofs and the clanking of stirrups and bits told Jack and
Guy that the Boers were on the point of leaving, and were then having
their horses brought round for them. There was a hoarse command, and
next second the whole party galloped off, leaving the house deserted
save for the two young fellows and Mrs Robb and her infant child.
"Phew! I want some air after that," exclaimed Jack, thrusting the door
open and stepping into the room.
"Yes, it was a pretty tight corner," Guy agreed; "but, Jack, our
difficulties seem to increase the closer we get to Ladysmith. First you
get caught as you climb through the window of the hospital, then Piet
Maartens and his fat German friend try to arrest us, and now we are
pledged to help this poor lady, while my father and your friend are
being hurried away to their death."
"Well, and what of it?" cried Jack. "Look here, Guy. We are not going
back on our word. We will take Mrs Robb and her child safely into
Ladysmith, and before I go there I shall rescue Mr Hunter and your
father. What is to prevent us? The hill must be near by, and at
night-time will have few upon it. You stay here and I will go out in
search of it. It must be the one straight in front of this house, for
that is certainly the nearest to the British camp."
"Nonsense! Stay here indeed!" Guy answered hotly. "If you are ready
to risk your life for a friend, Jack, I am fully prepared to do the same
for my father. I shall come with you. That's agreed, and also that we
help this lady. Now, how is it all to be done?"
"It is already midnight," Jack answered thoughtfully. Then turning to
Mrs Robb he said, "How far is it to this gun hill, Mrs Robb? You have
heard that two prisoners were to be taken there?"
"Yes; I listened outside," Mrs Robb replied. "Just fancy their
thinking of such a brutal act! The hill they are being taken to is two
miles or more away, and from there to Ladysmith is a matter of three
miles. I know the ground well, and could lead you."
"The difficulty is this," continued Jack. "To go to the top of the gun
hill, set the prisoners free, and return here would take such a time
that the day would have dawned before we could get near Ladysmith. If
we make straight for the camp and leave you and the child there, it will
be too late then to attempt a rescue, and to-morrow will settle their
fate."
"Then I can tell you what to do," exclaimed Mrs Robb. "I will lead you
to the hill where your friends are to be tied, and will accompany you
nearly to the top. Then you must help the prisoners, and as soon as
they are free, we will all strike straight across for the camp, and
endeavour to pass through the pickets."
"Good! That is the very ticket!" Guy cried excitedly. "We cannot find
this hill without you, and as we are all bound for Ladysmith, we will go
together."
"Yes, it's the best way," Jack agreed. "Are you ready to start now,
Mrs Robb?"
"Yes, perfectly," the plucky English lady replied.
"Then give me the child. I will carry him."
Mrs Robb placed the sleeping infant in Jack's strong arms, and,
snatching up a small bundle, blew out the candle, and led the way out of
the house, followed by her two stalwart protectors.
It was still intensely dark, so by a hurried arrangement Jack and Guy
each linked an arm in one of Mrs Robb's, and thus, guided by her and
helping her over the rough ground, they pressed forward at their fastest
pace, knowing well that there was much to be done ere morning.
For an hour they trudged on, and then suddenly halted, and hastily
concealed themselves in a small copse of trees. They were barely in
time, for a moment later some twenty Boers rode slowly by, making no
sound on the grassy plain.
"Those are the men who were told off to tie them to the guns," whispered
Jack. "At least I expect that is who they are, and if so we are lucky
once more."
"I'm sure that the man riding in front is the Boer who was in charge of
the two prisoners," Guy answered. "Come along, Jack. They have gone on
sufficiently far now."
"No, not yet. We will not ruin everything for the sake of a few
minutes, Guy. Let them get well ahead and then we will move on. How
near are we to the hill now, Mrs Robb?"
"Quite close, Mr Somerton," the English lady answered. "If I guide you
on about three hundred yards farther you will be at the foot, and there
I will stop and wait for you. How shall I know that it is you when you
return?"
"I will whistle like this," Jack answered, giving a low whistle. "Of
course, if you hear firing, or any row going on on top, you will know
that we have caught a tartar, and that our hopes of reaching the camp
are over. In that case you had better slip back to the farm."
"Ah, it will not be that!" Mrs Robb answered with confidence. "We
deserve a better reward than that, and I feel sure that God will see us
through this trouble safely. May He permit us to reach the English camp
with your friends, and may He in His goodness grant that my poor husband
be restored to me!"
"Amen, amen!" Jack and Guy answered huskily.
"Now it is time to be moving on, Guy," said Jack, and, linking arms once
more, they left their shelter and pushed on without a halt till they
reached the base of the hill.
It was rough and boulder-strewn, and had extremely steep sides. Its
summit was faintly defined against the star-lit sky, and, looking up,
the two young fellows fancied that they could make out the form of a
gun.
"Now we will leave you here, Mrs Robb," Jack said, "but we must first
find some place in which you can hide. Let us move along here to the
left."
Cautiously creeping through the grass and bushes, and in and out amongst
the boulders, it was some time before they came across a likely spot.
But at last they plunged into a dense growth of mimosa bush and fern,
and this they decided would form a suitable hiding-place.
Jack handed the child to its mother, and placed the bundle by her side.
Then he whispered: "Wait here for us, and remember, do not answer any
other signal than the one agreed upon. Good-bye! I hope we shall be
back soon."
"Good-bye! oh, good-bye, you two brave boys!" Mrs Robb whispered.
With a hasty shake of the hand Jack and Guy left this brave and
tender-hearted woman kneeling on the veldt, with the child held in her
arms, and her lips moving as she offered up an earnest prayer for their
safety.