on the firing line-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　substance　of　his　despatches　and　his　instructions　regarding　their　destination。　The　despatches　were　slipped　between　the　layers　of　his　shoe…sole；　the　cut　stitches　were　replaced；　and　Weldon　rose　to　his　feet。

〃My　nigger　has　come　from　Naauwpoort；　bringing　me　a　fresh　mount；〃　he　said　then。　〃May　I　take　him　with　me？〃

〃What　is　he？〃

〃A　Kaffir。〃

〃From　where？〃

〃Piquetberg　Road。〃

〃Can　you　trust　him？〃

Weldon's　eyes　met　the　eyes　of　the　General　steadily。　〃As　I　would　trust　myself；〃　he　answered。

Five　minutes　later；　Weldon　passed　out　of　the　tent　door。　At　his　quarters；　he　dismounted　and　went　in　search　of　a　blanket。　Muffled　in　the　thick　folds；　the　horses'　feet　would　make　no　sound　on　the　hard…　baked　earth。　Kruger　Bobs；　meanwhile；　went　out　to　reconnoitre　in　order　to　discover　a　possible　gap　in　the　line　of　Boer　pickets。

The　pickets　once　passed；　Weldon　mounted　once　more　and；　with　Kruger　Bobs　following　close　behind；　rode　carefully　away　into　the　inky；　drizzling　night。　For　the　first　hour；　he　rode　steadily　and　with　comparative　comfort。　The　excitement　of　the　battle　was　still　in　his　blood；　its　noises　ringing　in　his　head；　its　sights　dancing　like　will…　o'…the…wisps　before　his　eyes。　Later；　the　inevitable　reaction　would　follow；　and　the　inevitable　weariness。　Now；　refreshed　by　their　supper；　both　he　and　the　broncho　had　come　to　their　second　wind；　and　they　faced　the　storm　pluckily　and　with　unbowed　heads。　Beside　him；　The　Nig；　fresh　and　fit　as　a　horse　could　be；　galloped　onward　steadily　under　the　weight　of　Kruger　Bobs。　It　had　been　at　Weldon's　own　command　that　Kruger　Bobs　had　abandoned　his　raw…boned　steed　and　placed　himself　astride　the　sacred　body　of　the　thoroughbred　Nig。　On　such　a　night　and　after　such　a　battle；　a　horse　abandoned　was　a　horse　forever　lost。　Neither　The　Nig　nor　Piggie　could　be　left　to　any　chance　ownership；　but　neither　could　Piggie；　fresh　from　a　two…day　fight；　be　left　to　the　mercies　of　an　inexperienced　rider。　Three　inches　shorter　than　his　master；　Kruger　Bobs　weighed　fifty　pounds　the　more；　and　he　rode　with　the　resilient　lightness　of　a　feather　bed。

Weldon's　hour　of　rest　had　been　divided　in　strict　ratio　between　himself；　his　friend　and　his　horse。　For　fully　half　that　period；　he　and　Kruger　Bobs　had　rubbed　the　sturdy　gray　legs　and　anointed　the　scratched　neck　with　supplies　taken　from　the　portable　veterinary　hospital　always　to　be　found　in　the　recesses　of　the　Kaffirs　scanty　garments。　Then；　snatching　a　hasty　meal；　with　the　last　of　it　still　in　his　hands；　Weldon　strode　away　to　look　for　Carew。　He　found　him；　bandaged　but　jovial；　a　shattered　bone　in　his　foot　and　his　pipe　in　his　shut　teeth。　Fortunately　the　pain　bore　no　relation　to　the　seriousness　of　the　case；　and　Weldon　left　him　to　his　pipe；　cheered　by　the　doctor's　assurance　that　two　or　three　weeks　would　bring　him　back　into　fighting　trim。　Carew's　own　disrespectful　comments　on　the　injured　foot　were　still　in　his　ears；　as　he　entered　the　tent　of　the　General。

By　degrees；　the　night　grew　dark　and　darker。　Riding　eastward　with　their　backs　to　the　southerly　storm；　nevertheless　now　and　again　the　wind　swirled　about　fiercely；　to　send　the　lashing　rain　against　their　faces。　Under　their　feet；　the　dusty　veldt　turned　to　mire；　from　mire　to　a　pasty　glue；　and　from　glue　to　the　consistency　of　cream。　Bottom　there　was　none；　the　bottomlessness　of　it　only　became　more　apparent　when　one　or　other　of　the　horses　stumbled　into　the　hole　of　an　ant…　bear。　Twice　the　gray　broncho　was　on　her　knees；　once　The　Nig　came　down　so　sharply　that　Kruger　Bobs　rolled　forward　out　of　his　saddle；　to　land　on　his　back；　nose　to　nose　with　his　astonished　mount。　Worst　of　all；　the　fever　of　the　fight　was　dying　out　from　Weldon's　veins。　His　pulses　were　slowing　down；　and　the　ceaseless　jar　of　the　gray　broncho's　gallop　waked　his　wounded　leg　to　a　pain　which　fast　became　intolerable。

Kruger　Bobs　edged　closer　to　his　side。

〃Boss　sick？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　altogether　content；　Kruger　Bobs。〃

〃Leg？〃　the　boy　questioned　anxiously。

〃Yes；　thatand　some　other　things。〃

〃Me　help　Boss？〃

〃No；　thank　you。　I'd　better　let　the　mess　alone。〃

〃Boss　ride　Nig？〃　Kruger　Bobs　suggested；　in　the　hushed　tone　in　which　all　their　talk　had　been　carried　on。

〃It　is　better　not　to　change。〃

The　silence　broadened；　broken　only　by　the　splashing　of　eight　hoofs　in　the　ever…deepening　mire；　and　by　the　sighing　squeak　of　wet　strap　rubbing　on　wet　strap。　Then　Kruger　Bobs　spoke　again。

〃Paddy　send；〃　he　said；　as　he　poked　a　soft　parcel　into　Weldon's　dangling　hand。　〃He　say　'Give　it　to　little　Canuck。'〃

Weldon　felt　and　tasted　his　way　into　the　parcel。　It　was　large；　and　filled　with　savory　bits　which　Paddy　must　have　gleaned　here　and　there　from　the　general　mess；　robbing　freely　from　many　a　greater　man；　all　for　the　sake　of　the　〃little　Canuck。〃

It　was　no　time　for　the　discipline　which　bids　a　servant　eat　of　the　crumbs　from　his　master's　table。　For　the　hour；　Kruger　Bobs　and　he　were　friends；　bound　upon　one　and　the　same　errand。　With　impartial　hand；　Weldon　tore　the　paper　across　and　divided　its　contents。　He　only　regretted　that　convention　had　forbidden　him　the　trick　of　smacking　his　lips　in　sign　of　relish。　It　would　have　been　good　to　have　the　ability　of　Kruger　Bobs　to　give　audible　token　of　his　appreciation　of　Paddy's　bounty。

Somewhat　refreshed；　he　straightened　in　his　saddle。

〃Now　be　careful；　Kruger　Bobs。　There　are　Boers　in　these　hills；〃　he　warned　his　companion；　〃and　it　would　never　do　for　us　to　be　sniped。〃

Kruger　Bobs　came　close　to　his　side。

〃Dutchmans　kill　Kruger　Bobs；　no　matter；　kill　Boss；　no　take　despatch。　Boss　say　to　Kruger　Bobs　where　de　despatch。　Kruger　Bobs　take　him　to　Krugersdorp；　if　Boss　die。〃

And　Weldon　shivered　a　little；　as　the　silence　dropped　again。

The　ridges　were　steeper　now；　and　came　in　more　swift　succession；　as　the　horsemen　plodded　wearily　along　the　southern　slope　of　the　Rand。　Piggie　was　breathing　heavily；　and　Weldon；　clinging　to　his　saddle　with　the　purely　mechanical　grip　of　the　exhausted　rider；　halted　again　and　again　to　rest　the　plucky　little　animal　whose　best　was　always　his　for　the　asking。　Of　his　own　condition　he　took　no　heed。　It　was　all　in　the　game。　He　would　play　the　game　out　as　long　as　he　could；　but　his　last　move　should　be；　as　his　first　had　been；　strictly　according　to　rule。　Meanwhile；　for　two　facts　he　was　at　a　loss　to　account。　Dawning　was　still　hours　distant。　Nevertheless；　the　darkness　before　him　was　blotted　and　blurred　with　alternating　waves　of　blue　and　gray。　The　veldt　was　empty；　yet；　above　the　roar　of　the　rain　around　him；　an　odd　purring　sound　was　in　his　ears。　Then　everything　lost　itself　in　his　determination　not　to　allow　the　saddle　to　slip　from　between　his　tired　knees。

He　roused　himself　at　the　challenging　voice　of　a　picket。

〃Despatches　for　General　Kekewich；〃　he　answered；　in　a　voice　which　seemed　to　his　own　ears　to　have　come　from　miles　away。

〃Advance　and　give　the　countersign。〃

Irritably　he　gathered　himself　together。

〃I　can't；　I　tell　you。　I　don't　know　your　blasted　countersign。　I've　despatches　from　Dixon　to　General　Kekewich。　Take　me　to　him　at　once。〃

The　colloquy　lasted　for　moments；　in　a　drawn　battle　of　determination。　Its　stimulus　had　waked　Weldon　from　his　lethargy；　it　had　also　waked　again　that　fierce　and　throbbing　pain　below　his　knee。　He　left　the　sentry　in　no　doubt；　either　of　the　truth　of　his　statement；　or　of　his　mood。　Then；　with　Kruger　Bobs　at　his　side；　he　plodded　forward　towards　the　lights　of　the　town；　while　he　braced　himself　for　a　final　effort。

Fifteen　minutes　later；　he　reached　the　second　line　of　pickets。　The　gray　broncho's　head　drooped　pitifully；　as　Weldon　sat　waiting　for　the　inevitable　challenge。　It　came　at　last；　and　Weldon's　answering　voice　was　slow　with　a　weakness　which　was　not　all　feigned。

〃Despatches　from　Dixon's　column。　Take　me　to　the　Commandant；　please。〃

He　was　dimly　aware　of　a　hand　on　his　bridle；　dimly　conscious　that　Piggie　was　being　led　forward　for　a　seemingly　endless　distance。　As　they　halted　in　front　of　a　gray　stone　building；　Weldon　dimly　heard　the　tingling　of　many　bells　within；　then　the　hurried　opening　of　a　window；　and　a　voice　demanding　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　below。　He　felt　himself　going　fast；　but；　gripping　his　will　with　all　his　might；　he　pulled　himself　together　long　enough　to　answer；

〃Despatches　for　General　Kekewich　between　the