on the firing line-第28章

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houlder；　as　one　of　the　doctors　halted　on　the　threshold。　〃Am　I　needed？〃

〃Young　Walpole　is　just　going；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃He　has　asked　for　you。〃

Both　men　rose　to　their　feet。　It　was　Carew；　however；　who　lingered。

〃We　are　leaving　Winburg；　to…morrow；　so　this　is　good　by；〃　he　said　regretfully。　〃Take　care　of　yourself；　Alice；　and　bless　you！〃　And；　underneath　its　happiness；　his　boyish　face　was　unusually　grave；　as　he　mounted　and　rode　away　at　Weldon's　side。




CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN


Christmas　morning　found　the　camp　at　Lindley　wakening　to　a　general　atmosphere　of　peace　and　good　will　to　man。　Scarcely　fifty　miles　away　at　Tweefontein；　De　Wet's　midnight　charge　had　left　behind　it　sixty　men　sleeping　their　last　grim　sleep　in　defiance　of　the　peace　ordained　for　the　Christmas　dawn。　And；　midway　between　the　camp　of　the　living　and　the　line　of　the　dead；　there　lay　the　little　town　of　Bethlehem。

After　the　frosty　night；　the　day　came；　hot　and　clear；　with　the　sun　beating　down　from　a　cloudless　sky　and　the　mirage　dancing　upon　the　distant　horizon。　To　the　men　from　the　north；　it　was　a　bit　of　a　shock　to　exchange　Christmas　greetings；　while　the　thermometer　went　sliding　up　to　the　mark　of　one　hundred　degrees。　Nevertheless；　they　hailed　one　another　lustily；　and　threw　themselves　into　the　spirit　of　the　holiday　feast　with　the　zest　of　schoolboys。

For　full　three　months　now；　the　greater　number　of　the　troopers　had　been　dodging　up　and　down　over　the　surface　of　the　Orange　River　Colony　on　the　heels　of　the　tireless　De　Wet。　After　accomplishing　forty　futile　miles　a　day；　after　subsisting　chiefly　upon　army　biscuits　and　bully　beef；　they　had　earned　their　right　to　rest。　This；　at　least；　was　the　opinion　of　their　adjutant。

All　the　day　before；　there　had　been　flying　rumors　of　a　forced　march　on　the　following　morning；　but　no　orders　had　been　given；　and　just　at　nightfall　had　come　the　definite　announcement　that　no　move　would　be　made　until　after　Christmas。　Those　who　had　seen　their　adjutant　going　away　from　the　colonel's　tent；　half　an　hour　before；　were　able　to　draw　their　own　conclusions。　The　rest　accepted　the　fact　as　it　stood；　and　made　no　effort　to　account　for　the　change　in　their　plans。　It　was　enough　for　them　that　two　thousand　sheep　were　to　be　roasted；　to　the　end　that　every　man　might　eat　his　fill；　and　they　took　an　eager　hand；　next　morning；　in　scooping　out　the　ant…hill　and　kindling　the　fires　inside。　Then；　seated　on　the　ground；　they　spun　their　yarns　while　they　waited　until　the　white…hot　earth　on　top　of　the　hill　gave　notice　that　the　oven　was　ready　for　the　roast。

Carew；　meanwhile；　was　unpacking　the　neat　little　parcel　which　had　come　to　him　with　Christmas　greeting　from　the　Daughters　of　the　Empire。　Lined　up　for　inspection　before　breakfast；　every　trooper　had　received　an　exactly　similar　parcel；　every　one　had　given　expression　to　his　thankful　heart；　then　every　one　had　gone　away　to　inspect　the　offering。

〃This　is　kind　of　the　ladies；　very　kind；〃　Carew　was　observing；　with　a　perfectly　grave　face；　as　he　drew　out　a　handkerchief　of　spotty　red　cotton　and　a　khaki…colored　nightcap。　〃Look；　Weldon！　These　fit　my　complexion　to　a　charm；　and　will　be　wonderfully　warm　and　comfortable。　What　is　in　your　grab　bag？〃

〃Ditto；　apparently；〃　Weldon　answered。　〃I　think　I　shall　keep　these　to　sport　about　at　home　in。〃

Carew　shook　his　head。

〃Oh；　no。　The　kind　ladies　wish　us　to　use　them　now；　and　you　should　accept　the　gift　according　to　the　spirit　in　which　it　is　given。〃　Taking　off　his　wide　felt　hat；　he　replaced　it　with　the　wool　nightcap；　covered　the　nightcap　with　the　handkerchief　and　then　put　on　the　hat　over　all　the　rest。　〃And　what　have　we　here？〃　he　continued。　〃A　pipe？　Oh；　the　naughty　ladies！　Cigarettes？〃　He　smelled　at　them　gingerly；　then　sneezed　into　a　corner　of　the　scarlet　kerchief。　〃Matches；　shoelaces；　and；　by　George；　a　cake　of　soap！　Now；　if　we　only　had　a　farmer's　almanac　and　a　flannel　chest…protector；　we'd　be　quite　complete。〃

Weldon　laughed。　Then　he　beckoned　to　a　little　trooper　standing　beside　the　nearest　ant…hill。

〃Paddy；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃these　toys　are　excellent　toys。　If　anything　should　happen　to　me；　I'll　will　them　to　you。〃

Paddy　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　drew　out　his　own　nightcap　and　dangled　it　by　its　khaki…colored　tip。

〃And　look　at　it！〃　he　said　slowly。　〃The　spirit　is　willing　and　full　of　peace；　but　what　would　I　be　doing　with　that　thing；　I　who　never　had　a　hat　on　my　head　till　I　was　ten　years　old；　let　alone　a　cap？〃

〃Wrap　your　feet　in　it；　then；〃　Carew　suggested。　〃It's　large　enough　for　them　both。　Paddy；　who　eats　at　your　ant…hill？〃

The　little　Irishman　winked　knowingly。

〃Them　as　invites　theirselves；　first　off。　If　it's　you　and　Mr。　Weldon；　so　much　the　better　for　Paddy。　The　rum　ration　is　doubled；　the　day；　knowing　the　habits　of　you　both；　I'm　thinking　I　see　my　way　to　getting　six　times　gloriously　drunk。　There's　beer　by　the　hogshead；　too。　It'll　be　a　mighty　Christmas　dinner；　the　first　in　years　I've　eaten　without　cooking。〃

〃You　generally　eat　it　raw？〃　Carew　questioned　blandly。

〃Praised　be　Patrick；　no；　but　it's　Paddy　who　has　done　the　cooking。　This　year；　I　am　free　from　my　pots　and　kettles；　and　can　eat　with　the　best　of　them。　Little　Canuck　dear；　don't　ever　enlist　as　a　cook。　Nothing　spoils　the　stomach　of　you　like　the　smell　of　the　warming　broth。〃

〃You　like　the　change；　then；　Paddy？〃　Weldon　asked；　as　he　thriftily　packed　up　his　parcel　and　stowed　it　away　in　his　pocket；　with　an　eye　to　the　gratitude　of　Kruger　Bobs。

〃Like；　is　it？　I　rejoice　greatly　and　shout；　as　the　Book　bids　us。　It's　a　man's　work　I'm　doing　now；　it's　with　men　that　I　am　doing　that　work；　and　it's　a　man　who　leads　me　on　to　do　that　work；　meaning　Captain　Frazer。〃

〃Where　is　the　Captain　now？〃

Paddy　dropped　down　on　the　ground；　midway　between　his　friends　and　his　ant…hill。

〃Over　yonder；　doing　the　work　of　an　honest　man　and　a　warrior。〃

〃That　goes　without　saying。　What　now？〃

But　Paddy　chose　to　speak　in　metaphors。

〃He's　thrown　down　his　sword　and　picked　up　his　bottle；〃　he　responded　enigmatically。

〃Not　drinking？〃　Weldon　asked　incredulously。

〃No；　little　one；　not　doing；　but　doing　by。　He's　administering　advice　and　physic　to　them　cormyrants　of　Queenslanders。　The　Colonials　are　a　hard　race　to　manage　and　a　greedy。〃　Paddy　spoke　with　an　accent　of　extreme　disfavor。

〃What　have　the　poor　Queenslanders　done？〃

〃Poor　it　is；　not　poor　in　spirit；　but　poor　in　judgment。　They've　converted　the　top　course　of　their　dinner　into　the　bottom　course　of　their　breakfast；　and　now　they're　suffering　according。　Next　time；　when　their　kyind　officers　order　them　up；　each　a　little　Crosse　and　Blackwell　plum　pudding；　they'll　know　enough　to　eat　them　up　hot　on　a　full　stomach；　not　bolt　them　down　cold　on　top　of　a　lone　layer　of　dog…　bread。　Man　is　permitted　to　make　such　errors　but　once　in　his　life；　without　having　Providence　get　after　him　and　slay　him。　Little　Canuck？〃　〃Paddy？〃

〃The　top　of　the　ant…hill　is　white　with　heat；　and　the　lambie　must　enter　the　roasting　tomb。　Will　you　and　Mr。　Carew　eat　with　me？〃

〃We've　no　intention　of　eating　anywhere　else；　Paddy。　We　know　your　cooking　of　old。〃

〃It's　an　honor　you'll　be　doing　me；　then。　And；　moreover〃　Paddy　hesitated；　with　the　words　sticking　to　his　lips。

〃What　now？〃

〃Think　you　the　CaptainI　mean　the　Adjutant；　but　he'll　always　be　the　Captain　to　mewould　he　take　it　amiss；　think　you；　little　one；　if　I　sent　him　a　bit　of　the　joint；　for　the　sake　of　old　times？　He'll　like　be　eating　truffled　ostrich　and　locust　sauce　at　the　mess；　but　Paddy'd　like　to　have　a　hand　in　his　Christmas　dinner。　It's　all　I　can　do　for　him；　and　he's　done　much　for　me。〃

〃Try　him　and　see；　Paddy；〃　Weldon　advised。　〃If　I　know　Captain　Frazer；　he'll　have　nothing　to…day　that　will　please　him　more。〃

With　feasting　and　story…telling　and　the　inevitable　letters　to　wife　and　sweetheart；　the　sunshiny　day　lost　itself　in　twilight　and　the　twilight　in　the　chill　of　night。　Along　the　line　of　the　blockhouses　for　miles　away；　lights　began　to　twinkle　out　from　the　narrow　loopholes。　Throughout　the　camp；　answering　lights　twinkled　back　at　them　till　the　night　was　spotted　thick　with　dots　of　yellow；　winking　up　at　the　yellow　stars　above。　And　around　the　camp　and　the　blockhouses　lay　the　dark；　measureless　veldt；　and　the　veldt　was　very　still。

Stillness　was　not　in　the　camp；　however。　Even　the　gluttono