on the firing line-第36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！


em；　for　all　the　world　like　knots　in　the　branches　of　an　oak…tree！　They　may　be　trained　to　believe　it's　comfortable　to　walk　round　in　public　with　their　kneepans　in　plain　sight；　but　no　man　can　ever　make　me　think　it's　either　beautiful　to　the　eye；　or　respectful　in　the　presence　of　one's　betters。〃

〃But　their　officers　wear　the　same　uniform；　Paddy；〃　Weldon　objected。　〃Who　are　their　betters？〃

〃Myself；　little　Canuck；　and　yourself；　too；〃　Paddy　answered　calmly。　〃The　maple　and　the　shamrock；　severally　and　together；　can　knock　the　spots　out　of　all　the　thistles　that's　growing。〃

〃Until　it　comes　to　a　fight；〃　Carew　suggested；　from　Paddy's　other　side。　〃The　Highlanders　have　made　their　record；　this　time。〃

But　Paddy　shook　his　head。　〃Wait　then　till　the　end　of　the　chapter；〃　he　predicted。　〃My　turn　hasn't　come　yet。　Belike　I'll　be　the　hero　of　them　all。　I　was　minding　my　pots　and　my　kettles；　while　the　Black　Watch　was　slinging　lead　up　on　the　road　into　Kimberley。　But；　faith；　if　I　was　one　of　them；　with　the　choice　before　me　between　a　glorious　death　and　the　having　to　live　in　the　sound　of　the　bagpipes；　I'd　mount　a　Red　Cross　and　take　a　white　flag　in　my　hand　and　sally　forth　to　be　seen　and　shot　by　the　Boers。〃

〃You　don't　like　the　bagpipes；　Paddy？〃

Paddy's　reply　was　sententious。

〃Did　you　ever　hear　a　pig　soliloquizing　to　himself；　just　as　he　crossed　the　tracks　between　the　wheels　of　an　express　train？　Well　then！〃

〃Meanwhile；〃　Carew　observed　thoughtfully；　〃I　wonder　why　we　are　out　on　this　trek。〃

〃To　escort　the　little　Canuck　with　his　mounts；　and　to　study　the　surface　of　the　land；　to　be　sure。〃

Carew's　eye　swept　the　barren；　desolate　expanse　about　them。

〃It　is　a　bit　monotonous；　though。〃

〃It's　monotony　that's　healthy。　You　can't　make　a　whole　dinner　off　from　red　pepper；　and　you　can't　make　a　whole　campaign　off　from　smokeless　powder。　In　either　case；　you　get　too　much　heated　up；　for　the　show　it　all　makes。　Strike　hard　and　eat　hot　at　long　intervals　and　with　exceeding　unction；　and；　meanwhile；　pause　and　let　it　soak　in。　It's　not　the　hottest　fire　that　gives　off　the　most　blazes。　And　where　is　that　nigger　of　a　Kruger　Bobs？〃

〃In　among　the　wagons　with　The　Nig。〃　〃Just　for　all　the　world　like　the　deuce　of　spades！　The　Black　Watch　would　better　adopt　the　two　of　'em　for　their　colors。　The　Nig　is　a　pretty　bit　of　property；　but　this　is　the　brute　for　me。〃　And　Paddy　bent　over　in　the　saddle　to　stroke　the　neck　of　Piggie　who　snapped　back　at　him　testily。

However；　in　all　truth；　the　little　gray　broncho　deserved　all　of　Paddy's　praise。　Scarred　from　muzzle　to　pastern　by　errant　bullets；　limping　slightly　on　one　fore　leg；　she　still　had　borne　her　master　bravely　over　weary　miles　of　veldt；　into　many　a　skirmish　and　through　the　kicking；　squealing　throngs　of　her　kindred　which　crowded　the　Lindley　kraal。　Long　since；　Weldon　had　discovered　that　the　thoroughbred　Nig　was　an　ornament；　but　that　Piggie　was　a　necessity。　Again　and　yet　again；　her　flying　feet　and　gritty　temper　had　brought　him；　unscathed；　through　perilous　plights。　She　read　his　mind　as　by　instinct；　left　unguided；　she　guided　herself　with　exceeding　discretion；　and；　upon　more　than　one　occasion；　she　had　endured　the　nervous　strain　of　feeling　a　human　body　dangling　limply　above　the　saddle　bow；　held　in　place　by　main　strength　of　her　master　who；　crouching　forward　beneath　the　heavy　fire；　could　only　indicate　the　way　of　safety　by　the　pressure　of　this　heel　and　then　that　against　her　heaving　flanks。　Surely；　if　ever　honors　could　be　given　to　a　faithful；　plucky　little　broncho；　Piggie　should　have　been　gazetted　for　the　Distinguished　Service　Order。　Not　to　the　men　alone　is　due　all　the　honor　of　victory。

But　now　Piggie；　fresh　from　a　prolonged　interval　of　resting　in　the　care　of　Kruger　Bobs；　felt　that　she　was　out　on　an　excursion　of　pure　pleasure。　Behind　her　trailed　a　long　column　of　men　and　mounts　and　wagons；　around　her　was　a　knot　of　horses　whom　she　knew　well；　and　before　her　stretched　away　the　dry　and　level　veldt；　broken　at　the　sky…line　by　a　range　of　hills　that　rose　sharply　in　a　jagged　line　which　culminated　in　one　peak　lifted　far　above　all　the　others。

In　the　very　front　of　the　column　rode　a　score　or　more　of　the　South　African　Light　Horse；　with　Weldon；　for　the　moment；　in　command。　The　man　was　showing；　just　then；　something　of　the　temper　of　his　mount。　It　would　have　been　good　to　leave　behind　him　the　slow…moving　column　and　go　dashing　away　alone；　far　across　the　level　plain。　A　spirit　of　restlessness　was　upon　him；　Paddy's　utterances　grew　vague　in　his　ears；　and　he　cast　longing　glances　towards　the　range　of　hills　to　the　southward；　as　if　eager　to　explore　them　and　find　what　secrets；　if　any；　lay　within　their　keeping。　Then　he　reined　in　his　broncho　and　forced　his　mind　back　to　Paddy's　conversation；　still　upon　the　deeds　of　the　kilted　heroes　of　the　Black　Watch。

〃And　they　do　say；〃　he　was　observing；　〃that　Wauchope　was　light　in　his　mindfey；　them　piping；　petticoated　Scotchmen　calls　itthe　night　before　his　death。　Now　that's　something　that's　beyond　my　thinking。　No　dead　man　ever　knows　he's　going　to　die。　Witness　the　last　words　of　most　of　'em！　They　make　up　their　death…bed　speeches；　and　then　they　turn　thrifty　and　save　up　the　speeches　till　next　time。　Little　Canuck　dear；　what　would　you　say；　if　you　was　hit？〃

Weldon　laughed　shortly。

〃I　should　probably　say　'Thank　God；'〃　he　answered。

Paddy　crossed　himself。

〃And　might　heaven　forgive　you　then；　little　one！〃　he　said　gravely。　〃The　Lord　and　the　Holy　Virgin　may　send　the　bullets　to　kill　you；　unless　it's　from　the　Boers　who　is　guided　by　the　Father　of　Lies；　but　it's　small　thanks　in　return　they　will　be　asking。　Take　the　benefits　of　Providence　with　a　shout　of　thanksgiving；　but　swallow　hard　and　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip；　when　it　smacks　you　over　the　head　with　a　shillalegh。〃　Then；　of　a　sudden；　he　bent　over　in　the　saddle　once　more　and　rested　his　hand　on　Weldon's　fingers　which　lay　on　the　broncho's　neck。　〃And；　if　I　mistake　not；　little　one；　it　is　what　you　have　been　doing；　these　late　days；　so　forgive　me　teaching　you　a　lesson　you've　already　learned　by　heart。〃

Two　nights　before　this；　Carew's　letter　to　Alice　had　ended　with　the　outcry；

〃For　God's　sake；　how　long　is　this　going　to　last？〃

And　now　the　end　was　almost　in　sight。　Early　the　next　day；　there　had　come　a　call　for　remounts　for　a　column　halted　on　the　veldt　near　Reitz；　and　Weldon；　with　a　score　of　others　from　his　squadron；　had　been　sent　out　with　the　mounts　to　join　the　column　for　the　trek　to　the　southward。　As　a　matter　of　course；　Weldon　had　asked　that　the　score　might　include　Paddy　and　Carew；　and　now；　with　them　at　his　side；　he　was　at　the　head　of　the　column　which　trailed　away　far　towards　the　southward；　twelve　hundred　poorly　mounted　men　riding　in　leisurely　fashion　towards　Harrismith　and　the　chance　of　rounding　up　an　occasional　Boer。

Dusk　of　the　second　day　had　brought　the　hills　on　the　sky…line　close　to　their　eyes；　and　had　sharpened　the　ragged　peaks　into　threatening　crests　of　bare；　black　rock。　Already　the　hills　were　but　three　miles　distant；　and　the　hour　for　halt　almost　at　hand；　when　scouts　came　flying　back　to　the　column；　breathless　with　haste　and　with　the　consciousness　of　tidings　to　impart。　The　colonel　received　the　tidings　with　outward　calm。

〃A　laager　of　fifteen　hundred　Boers？　And　a　mile　and　a　half　to　the　south　of　us？　We　must　attack。〃　His　eyes　swept　the　faces　of　his　men。　〃Trooper　Weldon？〃

At　the　word；　Weldon　rode　forward　and　saluted。

〃That　highest　hill　is　the　key　to　the　position。　It　is　the　one　we　must　hold。　Can　you　and　your　men　ride　around　to　the　west　of　the　laager；　get　that　hill　and　hold　it　at　all　costs　until　I　can　send　reinforcements　to　you？　The　reinforcements　will　start　as　soon　as　you　reach　the　top　of　the　hill。　Keep　out　of　sight；　while　you　can。　Then　rush　it。　You　understand？〃

Weldon　nodded；　then；　his　head　erect；　his　eyes　flashing；　he　saluted　for　a　second　time　and；　with　his　men　at　his　heels；　dashed　off　into　the　thickening　dusk。

Like　foothills　beside　a　mountain　range；　so　the　veldt　before　him　was　already　broken　and　crumpled　into　a　series　of　irregular　ridges；　opening　in　their　midst　to　form　a　tiny　plain　where　the　Boer　laager　lay　spread　out　before　them。　The　dusk　of　the　plain　was　dotted　with　scattered　camp　fires；　but；　beyond　the　ridges；　it　lay　heavy；　and　in　that　heaviness　Weldon　placed　his　trust。　For　two　t