Fix Bay'nets Part 14

"That's what they came for, cheerful or not."

"Perhaps so; but coming to do a thing and doing it are two different matters. Well, the show is over, and we may come down. Let's go and see about getting our new quarters a little more s.h.i.+p-shape. I want to see what the men are doing."

"Not yet," said Bracy. "I want to watch these fellows back to their own men, to see what they are about."

"You can't tell from this distance."

"Not much; but my gla.s.s is very powerful, and I want to try and judge from their actions what is going on yonder."

"All right; I'll stop with you."

Two-thirds of the guards mounted were dismissed, and soon after, the walls and towers were pretty well deserted. The two young officers remained, however, Captain Roberts dreamily watching the wondrous panorama of snowy mountains spreading out to the north as far as the eye could reach, while Bracy sat with his double gla.s.s carefully focussed and resting upon the stone parapet, watching the departing chiefs, who strode away looking proud and haughty, and apparently without holding any communication with one another till they were well on their way, when Bracy noted that they suddenly began to talk with a good deal of animation.

Bracy kept up his watch till they reached their followers, who closed round them in a very excited way.

It was just then that Roberts roused himself from his reverie.

"Hullo, there!" he cried; "'most done? Can't make out anything, can you?"

"Yes; there's a regular mob of fighting-men crowding round those fellows, and they're holding a regular meeting."

"Good little gla.s.s. I say, old man, I'll swop with you. Mine's a bigger and better-looking binoc. than yours. Anything else?"

"One of the party--I think it's the one with the scar on his face, but I can't be sure--"

"Can't you tell him?"

"Not at this distance."

"Then I won't swop. It's not such a good gla.s.s as I thought. Well, what next?"

"He's telling his experiences, and the beggars are lancing about, roaring with laughter."

"Can you see that?"

"Yes, quite plainly."

"Then I think I will swop, after all. Can't hear what they say, I suppose?"

"Hardly."

"Humph! Not so good a gla.s.s, then, as Pat's, that brought the church so near that he could hear the singing. Go on."

"He's gesticulating. Now he's marching up and down stiffly like Graves did while the conference was going on."

"Well, of all the impudence! But no flam: can you really make out all that?"

"Perfectly. Now he is taking off his puggree and pretending to take a handkerchief out and mopping his bald head."

"Like Wrayford does. Why, the scoundrel stood as stiff as a poker when he was here and let the others do the talking."

"Yes, while he was studying his part. Now they're laughing again and stamping about and holding their sides. He is going through everything he noted for their amus.e.m.e.nt, and telling them what absurd-looking people the English are."

"Oh yes," said Roberts; "we're a very humorous lot, we British--very amusing indeed, but best at a distance, for we're rather p.r.i.c.kly, and easily induced to make use of our knives. What next?"

"The show's over; and look--you can see that?"

"What! that flas.h.i.+ng in the suns.h.i.+ne?"

"Yes; every man has drawn his sword and is waving it in the air. He must have said something which excited them."

"Made 'em all draw and swear that they'd cut us to pieces and fling us in the river, I dare say."

"Oh, there you are!" cried a familiar voice, and the tall, thin subaltern hurried to their side. "I say, what do you think of that for a fit?" he cried, stopping, and then holding out one foot. "Just as if they had been made for me."

"If you say any more about them I'll take them away again," said Bracy, smiling.

"Then mum it is, for I wouldn't be so cruel to my poor plantigrades.

They haven't been so happy and comfortable for months. Watching those Dwats?"

"I've been doing so," said Bracy, closing his gla.s.s and returning it to its case. "What do you think of them?"

"Think they're a set of humbugs. They've come here hunting for information and pretending to be friends; and the worst of it is, old Wrayford believes in them."

"Nonsense! He couldn't be so weak," cried Roberts.

"Oh, couldn't he? But he could. He hasn't been the same man since he was cut down about a month ago. Poor old man! he's as brave as a lion still, but he has done several weak things lately which none of us like.

What do you think that thick-lipped, black-bearded ruffian proposed?"

"I don't know," said Bracy eagerly.

"To send on a couple of hundred of his cut-throats to help to defend the fort against the enemy."

"He proposed that?" cried Roberts.

"To be sure he did."

"But Colonel Wrayford," said Bracy, "he declined, of course--at once?"

"No, he didn't. He hesitated, and told your old man that an ally would be so valuable, and that it would not do, hemmed in as we are, to offend a powerful chief who desired to be friendly."

"But that's absurd," cried Roberts.

"Of course it is," replied Drummond. "The only way to deal with these fellows is to make 'em afraid of you, for they're as treacherous as they are proud. But there, it's all right."

"All right, when the senior Colonel here temporises with the enemy!"

"It was only one of his weak moments. He won't do anything of that kind. He'll talk it over with your old man and think better of it.