Charge! Part 58

"Nonsense! What do you know about it?" said Denham, turning the lump over in his hand.

"I know because pieces like that are in the kopje near my home. Joeboy could find plenty like that. He took some to my father once, and father said it was gold."

"Then you've got a mine on your farm?"

"I suppose so; but father said we'd better get rich by increasing the flocks and herds. Look there," I said; "all those are veins of gold, and those others are crystals and scales."

"There, catch, Sergeant," said Denham bitterly. "We don't want gold; we want health, and a way out of this prison."

"That's right, sir; and if you like I'll try and come and tell you how things are going to-night."

"Yes, do," cried Denham. Then the Sergeant thrust his piece of gold ore and quartz back into his pouch, and marched away.

"Val, old chap," said Denham as soon as we were alone, "that fellow seemed to cheer me up a bit while he was here."

"Yes," I said; "he roused me up too."

"But now he's gone I'm down again lower and lower than ever I was before. I begin to wish I were dead. Oh dear! who'd be a wounded man who feels as helpless as a child?"

I was silent.

"Is that doctor ever coming to see us again?"

"Yes," said a sharp, clear voice. "Now then, most impatient of all patients, how are you getting on?"

"Getting ready for the firing-party to waste a few cartridges over, doctor. Can't you see?"

"Humph!" said our visitor, feeling the poor fellow's head and then his pulse. "Here, drink a little of this."

"More physic?" groaned Denham despondently.

"Yes, Nature's," replied the doctor, holding out a folding cup which he had refilled. "Fresh water; a bucket just brought to the screen there by the orderly."

As he spoke he raised the poor fellow up with one arm and held the cup to his lips.

Denham took a few drops unwillingly, then a little more, and finally finished the cupful with avidity, while the sight of my companion drinking seemed to produce a strange, feverish sensation in my throat.

The next minute the doctor had let Denham sink down, and refilled the cup and handed it to me. It was delicious, and I drained the little vessel all too soon. Then I was gently lowered, and the doctor repeated the dose with us both.

"That's better," he said quietly. "You two fellows have been talking too much; now shut your eyes and have a good long sleep."

"What! in the middle of the day?" protested Denham.

"Yes. Nature wants all your time now for healing your damaged places. No more talking. I'll come again by-and-by."

"How absurd!" said Denham as soon as the tilt had fallen back to its place. "I can't sleep now. Can you?"

"Impossible," I said, and I lay looking up at the long slit of blue sky over the wagon-tilt. Then I was looking at something black as ink, and beyond it the slit of blue sky was fiery orange.

"Joeboy?" I said wonderingly.

"Um? Yes, Boss," was the reply.

"How long have you been here?"

"Um? Long, long time. Boss Val been very fa.s.s asleep."

"Hist! Is Mr Denham asleep?" I whispered.

"Um? Very fa.s.s; not move once."

I was silent for a few moments, struggling mentally to say something, I could not tell what.

"Boss Val like drink o' water?" said the black just then.

"Yes-no. Ah, I remember now," I cried eagerly, for it all came back. "Where have you been all this time?"

The black smiled.

"Um? Been to see Boss and Aunt Jenny."

"You have?" I cried eagerly. "But stop a moment. You went after that Irish captain?"

The black nodded, and, to my horror, his face contracted and his lips drew away from his white teeth, but not in a grin.

I lay back looking at him wildly, and as I gazed in his eyes the appearance of his countenance made me shudder just then, lit up by the fiery glow of the sunset which flooded the place through the openings above the tilt. It seemed to me horrible, and for a long time I could not speak. At last the words came:

"Did you know that he struck down Mr Denham, and nearly killed us both?"

"Um? Yes. Soldiers tell Joeboy."

"And you followed him?"

"Um? Yes," came, accompanied by a nod.

"And you've killed him with your a.s.sagai?" I said, with a shudder, as I glanced at where three of the deadly weapons lay at the side of my rough couch, across his s.h.i.+eld.

"Um? No. Nearly kill Joeboy."

"Ah!" I cried, with a curious feeling of relief.

"Joeboy run after him all away among the Doppies; when they shoot, Joeboy lie down, and then follow um till he see um. Then he shoot, and-look here."

Joeboy held up his left arm, smiling, and I saw that it was roughly tied up with a piece of coa.r.s.e homespun.

"He wounded you?"

"Um? Yes. Shot pistol, and make hole here."