on the firing line-第23节

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ed　with　a　white　stone；　but　his　sleep；　on　those　nights；　was　as　quiet　and　dreamless　as　ever。　Facts　were　facts。　Theories　and　hopes　were　for　the　future；　and　no　man　looks　much　to　the　future　in　a　time　of　war。

Besides　the　letters；　there　were　minor　events；　too；　events　which　went　to　fill　up　the　letters　of　reply。　Now　it　was　a　hospital　train　which　halted　at　the　camp　on　the　way　southward；　and　each　red…taped　nurse　had　reminded　him　of　Alice　Mellen；　and　of　those　last　days　in　Johannesburg。　Now　it　was　a　two…day　trek；　as　escort　for　a　convoy　train　whose　long　lines　of　bullock…drawn　wagons　marked　the　brown　veldt　with　a　wavering　stripe　of　duller　brown。　Again　a　wounded　picket　came　straying　back　to　camp；　bleeding　and　dazed；　to　report　the　inevitable　sniping　which　furnished　the　running　accompaniment　to　most　other　events；　or　an　angry　squad　came　riding　in；　to　tell　of　the　shots　which　had　followed　close　upon　the　raising　of　the　white　flag；　or　of　the　score　of　armed　men　who　had　suddenly　leaped　out　from　the　safe　shelter　of　a　Red…Cross　ambulance。　And；　on　one　occasion；　he　had　been　in　the　thick　of　a　similar　fray。　Hand　to　hand；　he　had　fought　on　the　doorsteps　of　a　farmhouse　to　which　he　and　his　five　comrades　had　been　bidden　by　a　sprightly　Boer　in　gown　and　sunbonnet。　At　the　door；　the　bonnet　had　been　cast　from　the　cropped　head；　and　the　gown　had　been　pushed　back　to　give　access　to　the　bandolier　beneath；　while　a　dozen　shots　from　an　upper　window　had　driven　them　from　the　dooryard　into　the　comparative　shelter　of　the　lower　rooms。　The　skirmish　had　ended　with　a　charge　up　the　stairway。　Weldon；　that　same　night；　had　written　to　Ethel　a　wholly　humorous　account　of　the　whole　affair；　and　it　was　not　until　long　afterwards　that　she　had　learned　from　Carew；　who　had　been　of　the　party；　which　was　the　trooper　who　had　mounted　guard　over　the　room　where　the　aged　grandmother　had　tucked　herself　away　under　her　bed。　The　old　Dutch　vrouw　had　bidden　him　to　share　her　shelter；　but　he　had　taken　note　of　her　dimensions；　and　had　declined　her　hospitality。　Later　on；　when　the　fight　was　over　and　she　had　painfully　wriggled　her　way　out　from　her　trap；　he　had　also　declined　certain　of　her　manifestations　of　gratitude。　Even　chivalry　to　the　aged　possesses　its　humorous　side。

Then；　one　November　night；　Weldon　came　into　his　tent　with　alert　step　and　glowing　eyes。　He　found　Carew　going　through　his　camp　outfit　in　detail；　and；　squatting　on　the　floor　in　the　corner；　Kruger　Bobs　was　cleaning　accoutrements　as　if　his　life　depended　on　it。

〃You　look　as　if　events　were　about　to　happen；〃　he　observed；　from　the　dispassionate　distance　of　the　doorway。

〃They　are。〃

〃Ask　them　to　include　me；　then。〃

〃What　do　you　need　of　events；　you　regimental　broncho…buster？〃

〃One　gets　sick　of　even　the　best　horseflesh　in　time；〃　he　answered　nonchalantly。

〃Sorry；　for　you　are　doomed　to　more　of　it。〃

〃Another　herd　of　bronchos？〃　Weldon's　voice　showed　that　the　idea　displeased　him。

〃No；　but　a　two…hundred…mile　trek　across　country。〃

〃Good。　I　am　tired　of　being　cooped　up；　and　a　spin　of　that　kind　will　be　a　boon。〃

Carew　settled　back　on　his　heels　and　looked　up　at　him。

〃Spin　is　it！　Your　only　spin　will　be　on　your　own　axis。　We　are　to　act　as　escort　for　a　convoy　train　of　fifty　wagons　and　ten　times　fifty　mules。　We　shall　make　six　miles　a　day；　and　our　tongues　will　be　wholly　corrupted　by　the　language　of　the　mule…drivers。　And；　in　the　end；　we　shall　get　to〃

〃A　glorious　fight；　I　trust；〃　Weldon　supplemented。

Gloomily　Carew　shook　his　head。　〃No；　merely　to　Winburg。　We　are　going　to　provision　Weppener　and　Ladybrand；　and　then　make　for　the　railroad　again。　We'll　strike　it　at　Winburg　most　likely。　It　is　an　unholy　sort　of　hole；　and　I　hear　that　the　hotel　serves　watered　ink　and　currant　jelly　under　the　name　of　claret。　We　shall　sit　there　and　sip　it；　until　the　train　arrives；　and　then　we　shall　entrain　and　come　back　again。　And　this；〃　he　emphasized　his　words　by　plumping　forward　on　his　knees　once　more；　〃and　this　is　war！〃

〃Yes；　but　it　lets　us　out　on　a　longer　leash　than　I　have　had　for　some　time；〃　Weldon　said　serenely。　〃Anyway；　it　is　well　for　you　that　it　is　not　likely　to　be　a　bloody　campaign；　for　you'll　be　headed　straight　away　from　Johannesburg；　and　I　misdoubt　me　if　Winburg　holds　a　hospital。〃

〃Judging　from　my　past　records；　it　will　have　to　found　one；　then；〃　Carew　answered　composedly。　〃If　I　have　to　go　through　two　hundred　miles　of　the　enemy's　country；　they　might　as　well　open　up；　in　readiness　for　my　coming。　But　what　is　the　letter；　old　man？〃

〃News。　Yours　had　knocked　it　out　of　my　mind；　though。　Mine　comes　off　later。　Captain　Frazer　has　been　transferred　to　the　South　African　Light　Horse；　and　will　come　up　here　as　adjutant；　on　the　first。〃

Carew's　face　brightened。

〃That's　good　hearing。　He　will　be　higher　still；　before　De　Wet　is　taken。〃　〃I　hope　so。　Anyway；　he　is　coming　to　us。　Think　of　having　him　about　again！〃

〃Much　good　will　it　do　us！　An　adjutant　doesn't　mess　with　the　trooper。〃

〃Frazer　will　stick　to　his　friends。〃

〃Mayhap。　Still；　better　men　than　he　have　gone　dizzy；　as　they　went　up　the　ladder；　and　dizziness　makes　people　look　at　what's　above　them；　rather　than　at　what　is　below；〃　Carew　answered　oracularly。　〃Frazer's　influence　will　be　sound；　and　we　shall　feel　it　from　one　end　of　things　to　the　other。　Aside　From　that；　we　aren't　likely　to　be　much　affected　by　his　coming。　Did　Miss　Dent　tell　any　other　news？〃

〃As　it　happens；　Miss　Dent　didn't　tell　me　this。〃

〃Who；　then？〃

〃Captain　Frazer；　himself；〃　Weldon　answered；　with　a　quiet　relish　of　his　own　victory。　〃He　sends　messages　and　all　that　to　you。〃　Then　he　added；　〃And　who　else　do　you　think　is　coming？〃

〃With　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

Carew　shook　his　head。

〃I've　no　idea；　unless　Lord　Kitchener　is　about　to　pay　us　a　visit。　There　were　rumors　of　it；　a　week　or　so　ago。〃

〃Guess　again。　It's　a　mightier　than　Lord　Kitchener；　this　time。〃

〃Can't　be。〃

Weldon　laughed。　〃It　is；　for　it　is　a　man　trained　to　two　weapons；　who　has　beaten　his　kettles　into　a　helmet　and　his　pepper…pot　into　a　cartridge…box。〃

〃Paddy？〃

〃Yes；　Paddy。　The　Captain　writes　that　he　is　thirsting　for　gore　and　glory；　and　that　he　has　learned　to　ride　anything　from　a　clotheshorse　to　a　nightmare。〃

Carew　laughed。

〃Paddy　all　over。　He　never　could　take　things　as　they　came。〃

〃Except　Parrott's　horse；〃　Weldon　suggested。

〃How　did　he　get　out　of　that　scrape？〃

〃Went　out。　There　was　talk　of　official　vengeance；　but　Paddy　vanished；　that　same　night。　A　week　later；　he　turned　up　at　the　Captain's　room　in　Cape　Town；　with　a　bundle　of　clothes　and　a　story　that　was　as　leaky　as　a　sieve。　The　Captain　sent　him　out　to　Maitland　to　be　licked　into　shape；　and　this　is　the　result。〃

〃No；〃　Carew　objected　in　a　sudden　burst　of　prophecy。　〃Mind　my　words；　Paddy　has　not　resulted　yet。　That　will　come；　later　on　in　the　game。〃




CHAPTER　SIXTEEN


Winburg　may　have　all　the　elements　of　greatness；　but　greatness　itself　is　lacking。　Nevertheless；　after　watching　a　convoy　train　tool　along　over　the　green…flecked　yellow　veldt　at　the　rate　of　six　miles　a　day；　after　seeing　nothing　but　an　occasional　isolated　farmhouse；　the　little　town　appeared　like　a　centre　of　civilization　and　excitement　to　the　bored　troopers；　as　they　rode　up　the　main　street　and　pitched　camp　on　the　western　edge　of　the　town。　There　they　sat　and　idly　wondered　behind　which　particular　hill　was　the　largest　commando。　No　type　of　boredom　is　more　acute　than　that　which　links　itself　with　periods　of　inaction　in　the　army。　Fifteen　minutes　would　have　sufficed　to　exhaust　the　resources　of　Winburg；　the　troopers　remained　there　for　fifteen　days。　Only　Kruger　Bobs　was　fully　in　his　element。　His　daily　grooming　of　the　broncho　and　his　master　once　over；　his　time　was　his　own；　and　he　employed　it　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　Fate　had　endowed　Kruger　Bobs　with　a　smile　which　won　instant　liking　and　gained　instant　fulfilment　of　his　wishes。　Just　as；　months　before；　he　had　sat　on　the　river　bank　at　Piquetberg　Road；　and　grinned　persuasively　at　the　jam　tins；　so　now　he　ranged　up　and　down　among　the　farms　scattered　about　Winburg；　and　grinned　himself　into　possession　of　manifold　eggs　and　plump　fowls　and　even　of　soft　wheat　bread；　the　final　luxury　of　the　biscuit…sated　trooper　who　owned　his　fealty。

〃'Is　thy　servant　a　dog？'〃　Carew　had　quoted　gravely　at　sight　of　his　first　army　biscuit。

And　Weldon　had　made　answer；

〃Not　if　he　knows　it。　I　have　always　had　full　sympathy　with　my　hound　who　leaves　his　dog…bread　in　favor　of　a　bit　of　oak　planking　gnawed　out　from　his　kennel　floor。〃

But　Carew　was　less　dainty。　Nevertheless；　he　attacked　the　biscuit　with　two　flat　stones；　and　mixed　the　debris　with　his　coffee。

Now；　however；　thanks　to　the　efforts　of　Kruger　Bobs；　they　were　living　thriftily　and　upon　the　fat　of　the　land。

〃How　do　you　get　it　all；　Kruger　Bobs？　〃Weldon　had　demanded；　one　day。　〃To　my　sure　knowledge；　you've　no　money；　and　people　hereabouts　don't　love　the　British。　What　is　your　secret？〃

Kruger　Bobs　ducked　his　bristly　head　into　his　ragged　hat；　and　gave　an　explosive　chuckle。　Then　he　raised　his　head　and　scratched　it　demurely。

〃Kruger　Bobs　just　gits　it；　Boss；〃　he　explained　comprehensively。

He　came　in；　the　next　night；　his　pockets　stuffed；　his　mouth　wide　ajar　and　the　very　whites　of　his　eyes　full　of　mystery。　Carew　and　Weldon；　sitting　together；　glanced　up　as　he　appeared。　Instantly；　as　he　caught　sight