"
A minute later they went down the slope. "Keep back under the shelter of
these bushes as soon as I go in, Sankey." Then he stepped into the water
and waded out. In a few yards it was up to his waist; then it deepened
slowly. He was a third of the distance across when two rifles cracked
out from some bushes on the opposite bank. Chris felt a sudden smart
pain in his ear. He instantly threw himself down in the water, and
diving, made for the shore, allowing the stream to take him down.
Swimming as hard and as long as he could, he came for a moment to the
surface, turning on his back before he did so, and only raising his
mouth and nose above water. He took a long breath and then sank again,
swimming this time towards the shore. His breath lasted until he was in
water too shallow to swim farther, and, leaping to his feet, he dashed
up the bank and threw himself down. He heard two bullets hum close to
him, but the Boers had not been looking in his direction, and only
caught sight of him in time to take a snap shot. He crawled along
through the high, coarse grass, feeling very anxious as to what had
become of Sankey. He had heard the report of the Boer rifles, but there
came no reply from his friend, who would assuredly have been lying in
shelter in readiness to shoot as soon as he saw a flash on the opposite
bank.
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