"If you do I
will get up, and they can either pot me or take me prisoner."
"Don't be an ass, Sankey. I am going on all right. I have shot two of
them; there are about a dozen of them over there, I should say. Now let
us talk reasonably. Of course, if I was sure they would not cross, I
would make off to where the horses are, ride out, and meet Brookfield
and the others as they come back. The orders were that we were to join
them in about an hour and a half, which would give them time to go seven
or eight miles farther, and for us to do our work thoroughly. But I am
afraid that if I went away the Boers would presently guess I had done
so, and would come across and carry you off. But though it would be no
joke for you to be taken prisoner to Pretoria, it would be a good deal
better than for you to have two or three more rifle bullets in your
body, which I am sure you would have were you to move. So we must risk
it. Anyhow, I will stop for another hour. There will be plenty of time
then for me to make off and meet the others."
Chris crept forward again and watched the opportunity. Half an hour
later he saw what he thought was a head appear, and at once fired,
rolling over as before the instant he had pulled the trigger.
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