"Thank God they are all right
so far!" Chris said to the farmer. "I can see the Boers lying all round
the house, and that dark clump is their horses; so our ride has not been
in vain. I suppose it is about a mile and a half from here. I don't see
the gate into the yard. Which side is it?"
"That corner of the house hides it. It is on the eastern side."
"It will be quite dark in an hour; when it is so, we will move down a
bit farther, then we will halt till we hear them attacking. We must not
go nearer, for the moon will be up by that time. If I had known that we
should have got here before dark, we need not have troubled to bring the
Zulus. I intended to send them forward to see how matters stood, then
they could have guided us right up to the gate. However, as they have
all got guns, and can shoot, it will add to the panic our attack will
create, and they will all be pleased at the chance of at last getting a
shot at the Boers. They were complaining to me the other day that they
were very happy in all other respects, but they were very much
disappointed at not having had a fight."
The natives were indeed delighted when, on Chris rejoining them, he told
them that they should take their share in the attack on the Boers.
Pages:
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410