Excerpt: ...of a whip. The three of them jumped to their feet, run across the road, an' slipped inter the kloof. The young chap seed 'em cross his track, and pulled up, then I'm darned if he didn't keep on again. Well, I give him another chance. I cried to him in English to keep to his left, but he jes' lifted his hand and kep' on. Nex' moment he were running along the fringe of the kloof where the dark wood came down to the road, and then he gave a lurch, and rolled over an' over, his gun flying from his hand. I could hear ...
Read More
Excerpt: ...of a whip. The three of them jumped to their feet, run across the road, an' slipped inter the kloof. The young chap seed 'em cross his track, and pulled up, then I'm darned if he didn't keep on again. Well, I give him another chance. I cried to him in English to keep to his left, but he jes' lifted his hand and kep' on. Nex' moment he were running along the fringe of the kloof where the dark wood came down to the road, and then he gave a lurch, and rolled over an' over, his gun flying from his hand. I could hear the tinkle of the metal against the stones. The roll carried him to a rock, and over that he went with a splash inter a pool o' water, and as he went in a Kaffir darted from the kloof with his shield and assegai. I knew then the kloof were full of Kaffirs, for none of the other three carried a shield. All this yer happened in a breath almost, and then I ran along the krantz to where a corner of it stood out bold, an' standing there I shouted to the regiment, which lay outstretched down below, the head of it no further than 300 paces from the beginning of the kloof on that side. The Colonel were riding ahead, then followed the pioneers, with their axes and spades sheathed in shiny black leather, and on their chests big black beards, behind them a company of the 94th with the bayonets glittering like running fire, back o' them the band, and ahind them the waggons in the long line, and far behind, a full mile from the Colonel, the balance of the regiment. Sonny! in ten minutes the hull biling of 'em would 'a been in the narrer of the valley without room to turn, and they'd a bin assegaied to a man, I tell you! But Abe Pike were there; and I tell you he gave a shout that went ekering down that valley from side to side. " Halt!" I said. The Colonel he pulled up. I seed him shade his eyes with his hand as he took a look, and I seed some of the soldiers point up at me. The Colonel he shook his reins, and rode on. " Halt!" I said; but he jes' kep'...
Read Less