"How long shall we give them, Kreta?"
"In an hour Kreta will go see," the chief said; "but better give two hours for all to be fast asleep."
In about an hour Ronald, who had been half lying on the ground with his head on his hands, looked round and found that the chief had stolen away. He sat up and watched the hut intently. The fires were burning low now, although many of the Kaffirs were sitting round them; but there was still light enough for him, looking intently, to see a figure moving along. Once or twice he fancied he saw a dark shadow on the ground close to the hut, but he was not sure, and was still gazing intently when there was a touch on his shoulder, and, looking round, he saw the chief beside him.
"Two women watch," he said, "others all quiet. Give a little time longer, to make sure that all are asleep, then we go on."
It seemed to Ronald fully2 two hours, although it was less than one, before Kreta again touched him.
"Time to go, incos," he said. "You go down with me to the hut, but not quite close. Kreta bring girl to you. You better not go. Kreta walk more quietly than white man. Noise spoil everything, get all of us killed."
Ronald gave his consent, though reluctantly, but he felt it was right that the Fingo, who was risking his life for his sake, should carry out his plans in his own way. Kreta ordered one of his men to rejoin his companions, and with the other advanced towards the village.
When within forty yards of the hut, he touched Ronald and whispered to him to remain there. Then he and his companion lay down on the ground, and, without the slightest sound that Ronald could detect, disappeared in the darkness, while Ronald stood with his revolver in his hand, ready at any moment to spring forward and throw himself upon the Kaffirs.
Mary Armstrong lay awake, with every faculty3 upon the stretch. Where the succour was to come from, or how, she could not imagine; but it was evident, at least, that some white man was here, and was working for her. She listened intently to every sound, with her eyes wide open, staring at the two women, who were cooking mealies in the fire, and keeping up a low, murmured talk. She had not even a hope that they would sleep. She knew that the natives constantly sit up talking and feasting until daylight is close at hand; and as they had extra motives4 for vigilance, she was sure that they would keep awake.
Suddenly, so suddenly that she scarcely knew what had happened, the two women disappeared from her sight. A hand had grasped each tightly by the throat, another hand seized the hair, and, with a sharp jerk, pulled the head on one side, breaking the neck in a moment—a common mode among the Kaffirs of putting any one to death. The whole thing did not occupy a moment, and as the women disappeared from her sight, two natives rose to their feet and looked round. Convinced that this was the succour promised her, she sat up. One of the natives put his finger upon his lips to indicate the necessity of silence, and beckoned5 for her to rise and come to him. When she did so he wrapped her in a dark blanket and led her to the door. He pushed aside the hanging and went out.
Mary followed close behind him. He now put the blanket over her head and lifted her in his arms. A momentary6 dread7 seized her lest this might be an emissary of some other chief, who had sent him to carry off Macomo's new captive, but the thought of the English words reassured8 her; and, at any rate, even if it were so, her position could not possibly be worse than on the return of Macomo the next morning. She was carried a short distance, then she heard her bearer say in English: "Come along; I take her a bit further. Too close to Kaffir still." She was carried on for some distance. Then there was a stop, and she was placed on her feet; the blanket was removed from her head, and a moment later a dark figure seized her hand.
"Thank God, we have got you out, Miss Armstrong."
The revulsion of feeling at hearing her own tongue was so great that she was not capable of speaking, and she would have fallen had she not been clasped in the arms of the person who addressed her. Her surprise at feeling that the arms that encircled her were bare, roused her.
"Who are you, sir?" she asked, trembling.
"I am Sergeant9 Blunt, Miss Armstrong. No wonder you did not know me. I am got up in native fashion. You can trust yourself with me, you know."
"Oh, yes, yes," the girl sobbed10. "I know I can, you saved my life once before. How did you come here? And, oh, can you tell me any news about my father?"
"He is hurt, Miss Armstrong, but I have every hope that he will recover. Now you must be strong, for we must be miles from here before morning. Can you walk?"
"Oh yes, I can walk any distance," the girl said. "Yesterday it seemed to me that I could not walk an inch further were it to save my life, and they had to carry me the last mile or two, but now I feel strong enough to walk miles."
"She can walk at present, chief," Ronald said, "let us go forward at once."
They were now on the pathway leading down to the kraal. The chief took the lead, telling Mary Armstrong to take hold of his blanket and follow close behind him, while Ronald followed on her heels, the other Fingoes keeping in the rear. The darkness beneath the trees was dense11, and it was some time before Ronald could make out even the outline of the figures before him. Before approaching a kraal a halt was always made, and one of the Fingoes went on ahead to see if the fires were out and all natives inside their huts. Several times, although all the human beings were asleep, the scout12 returned, saying that they could not pass through the kraal, for the dogs had scented13 him and growled14 fiercely, and would set up such a barking when the party passed as to bring all the village out to see what was the matter.
Then long detours15, that would have been difficult through the thick bush in daylight, but at night were almost impossible, had to be made. Each time that this had to be done, Kreta lifted Mary Armstrong and carried her, and she had now become so exhausted16 that she was unable even to protest. Ronald would have carried her himself, but he felt that it would be worse than useless to attempt to do so. Though unencumbered, he had the greatest difficulty in making his way through the bushes, which scratched and tore his flesh terribly; but the chief seemed to be possessed17 of the eyes of a bat, and glided18 through them, scarcely moving a twig19 as he passed. After going on for upwards20 of three hours, the chief stopped.
"It will be getting light soon. We must hide her now. Cannot get further until to-morrow night."
Although Ronald Mervyn, struggling along in the darkness, had not noticed it, the party had for the last hour turned off from the line they had before been following. They stopped by a little stream, running down the valley. Here a native refilled the gourds21, and Mary Armstrong felt better after a drink of water.
"I think," Ronald said to her, "that if you were to bathe your face and hands it would refresh you. There is a rock here just at the edge of the stream, I am sure your feet must be sore and blistered22. It will be half an hour before there is a gleam of light, and I should recommend you to take off your shoes and stockings and paddle your feet in the water."
"That would be refreshing," the girl said. "My feet are aching dreadfully. Now please tell me all that has happened, and how you came to be here."
Sitting beside her, Ronald told her what had been done from the time when his party arrived and beat off the natives attacking the waggons24.
"How can I thank you enough?" she said, when he had finished. "To think that you have done all this for me."
"Never mind about thanks, Miss Armstrong; we are not out of the wood yet, our dangers are only half over, and if it were not that I trust to the cunning of our good friend Kreta and his Fingoes I should have very little hope of getting out of this mess. I think it is just beginning to get light, for I can make out the outlines of the trunks of the trees, which is more than I could do before. I will go and ask Kreta what he is going to do, and by the time I come back perhaps you had better get your shoes on again, and be ready for a start. I don't suppose we shall go far, but no doubt he will find some sort of hiding-place." Kreta, in fact, was just giving instructions to his men.
"We are going out to find some good place to hide away in to-day," he said. "In the morning they search all about the woods. We must get into shelter before it light enough for the men on hill tops to see down through trees. You stop here quiet. In half an hour we come back again. There is plenty time; they no find out yet that woman gone."
In a few minutes Mary Armstrong joined Ronald.
"How do you feel now?" he asked.
"All the fresher and better for the wash," she said; "but I really don't think I could walk very far, my feet are very much blistered. I don't see why they should be so bad; we have only gone about twenty-four miles each day, and I always considered that I could walk twenty miles without difficulty."
"It makes all the difference how you walk, Miss Armstrong. No doubt, if you had been in good spirits, and with a pleasant party, you could have walked fifty miles in two days, although that is certainly a long distance for a woman; but depressed25 and almost despairing, as you were, it told upon you generally, and doubtless you rather dragged your feet along than walked."
"I don't want to think about it," the girl said, with a shudder27. "It seems to have been an awful dream. Some day I will tell you about it; but I cannot now."
"Here are some mealies and some cold meat. We each brought a week's supply with us when we left the waggons. I am sure that you will be all the better for eating something."
"I do feel very hungry, now I think of it," the girl assented28; "I have hardly eaten a mouthful since that morning."
"I am hungry myself," Ronald said "I was too anxious yesterday to do justice to my food."
"I feel very much better now," the girl said when she had finished. "I believe I was faint from want of food before, although I did not think of it. I am sure I could go on walking now. It was not the pain that stopped me, but simply because I didn't feel as if I could lift my foot from the ground. And there is one thing I want to say: I wish you would not call me Miss Armstrong, it seems so formal and stiff, when you are running such terrible risks to save me. Please call me Mary, and I will call you Harry29. I think I heard you tell my father your name was Harry Blunt."
"That is the name I enlisted30 under, it is not my own name; men very seldom enlist31 under their own names."
"Why not?" she asked in surprise.
"Partly, I suppose, because a good many of us get into scrapes before we enlist, and don't care for our friends to be able to trace us."
"I am sure you never got into a scrape," the girl said, looking up into Ronald's face.
"I got into a very bad scrape," Ronald answered, "a scrape that has spoilt my whole life; but we will not talk about that. But I would rather, if you don't mind, that you should call me by my own name now we are together. If we get out of this I shall be Sergeant Blunt again, but I should like you to call me Ronald now."
"Ronald," the girl said, "that sounds Scottish."
"I am not Scotch32, nor so far as I know is there any Scotch blood in my veins33, but the name has been in the family a good many years; how it got there I do not know."
"I almost wish it was dark again," the girl said, with a little laugh; "in the dark you seem to me the Sergeant Blunt who came just in time to save us that day the farm was attacked; but now I can see you I cannot recognise you at all; even your eyes look quite different in that black skin."
"I flatter myself that my get up is very good," Ronald laughed. "I have had some difficulty in keeping up the colour. Each day before starting we have gone to our fires and got fresh charcoal34 and mixed it with some grease we brought with us and rubbed it in afresh."
"Your hair is your weak point, Ronald; but, of course, no European could make his hair like a native's. Still, as it is cut so close, it would not be noticed a little way off."
Two or three of the Fingoes had by this time returned, and in a few minutes all had gathered at the spot. Kreta listened to the reports of each of his men, and they held a short consultation35. Then he came up to Ronald.
"One of my men has found a place that will do well," he said. "It is time we were going."
One of the Fingoes now took the lead; the others followed. A quarter of an hour's walk up the hill, which grew steeper and steeper every step, brought them to a spot where some masses of rock had fallen from above. They were half covered with the thick growth of brushwood. The native pushed one of the bushes aside, and showed a sort of cave formed by a great slab36 of rock that had fallen over the others. Kreta uttered an expression of approval. Two of the natives crept in with their assegais in their hands. In two or three minutes one of them returned with the bodies of two puff37 adders38 they had killed. These were dropped in among some rocks.
"You can go in now," Kreta said. "There are no more of them."
Ronald crawled in first, and helped Mary Armstrong in after him; the natives followed. Kreta came in last, carefully examining the bush before he did so, to see that no twig was broken or disarranged. He managed as he entered to place two or three rocks over the entrance.
"Good place," he said, looking round as he joined the others. It was indeed of ample size to contain the party, and was some four feet in height. Light came in in several places between the rocks on which the upper slab rested.
"It could not be better, Kreta, even if it had been made on purpose. It was lucky indeed your fellow found it."
"We found two or three others," the chief said, "but this best."
"It is lucky those men came in first and found the snakes," Mary Armstrong said, "for we have not got here the stuff we always use in the colony as an antidote39, and their bite is almost always fatal unless that can be used in time." Ronald was aware of this, and had, indeed, during the night's march, had snakes constantly in his mind, for he knew that they abounded40 in the hills.
One of the Fingoes had taken his station at the entrance, having moved one of the stones the chief had placed there, so that he could sit with his head out of the opening. Half an hour after they had entered the cave he turned round and spoke41 to the chief.
"The Kaffirs are hunting," Kreta said. Listening at the opening they could hear distant shouts. These were answered from many points, some of them comparatively close.
"The news is being passed from kraal to kraal," Ronald said; "they will be up like a swarm42 of bees now, but search as they will they are not likely to find us here. Do you think they will trace us at all, chief?"
"They will find where we stopped close to kraal," Kreta said; "the dead leaves were stirred by our feet; after that not find, too many people gone along path; ground very hard; may find, sometime, mark of the white woman's shoe; but we leave path many times, and after I carry no find at all. Mountains very big, much bush; never find here."
The chief now told his follower43 to replace the stone and join the others, and ordered all to be silent. Sitting with his ear at one of the openings he listened to the sounds in the woods; once or twice he whispered that Kaffirs were passing close, searching among the bushes; and one party came so near that their words could be plainly heard in the cave. They were discussing the manner in which the fugitive44 had escaped, and were unanimous in the belief that she had been carried off by the followers45 of some other chief, for that an enemy should have penetrated46 into the heart of the Amatolas did not strike them as possible.
The argument was only as to which of the other chiefs would have ventured to rob Macomo, and the opinion inclined to the fact that it must have been Sandilli himself, who would doubtless have heard, from the messenger sent over on the previous afternoon to inform Macomo, of the return of the band with a pretty young white woman as a captive. Macomo had of course been drunk, and Sandilli might have determined47 to have the prize carried off for himself.
"Good thing the Kaffirs have that thought, not search so much here. Search in Sandilli's country. Perhaps make great quarrel between Macomo and Sandilli. Good thing that."
As the day went on the spirits of the Fingoes rose, and in low tones they expressed their delight at having outwitted the Kaffirs.
No footsteps had been heard in their neighbourhood for some time, and they felt sure that the search had been abandoned in that quarter. Towards sunset all ate a hearty49 meal, and as soon as it became dark the stones at the entrance were removed and the party crept out. Mary Armstrong had slept the greater part of the day, and Ronald and the Fingoes had also passed a portion of their time in sleep. They started, therefore, refreshed and strong.
It took them many hours of patient work before they arrived at the edge of the forest on the last swell50 of the Amatolas. They had been obliged to make many detours to avoid kraals, and to surmount51 the precipices52 that often barred their way. They had started about eight in the evening, and it was, as they knew from the stars, fully three o'clock in the morning when they emerged from the forest.
Mary Armstrong had kept on well with the rest; her feet were extremely painful, but she was now strong and hopeful, and no word of complaint escaped her. Ronald and the chief kept by her side, helping53 her up or down difficult places, and assisting her to pass through the thorny54 bushes, which caught her dress, and would have rendered it almost impossible for her to get through unaided. Once out of the bush, the party hurried down the grassy55 slope, and then kept on a mile further. The chief now gave a loud call. It was answered faintly from the distance; in five minutes the sound of a horse's hoofs56 were heard, and in a short time the Fingo who had been left in charge of it, galloped57 up with Ronald's horse. Mary Armstrong was sitting on the ground, for she was now so utterly59 exhausted she could no longer keep her feet, and had, since they left the bush, been supported and half carried by Ronald and Kreta. She made an effort to rise as the horse came up.
"Please wait a moment; I will not be above two minutes," Ronald said; "but I really cannot ride into Williamstown like this."
He unstrapped his valise, took the jack-boots that were hanging from the saddle, and moved away in the darkness. In two or three minutes he returned in his uniform.
"I feel a civilised being again," he said, laughing; "a handful of sand at the first stream we come to will get most of this black off my face. I have left my blanket as a legacy61 to any Kaffir who may light upon it. Now I will shift the saddle a few inches further back. I think you had better ride before me, for you are completely worn out, and I can hold you there better than you could hold yourself if you were to sit behind me." He strapped60 on his valise, shifted his saddle, lifted Mary up, and sprang up behind her.
"Are you comfortable?" he asked.
"Quite comfortable," she said, a little shyly, and then they started. The light was just beginning to break in the east as they rode out from the clump62 of trees. They were not out of danger yet, for parties of Kaffirs might be met with at any time until they arrived within musket63 shot of King Williamstown. The Fingoes ran at a pace that kept the horse at a sharp trot64. It was very pleasant to Ronald Mervyn to feel Mary Armstrong in his arms, and to know, as he did, how safe and confident she felt there; but he did not press her more closely than was necessary to enable her to retain her seat, or permit himself to speak in a softer or tenderer tone than usual.
"If we should come across any of these scoundrels, Mary," he said, presently, "do you take the reins65. Do you think you can sit steady without my holding you firmly?"
"Yes," the girl said, "if I put one foot on yours I could certainly hold on. I could twist one of my hands in the horse's mane."
"Can you use a pistol?"
"Of course I can," she replied. "I was as good a shot as my father."
"That is all right, then. I will give you one of my pistols; then I can hold you with my right arm, for the horse may plunge66 if a spear strikes him. I will use my pistol in my left hand. I will see that no one catches the bridle67 on that side; do you attend to the right. I hope it won't come to that, still there's never any saying, and we shall have one or two nasty places to pass through on our way down. We have the advantage that should there be any Kaffirs there they will not be keeping a watch this way, and we may hope to get pretty well through them before they see us."
"Will you promise me one thing, Ronald?" she asked. "Will you shoot me if you find that we cannot get past?"
Ronald nodded.
"I am not at all afraid of death," she said; "death would be nothing to that. I would rather die a thousand times than fall into the hands of the Kaffirs again."
"I promise you, Mary, my last shot but one shall be for you, my last for myself; but if I am struck off the horse by a bullet or assegai you must trust to your own pistol."
"I will do that, Ronald; I have been perfectly68 happy since you took me out of the hut, and have not seemed to feel any fear of being recaptured, for I felt that if they overtook us I could always escape so. On the way there, if I could have got hold of an assegai I should have stabbed myself."
"Thank God you didn't," said Ronald, earnestly, "though I could not have blamed you."
They paused at the entrance to each kloof through which they had to pass, and the Fingoes went cautiously ahead searching through the bushes. It was not until he heard their call on the other side that Ronald galloped after them.
"I begin to hope that we shall get through now," Ronald said, after emerging from one of these kloofs; "we have only one more bad place to pass, but, of course, the danger is greatest there, as from that the Kaffirs will probably be watching against any advance of the troops from the town."
The Fingoes were evidently of the same opinion, for as they approached it Kreta stopped to speak to Ronald.
"Kaffir sure to be here," he said, "but me and my men can creep through; but we must not call to you, incos; the Kaffirs would hear us and be on the watch. Safest plan for us to go through first, not go along paths, but through bush; then for you to gallop58 straight through; even if they close to path, you get past before they time to stop you. I think that best way."
"I think so too, Kreta. If they hear the horse's hoofs coming from behind they will suppose it is a mounted messenger from the hills. Anyhow, I think that a dash for it is our best chance."
"I think so, incos. I think you get through safe if go fast."
"How long will you be getting through, Kreta?"
"Quarter of an hour," the chief said; "must go slow. Your ride four, five minutes."
Kreta stood thoughtfully for a minute or two.
"Me don't like it, incos. Me tell you what we do. We keep over to left, and then when we get just through the bush we fire our guns. Then the Kaffirs very much surprised and all run that way, and you ride straight through."
"But they might overtake you, Kreta."
"They no overtake," the chief said, confidently. "We run fast and get good start. Williamstown only one hour's walk; run less than half hour. They no catch us."
When the Fingoes had been gone about ten minutes, Ronald, assured that the Kaffirs would be gathered at the far side of the kloof, went forward at a walk. Presently he heard six shots fired in rapid succession. This was followed by an outburst of yells and cries in front, and he set spurs to his horse and dashed forward at a gallop. He was nearly through the kloof when a body of Kaffirs, who were running through the wood from the right, burst suddenly from the bushes into the path. So astonished were they at seeing a white man within a few yards of them that for a moment they did not think of using their weapons, and Ronald dashed through them, scattering69 them to right and left. But others sprang from the bushes. Ronald shot down two men who sprang at the horse's bridle, and he heard Mary Armstrong's pistol on the other side. He had drawn his sword before setting off at a gallop. "Hold tight, Mary," he said, as he relaxed his hold of her and cut down a native who was springing upon him from the bushes. Another fell from a bullet from her pistol, and then he was through them. "Stoop down, Mary," he said, pressing her forward on the horse's neck and bending down over her. He felt his horse give a sudden spring, and knew that it was hit with an assegai; while almost at the same instant he felt a sensation as of a hot iron running from his belt to his shoulder, as a spear ripped up cloth and flesh and then glanced along over him.
A moment later and they were out of the kloof, and riding at full speed across the open. Looking over his shoulder he saw that the Kaffirs gave up pursuit after following for a hundred yards. Over on the left he heard dropping shots, and presently caught a glimpse in that direction of the Fingoes running in a close body, pursued at the distance of a hundred yards or so by a large number of Kaffirs. But others had heard the sound of firing, for in a minute or two he saw a body of horsemen riding at full speed from Williamstown in the direction of the firing. He at once checked the speed of his horse.
"No, I am not touched. Are you hurt, Ronald? I thought I felt you start."
"I have got a bit of a scratch on the back, but it's nothing serious. I will get off in a moment, Mary; the horse has an assegai in his quarters, and I must get it out."
"Take me down, too, please; I feel giddy now it is all over."
Ronald lifted her down, and then pulled the assegai from the horse's back.
"I don't think much harm is done," he said; "a fortnight in the stable and he will be all right again."
"You are bleeding dreadfully," the girl exclaimed, as she caught sight of his back. "It's a terrible wound to look at."
"Then it looks worse than it is," he laughed. "The spear only glanced along on the ribs71. It's lucky I was stooping so much. After going through what we have we may think ourselves well off indeed that we have escaped with such a scratch as this between us."
"It's not a scratch at all," the girl said, indignantly; "it's a very deep bad cut."
"Perhaps it is a bad cut," Ronald smiled, "but a cut is of no consequence one way or the other. Now let us join the others. Ah, here they come, with Kreta showing them the way."
The troopers had chased the Kaffirs back to the bush, and, led by the Fingo, were now coming up at a gallop to the spot where Ronald and Mary Armstrong were standing72 by the horse.
"Ah, it is you, sergeant," Lieutenant73 Daniels exclaimed, for it was a portion of Ronald's own troop that had ridden up. "I never expected to see you again, for we heard the day before yesterday from the officer who came in with the ammunition74 waggons that you had gone off to try to rescue three ladies who had been carried off by the Kaffirs. It was a mad business, but you have partly succeeded, I am glad to see," and he lifted his cap to Mary Armstrong.
"Partly, sir," Ronald said. "The wretches75 killed the other two the day they carried them off. This is Miss Armstrong. I think you stopped at her father's house one day when we were out on the Kabousie."
"Yes, of course," the lieutenant said, alighting. "Excuse me for not recognising you, Miss Armstrong; but, in fact——"
"I am not surprised at that, Miss Armstrong. You must have gone through a terrible time, and I heartily77 congratulate Sergeant Blunt on the success of his gallant78 attempt to rescue you."
"Have you heard from my father? How is he?"
"Your father, Miss Armstrong! I have heard nothing about him since I heard from Sergeant Blunt that you had all got safely away after that attack."
"He was in the waggon23, sir," Ronald explained; "he was hurt in the fight with the Kaffirs, and Mr. Nolan brought him back in the waggons."
"Oh, I heard he had brought a wounded man with him; but I did not hear the name. Nolan said he had been badly wounded, but the surgeon told me he thought he might get round. I have no doubt that the sight of Miss Armstrong will do him good."
"Perhaps, sir," Ronald said, faintly, "you will let one of the troop ride on with Miss Armstrong at once. I think I must wait for a bit."
"Why, what is it, sergeant?" the lieutenant asked, catching79 him by the arm, for he saw that he was on the point of falling. "You are wounded, I see; and here am I talking about other things and not thinking of you."
Two of the troop leapt from their horses and laid Ronald down, for he had fainted, overcome partly by the pain and loss of blood, but more by the sudden termination of the heavy strain of the last four days.
"It is only a flesh wound, Miss Armstrong. There is no occasion for fear. He has fainted from loss of blood, and I have no doubt but he will soon be all right again. Johnson, hand your horse over to Miss Armstrong, and do you, Williams, ride over with her to the hospital. We will have Sergeant Blunt in the hospital half an hour after you get there, Miss Armstrong."
"It seems very unkind to leave him," the girl said, "after all he has done for me."
"He will understand it, my dear young lady, and you can see him in the hospital directly you get there."
Mary reluctantly allowed herself to be lifted into the saddle, and rode off with the trooper.
"Now take his jacket and shirt off," the lieutenant said, "it's a nasty rip that he has got. I suppose he was leaning forward in the saddle when the spear touched him. It's lucky it glanced up instead of going through him."
The soldiers removed Ronald's coat. There was no shirt underneath80, for he had not waited to put one on when he mounted. The troopers had heard from their comrades, on the return of the escort, that the sergeant had, before starting, got himself up as a native; and they were not therefore surprised, as they otherwise would have been, at his black skin.
"Put your hand into the left holster of my saddle," the lieutenant said. "You will find two or three bandages and some lint81 there; they are things that come in handy for this work. Lay the lint in the gash82. That's right. Press it down a little, and put some more in. Now lift him up a bit, while I pass these bandages round his body. There; I think he will do now; but there's no doubt it is a nasty wound. It has cut right through the muscles of the back. Now turn him over, and give me my flask83 from the holster."
Some brandy and water was poured between Ronald's lips, and he soon opened his eyes.
"Don't move, sergeant, or you will set your wound off bleeding again. We will soon get you comfortably into hospital. Ah, that is the very thing; good men," he broke off, as Kreta and the Fingoes brought up a litter which they had been busy in constructing. "Miss Armstrong has ridden on to the hospital to see her father. She wanted to stop, but I sent her on, so that we could bandage you comfortably."
"I think I can sit a horse now," Ronald said, trying to rise.
"I don't know whether you can or not, sergeant; but you are not going to try. Now, lads, lift him on to the litter."
Kreta and the two troopers lifted him carefully on to the litter; then four of the Fingoes raised it to their shoulders. Another took Ronald's horse, which now limped stiffly, and led it along behind the litter; and with the troop bringing up the rear, the party started for King Williamstown.
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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4
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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5
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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7
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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8
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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9
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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10
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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12
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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13
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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14
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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15
detours
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| 绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子 | |
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16
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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17
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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18
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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19
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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20
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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21
gourds
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| n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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22
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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23
waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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24
waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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28
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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31
enlist
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| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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33
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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charcoal
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| n.炭，木炭，生物炭 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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adders
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| n.加法器，（欧洲产）蝰蛇（小毒蛇），（北美产无毒的）猪鼻蛇( adder的名词复数 ) | |
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antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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abounded
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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42
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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43
follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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44
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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45
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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46
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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47
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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48
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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49
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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50
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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51
surmount
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| vt.克服；置于…顶上 | |
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52
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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53
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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54
thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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55
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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56
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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57
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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58
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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59
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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60
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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61
legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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62
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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63
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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64
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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65
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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66
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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67
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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68
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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69
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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70
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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71
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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72
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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73
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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74
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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75
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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76
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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77
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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78
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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79
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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80
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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81
lint
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| n.线头；绷带用麻布，皮棉 | |
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82
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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83
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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