Off to the Wilds: Being the Adventures of Two Brothers

  CHAPTER NINE.

  AN AWFUL FORD TO CROSS.

  It was a wonderful relief, and following the example of the animals,every one waded into the cool stream above the oxen, and drank deeply ofthe delicious water.

  "Oh, I say, father," cried Jack, "I never thought water was so goodbefore. This _is_ a river."

  And really Jack had an idea that he had tumbled upon a stream whosewaters were wine-like in their flavour; and but for a few words ofwarning he would have gone on drinking more deeply still.

  "Thank goodness!" cried Mr Rogers, as soon as he could gain his breath."But what an escape! The waggon nearly went over. Where is thatscoundrel of a Zulu? Oh there you are," he cried excitedly. "How daredyou touch the oxen, sir! Your mad folly nearly spoiled our journey."

  The General looked back at Mr Rogers, drawing himself up in savagepride, and his eyes seemed to flash in the darkness; but he did notspeak, only turned away with a dignified look of displeasure.

  "I know why he did it, father," cried Dick, excitedly. "Look, don't yousee? The ground slopes down here to the water. Up there it's all rock,and the team would have gone over a precipice. See, it's twenty feetdeep."

  "Of course! To be sure!" cried Mr Rogers eagerly. "His keen sightshowed him the danger. I beg your pardon, my man," he cried, "I did notknow the reason, and ought not to have acted and spoken so rashly."

  He held out his hand to the stern scowling Zulu, as he spoke; but for amoment the savage hot blood that had been roused by his leader'sinjustice refused to be tamed down, and he remained with his armsfolded; but glancing at Dick's eager countenance, and recalling how itwas due to him that the real truth of his actions was made known, theGeneral let his better feelings prevail, and snatching Mr Rogers' handin his, he held it for a moment to his broad breast, and then let itfall.

  "Why you saved the waggon," said Mr Rogers, after walking to the edgeof the sudden descent where the rock went down sheer to the water, whichbubbled and foamed against its side.

  "Yes; all gone over together," said the General quietly. "Now all goacross."

  "But is it wise--is it safe--to attempt to cross to-night?" said MrRogers.

  "Will see," replied the General; and going down into the water, hewalked straight out past the heads of the oxen, literally disappearinginto the darkness as he waded on.

  "Isn't he very brave to do that, father?" asked Jack, who had watchedthe Zulu go from where they stood by the hind part of the waggon, whoseback wheels were on the dry sand.

  "Coffee no 'fraid to go," said that young gentleman.

  "Chicory go too after father," said his brother; and the two boys dashedinto the rushing water past the oxen, and then disappeared.

  "What madness!" said Mr Rogers. "Why the stream runs swiftly enoughfor them to be swept away."

  Both Jack and Dick gazed eagerly out over the swift river; but the blackfigures of the young Zulus seemed to disappear in the darkness, and forsome few minutes there was an excited pang while they listened to thebubbling of the water against the fore wheels of the waggon, or theplashing made by the oxen as they lazily moved their legs, apparentlyenjoying the pleasant coolness of the water after their toilsome march.

  "I ought not to have allowed them to go," said Mr Rogers suddenly."Here, Dinny, bring me the bay. I'll mount, and try and ride over totheir help."

  "Bring the what, sor?" said Dinny.

  "The bay," cried Mr Rogers. "Quick, man! quick!"

  "An' how'll I be getting at him, sor?" said Dinny. "Sure he's standingout there in the wather catching cowld, and I couldn't reach him widoutgetting very wet."

  "Why you did wade in to drink," cried Jack, indignantly.

  And with a rush and a splash he ran into the water, to where he coulddimly make out the form of the big bay; and catching it by the halter,he drew it after him, the rest of the thirst-quenched horses coming_plash_! _plash_! out of the water, and following the bay like so manysheep.

  Mr Rogers was about to mount, when the General's voice was heardhailing Peter and Dirk; and directly after their hearts were set at restabout Coffee and Chicory, who could be heard laughing in the darkness.

  "All shallow water," cried the General. "Trek, Peter; trek, Dirk. Goodplace all across."

  Mr Rogers hesitated as to the advisability of crossing in the darkness;but the oxen were already in, the waggon was also nearly in the river,and if allowed to stay for a few hours it would probably sink deeply inthe sand. So, leaving his men to pursue their own course, he also wadedin, while Dirk cracked his whip, Peter mounted on to the box andfollowed suit, and Klipmann, the black bullock, headed on into thestream. The shadowy-looking team could be dimly seen to straighten out;there was a heavy pull at the waggon, and another, and another, beforeits fore wheels were extricated from the sand in which they were sinkingfast, showing the wisdom of at once proceeding; and then, _plash_!_plash_! and with the water rushing against them, the party began tocross.

  "My! how strong the current is," cried Jack.

  "Take hold of the waggon, my boy," said Mr Rogers.

  But as the water did not come up to his waist, Jack did not mind. Andso the heavy load was dragged slowly through the stream.

  "I say, Jack," said Dick, suddenly, just as they started, "there arecrocodiles in these rivers, ain't there?"

  "Oh, murther!" ejaculated Dinny, who had gone into the water veryunwillingly, and had wanted to ride, but Mr Rogers had refused to havethe waggon loaded any more, preferring himself to walk.

  Then there was a rush and a splash, that passed unnoticed in the bustleof crossing; and at the end of ten minutes, by the General's guidancethe team was led to a gentle slope, which they easily mounted, anddragged the dripping waggon forth on to a level grassy plain.

  The horses had followed, to stand about snorting and stamping, fresh andbright with their bathe; and it was now determined, dark as it was, totrek on for a couple of miles to a rich grassy spot that the Generalsaid was ahead, and would be a good place for outspanning and camp, whena dismal yell was heard from the farther shore.

  "What's that?" exclaimed Mr Rogers.

  But no one answered.

  "Some one must be in the river," cried Dick, excitedly. "Where'sCoffee?"

  "Here Coffee," cried the Zulu boy, who had quite accepted his name.

  "Then who is it?" said Jack, looking round in the darkness. "Here'sChicory."

  "Why, it's Dinny," cried Dick. "Ahoy! Dinny!"

  "Ahoy! Help now, Masther Dick, sor," came from some distance off.

  "The poor fellow is being swept down the river," exclaimed Mr Rogers,leaping on the bay to ford or swim down to the drowning man. "Dinny!Shout, man! Where are you?" he cried.

  "Sure, I'm here. How'll I get over at all?" came back.

  "What! Are you ashore?" cried Mr Rogers.

  "Yis, sor."

  "Then wade across, man. It isn't deep."

  "Sure, sor, and I daren't."

  "Dare not!" cried Jack. "Why we did."

  "Yis, sor; but a great baste of a thing laid howlt o' me, and I had togo back."

  "Are there any crocodiles here?" said Mr Rogers, to the Zulu.

  "No, boss; no crocodile. All in Limpopo river."

  "I thought so. Here, Dinny."

  "Yis, sor."

  "Come across directly, man! There's nothing to be afraid of!"

  "Sure, sor, I'm not afraid a bit!" yelled Dinny.

  "Then come over."

  "If I did, sor, the crockydiles would be aiting me, and thin what wouldyou do?"

  "Let me fetch him, father," cried Jack. "I'll wade over."

  "No, let me," said Dick. "I'm not afraid."

  "I don't think a second wetting will do either of you any good," repliedtheir father. "Here, Dick, take the bay and go across, and make thestupid fellow hold on by your stirrup-leather. Take care to gostraight."

  "Help. What'll I do now? Are ye going to lave me?" cried Dinny, inpiteous tones.

  "He
really deserves to be left," said Mr Rogers. "We shall have tocure him of this cowardice. Go on, Dick."

  Dick leaped into the saddle, touched the willing bay's sides, and thehorse began to ford the rapid stream, hesitating just a trifle as theyreached the middle, where the current pressed most hardly against hisflanks; but keeping steadily on till he was safe across.

  "Ah, Masther Dick, dear!" whined Dinny. "An' it's you, thin?"

  "Yes, it's me, my brave Irish boy!" said Dick.

  "An' ye didn't bring another of the horses for me, sor?"

  "No, Dinny, I didn't," replied Dick, smiling at the other's cowardice."My father said you were to hold on by the stirrup-leather."

  "What, and walk acrost?"

  "To be sure."

  "Saints alive! I daren't do it, Masther Dick, dear. Sure the bottom ofthe say--I mane the river--there's paved wid crockydiles; an' every stepI took I could feel them heaving up under me."

  "What, as you were going across, Dinny?"

  "Yis, sor. Not as I minded as long as they kep' quiet; but whin onehungry baste laid howlt toight o' me trousers, and scratched me leg widhis ugly teeth, I felt that it was time to be off back, and I jistescaped."

  "Hoi, there, Dick! Look sharp!"

  "Coming!" roared Dick. "Now then, Dinny. There are no crocodivilshere."

  "Hark at him now!" cried Dinny. "Why the river swarms wid 'em. Didthey ate the black boys?"

  "No, of course not. What nonsense! Come, catch hold, and let's go."

  "Masther Dick, dear, I've a mother at home in the owld country, and ifanything was to happen to me, she'd never forgive the masther."

  "Catch hold, Dinny. I tell you there's nothing to fear."

  "Sure, Masther Dick, dear, an' I'm not afraid--not the laste bit in theworrld; but I couldn't go across there to-night. Wouldn't ye fetch oneof the horses, Masther Dick?"

  "No," cried Dick impatiently. "I couldn't do that. Here, I'll get downand wade, and you can ride."

  "Thank ye, Masther Dick, dear. Sure, it's an honourable gintleman ye'llmake, if ye don't let the crockydivils get ye before your time. That'sbetther," he said, mounting. "Howlt on very tight to the horse's mane,Masther Dick; and if ye feel one of the bastes feeling and poking yeabout wid his nose before getting a good grip, jist you call out, andI'll put on the speed to drag ye away."

  "I wouldn't let my feet dabble in the water, Dinny," said Dick,wickedly. "The crocodiles snap at hands or feet held over in theirtrack."

  "What'll I do, then?" cried Dinny, in alarm.

  "I'd put my feet in my pockets, if I were you," said Dick.

  "Sure, an' it's a boy ye are for a joke, Masther Dick," cried Dinnygrimly. "I'll howlt me legs up very high. Ah! what are ye shoutingabout? We're coming."

  "Make haste there, Dick. Is anything wrong?"

  "No, father!" shouted back Dick. "There, get along with you. Give himhis head, Dinny, and he'll go straight across."

  "I'd better make him canter, hadn't I, Masther Dick, dear?"

  "Canter? Nonsense! Why, the poor thing has enough to do to keep hisfeet walking."

  "Then it isn't safe at all crossing the river, Masther Dick, dear. Andah, I daren't go like this, wid me riding the good honest baste and youwalking. What'll the masther say?"

  "That you are a terrible coward, Dinny," replied Dick.

  "Be aisy, Masther Dick. It isn't being a coward, it's thinking av mypoor mother, and taking care of meself for the poor owld sowl's sake.Whisht, Masther Dick, dear, jump up behind and hold on by me, and thebaste'll carry us both over."

  "It's rather hard on the horse, Dinny, but I don't want to get wet, sohere goes. Hold tight."

  Dick took a leap, "fly the garter" fashion, and came down astride thebay, but startling it so that it began to rear and plunge.

  "Aisy, Masther Dick, dear, or I'll be off. Be quiet, ye baste. What'sthe matter wid ye? Quiet, now!"

  "Is anything the matter there?" came from out of the darkness across theriver.

  "No-o-o-o!" roared Dick, drumming the bay's ribs with his heels. "Trek!go on, old fellow."

  "Oh, take care, Masther Dick, dear, whatever ye do," whined Dinny.

  "Oh, I'll take care," cried Dick, assuming the lead, and leaning forwardso as to get the reins. "There, I'll guide; you hold him tightly withyour knees. Go on, bay."

  On went the bay steadily enough; and there was no disposition to wavernow, even in the sharpest parts of the stream, for the extra weight uponhis back made him firmer. But just as they reached the middle of theriver a mischievous idea entered Dick's head, and suddenly with one foothe made a splash, while with the other he pressed Dinny's leg againstthe horse's side.

  "Murther! Help!" yelled Dinny. "He's got me at last!" and throwinghimself in the opposite direction, Dick only managed to save himself bynipping the horse. As for Dinny, he went head over heels into therunning stream, being borne back, however, by the current against Dick'slegs, when, grasping him by the collar, Dick urged the horse on, Dinnysupplementing his young master's hold by a most tenacious grasp, tillthe horse's hoofs began to plash in the shallower water, and poor Dinnywas dragged out on to dry land.

  "Why, what have you been about, Dinny?" cried Mr Rogers angrily. "Whydidn't you come over with us?"

  "Sure, sor, I'm kilt entoirely," groaned Dinny, rubbing his leg. "Twiceover the savage bastes have had hold of me, and if I hadn't thrownmeself on the other side of the bay horse, it's this minute they'd beaiting of me up."

  "Jump up and come along," cried Mr Rogers. "It's my belief, Dinny,that you are a great coward. Here, make haste, the waggon's nearly amile ahead."

  "Oh, masther, it was a narrow escape," groaned Dinny, who did notattempt to move.

  "It will be a narrower one, Dinny, if you stay there, for the Zulu tellsme that this is a favourite spot for lions to lie in wait for the bokand zebra that come down to drink."

  "Oh, masther dear, why didn't ye say so before?" cried Dinny, jumping upwith alacrity. "Sure I'd be the first to tell a man if he was indanger."

  Mr Rogers did not reply, but went on with his son, Dinny keeping veryclose behind, till they overtook the waggon just as it reached thecamping-place, where a fire was soon burning, and the oxen contentedlycropping the ample supply of excellent grass.