CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
THE MASTER ABSENT.
Four days had passed since Captain Broderick had started on hisexpedition. His family were now hoping every hour to see him return.It was difficult, however, to calculate how far Hendricks might have gotbefore he was overtaken, and what delays might have occurred. Perhapshe might be unwilling to give up Lionel, and would not be satisfied thathe was Captain Broderick's son. He was deeply attached to the boy, andlooked forward to having him as his companion during his travels, andmaking him his successor in his arduous, though interesting andlucrative, calling. Captain Broderick was only slightly acquainted withHendricks, and had from the first been doubtful how he might bereceived. He had therefore resolved to go himself, instead of sendingany one else, to bring his supposed son to the farm. It is more easy toimagine than describe Mrs Broderick's state of anxiety. Was herlong-lost boy to be restored to her? or were the anticipations she hadformed to be fallacious? Her daughters shared her feelings, but theywere so much occupied from morning till night in their various duties,that their minds consequently dwelt less on the subject than did hers.Rupert had satisfied himself that there was no doubt about the matter,and that Hendricks would immediately give up his young brother, as hecalled him, to his father.
The evening of the fourth day was coming to a close, when a Kaffir wasseen on the opposite side of the river, making signals. Rupert andPercy, who were together, instantly hurried down to the boat toascertain what he wanted.
"I wonder whether he brings a message from our father," said Percy; "ifso, I am afraid he has been delayed."
"Yes, I am sure he does," answered Rupert. "See, he carries a stick,with a letter stuck in a cleft in the end. That's the way the Kaffirsalways carry written messages. We shall soon know its contents."
They were quickly across, and the Kaffir, stepping into the boat,presented the letter at the end of the stick to Rupert. It wasaddressed, however, to Mrs Broderick, in his father's handwriting, sothat he could not open it, and he and Percy had to repress theircuriosity until its contents could be communicated by their mother.They eagerly questioned the Kaffir messenger as they pulled across. He,however, could give them but little information beyond the fact that thewhite chief had overtaken the hunter and his waggon about five days'journey from the border of Zululand; that two horses had been lost, andthat one of the party had been severely injured or killed; and as theycould obtain no animals to supply the places of those they had lost,they were likely to be detained some time. He was, he said, the onlyinhabitant of his native village who knew the country in that direction,and he had therefore been selected to bring the message, but he had hadno other communication with the camp, and was unable to give moreparticulars.
As soon as they landed, they hurried up, accompanied by the messenger,to the farm. They found Mrs Broderick in the sitting-room. Sheeagerly opened the letter, while they anxiously watched her countenance.
"Is our father well?" inquired Helen.
"What does he say about Lionel?" asked Percy.
"I hope no one has come to grief," exclaimed Rupert.
Mrs Broderick did not reply until she had read through the letter, andthen, holding it in her hands, and still glancing at its contents, shesaid--
"Your father is well, though his journey was a dangerous one. Hendricksseemed much surprised, but received him in a friendly way, until heexplained the object of his visit, when the hunter appeared veryunwilling to believe that Lionel is the child we lost. He is evidentlydeeply attached to the boy, and does not wish to part with him. Hesaid, however, that he should be satisfied if Mangaleesu could produceany one of the tribe who was present at the attack on our party, whenthe nurse was murdered and the child carried off. This, fromMangaleesu's account, seems impossible, as he declares that the whole ofthe tribe had joined him, and that every person in the kraal was put todeath, with the exception of himself, his wife, and the child. Yourfather writes, `I cannot come away without the boy; for the more I lookat him, the more convinced I am that he is our son. A certainexpression in the countenance, which all our children possess, is there,though it is difficult to make Hendricks understand this. Still, as heis an honourable and right-minded man, I am convinced that he onlyrequires to be persuaded I have a just claim on the boy, to give him up.He assures me--and I believe him when he says that he loves the boy asif he were his own child--that he has made him his heir, and that hewill, he hopes, inherit a fair estate and a good sum at the bank. Ofcourse I am unwilling to deprive the boy of these advantages, which aresuperior to any I can hope to give him. At the same time, if heaccompanies Hendricks, he will be exposed to many dangers, and might notlive to enjoy them. I hope, however, that Hendricks will allow me tobring the boy away, when I promise to restore him should he not prove tobe our son, or should he desire to return; and I trust he will not underany circumstances alter his intentions towards him. The boy, as it is,has no real claim upon the hunter, who might at any time change hismind, and leave him destitute, though I do not, judging from hischaracter, see any likelihood of his doing that. I however must, at allevents, remain here some days, for I have lost two horses on thejourney, and my faithful follower, Vermack, has been so severely injuredby a lion, narrowly escaping with his life, that he is at presentutterly unable to travel, though he declares he shall be as soon as I amprepared to start. He received the injury from which he is suffering onthe morning of the day we reached this place. He had got off to tightenthe girths of his saddle, but had again mounted, and was following someway behind, when a monstrous animal rushed out from behind a thicket,and sprang on his horse. His side and leg were much lacerated as hethrew himself from his saddle, and before he could get on his feet andunsling his rifle, the lion had killed his horse, and was about to leapon him, but the brave old Dutchman was up to the emergency. The soundof his shot, as he fired at the brute's head, was the first indicationwe had of his danger.
"`Galloping back, we saw him on the ground, while the lion lay dead onthe top of the horse, close to him. Fortunately, Hendricks hadoutspanned at no great distance off, and had sent out some hunters, who,coming up directly afterwards, assisted us in carrying the wounded manto the camp. That very night the horses which Denis Maloney and theKaffir had ridden were attacked by a troop of hyenas, and one was soseverely injured that we were obliged to put him out of his misery.Hendricks cannot spare us any of his horses, and it may be some daysbefore I can obtain any fresh ones, though I have sent in alldirections. Let me know by bearer of this--Omkomo--who will be ready toset off after a few hours' rest, how you are all getting on. Bid Rupertnot to relax his vigilance, although, from information I picked up onthe road, I trust that the Zulus who are in search of Mangaleesu havegiven up the pursuit, and have returned to their own district. Thisnecessitates a long delay, for which I had not reckoned when I left thefarm.'"
Though deeply thankful to hear of her husband's safety, Mrs Broderickwas left in the same state as before regarding Lionel. Her mother'sheart, and the account Percy had given her, convinced her that he washer son.
"I knew my father would see the likeness as soon as he set eyes on him!"exclaimed Percy. "Didn't you, Crawford? Wouldn't you be ready to swearthat he was our brother?"
Crawford could scarcely help smiling. He thought Lionel something likeRupert and Maud, but he did not consider him to resemble either Helen orRose.
Mrs Broderick at once wrote an answer to her husband's letter, whichwas delivered to Omkomo. After a hearty meal he went to sleep. Risingwhen it was nearly daylight, he took some more food, and declared thathe was ready to set out. Rupert and Crawford ferried him across theriver.
"In case the white chief should not be ready to begin his journey whenyou arrive at the hunter's camp, will you promise to return with anymessage he may have to send?" asked Rupert as he put the Kaffir onshore.
"Yes, for the same reward I will come," was the answer.
Farewells were exchanged, and the messeng
er quickly disappeared in thegloom.
The day passed by, the inmates of the farm being engaged in their usualoccupation. Rupert obeyed his father's injunctions, and had a strictlook-out kept, that he might obtain early notice of the approach ofstrangers. An active scout was also employed in scouring the countryround on the east side of the river, keeping himself concealed while hemade his way to spots from whence he could take a wide survey, andascertain if any persons were moving about. The country on that sidewas entirely depopulated; Panda, as has before been said, not allowingany of his subjects to live near the borders. So far the farm wasfavourably situated, for there were thus no natives likely to provehostile in its immediate neighbourhood, as there were no flocks, orherds, or game to tempt them, and savage wild beasts were comparativelyrare.
Some days had passed since Rupert and Crawford caught sight of thestrange natives, on their visit to the hippopotamus pond, and they hadceased to think about the subject. They were indeed fully convincedthat none of the party of Zulus who had threatened to attack themremained.
Mangaleesu, they considered, might without risk take his departure; buthe expressed no wish to go, and Mrs Broderick was anxious to keep him,that he might give such particulars as he possessed with regard toLionel. It has been said that the inhabitants of the farm dependedgreatly on the chase for their supply of meat, and as no hunters hadgone out for several days, their stock had run short.
Rupert was always ready for a hunting expedition, and Crawford, who hadcome out to Africa under the belief that the chase would form one of hischief occupations, was eager to engage in the sport.
"I don't think there can be any objection to our going away for a fewhours," said Rupert. "I can leave Percy in charge during our absence,as he will have nothing to do except to see that the men keep at theirwork. You and I, with our two Kaffir guides, will start to-morrowmorning, and I hope that we shall bring back meat enough to supply usuntil my father returns."
Crawford eagerly agreed to the proposal, and Percy was pleased at thethought of being left in sole charge, although it was to be but a fewhours.
"Try and not be absent longer than you can help," said Mrs Broderick,as she wished her son good-night--for the party were to start the nextmorning. "Although I apprehend no danger, we cannot tell what mayoccur."
"There is nothing to fear," answered Rupert, "and meat we must have,that's very certain. My father would not object to my going under thecircumstances; for if I sent the Kaffirs alone, they are such bad shotsthat they may bring back nothing, though they are very useful in findingthe game and helping me to kill it."
Before daybreak Rupert and Crawford were in their saddles, and Percy wasup to see them off, as were his sisters, who had insisted on rising togive them breakfast before starting, a delicate attention which Crawfordduly appreciated.
Followed by two Zulus, also well mounted, they directed their course tothe lower ground in the south-west, where game most abounded. The airwas pure and fresh when they started, coming from the hills, and bothyoung men felt in the highest possible spirits, and ready for the sport.As the sun rose, however, and they got on the lower ground, the heatincreased, and they appeared to have passed into a different region.Occasionally from the woods came the cheerful chirp of the featheredtribe, but otherwise, all around was hot, silent, and lonely.
"We shall be in sight of some game soon, or I am much mistaken,"observed Rupert. "I'll send the Kaffirs out on either side to turn themtowards us, and it will be hard if we don't manage to knock over somebefore long. I ordered the two Hottentot boys to bring on the lightwaggon to take home the game, for we can carry back but a small portionon our horses."
Just as he spoke, a troop of graceful pallahs appeared bounding along inthe distance. They stopped gazing in wonder and terror at thestrangers, while the two Kaffirs, making a wide circuit, galloped on inthe hope of cutting them off. Still the animals stood gazing untilRupert and Crawford got considerably nearer, when two or three of themwere seen to change their places; then suddenly the whole herd, eachleaping high in the air, started off as fast as they could go,apparently endeavouring to avoid one of the Zulus who was coming up.The effect was singularly pretty, as they made bound after bound, thered on their backs and sides, and the white on the under parts of theirbodies, alternately appearing and disappearing. In vain the huntersrode after them.
"We may have some of those fellows yet, though," observed Rupert; "butwe must be more careful how we approach them."
Almost immediately afterwards some loud sneezes were heard, and lookingto the right they caught sight of a troop of mingled gnus and quaggas,passing and repassing without a pause. Every now and then a gnu wouldrush out from among the crowd, whisk his tail, give a sneeze, and thenrush back again amongst his comrades. Now and then a young gnu was seento fall behind with its mother, or the bull would drop out of the ranks,and switching it severely with its long tail, compel it to keep up. Theolder quaggas also seemed to keep their youngsters in excellent order.
Frequently, for some misdemeanour, one of the elder animals, with itsears back, would make a rush at one of the smaller ones, and give it asevere bite as a hint to it to keep in its place. As the hunters gotnear the herd, the animals, turning their heads towards them for aninstant, suddenly whisked round, giving a glance back as they did so,with a cunning expression, as much as to say, "You'll not catch me thistime," and off they set.
The quaggas and gnus, however, soon after separated, going off indifferent directions. As the ground appeared more favourable in thedirection the quaggas had taken, Rupert proposed that they should givechase to them.
The two Kaffirs dashed over all impediments for the sake of turning theherd and giving the gentlemen an opportunity of shooting some of them.A cloud of dust marked their course. On the animals dashed at aslashing pace, but very soon relaxed their efforts, as they are no matchfor a horse. The two Kaffirs now appeared ahead of them, and shoutingand shrieking, drove them back towards Rupert and Crawford, who haddrawn up out of sight behind a clump of bushes. Both firing at the sametime, each brought down a quagga, and before the herd had recoveredsufficiently to go off in another direction, they had reloaded, and twomore lay struggling on the ground. Just then Crawford saw a young fillywhich had missed its mother and got separated from the herd.
"I heard your sister Helen say she should so much like to have a youngquagga to try and tame it," exclaimed Crawford, riding up to the littleanimal, which seemed in no way alarmed at the appearance of the horse,but apparently mistaking it for its parent, trotted alongside.
"If you like, we'll endeavour to keep it between us till we can give itin charge of one of the Kaffirs," said Rupert, coming up.
The little animal at first appeared perfectly contented with its newcompanions, and galloped between them. Suddenly, however, finding thatit had made a mistake, it attempted to bolt; but Rupert, expecting this,had prepared a noose at the end of his halter. Finding itself caught,the filly made a most determined resistance, kicking, snapping its jaws,in which not a tooth was to be seen, dashing round and round, andhanging back with its whole weight, altogether exhibiting its ferociousnature.
Fortunately the Kaffir soon came up, and applying his water bottle toits lips, quickly brought it to a more amiable state of mind. Crawfordnow stroked its back and spoke gently to it, till the little creatureappeared perfectly at its ease.
"I should so much like to keep the small animal alive, for I am sure itwould please your sister to have it, and I am afraid that the Kaffirmight not treat it properly," he observed to Rupert. "If you don'tobject, I'll lead it back to the farm, while you and your men continuethe chase."
"With all my heart," answered Rupert, who guessed that Crawford, as yetinexperienced in hunting, would not be of much use.
Crawford, therefore, leading his horse with one hand and the animal bythe other, set off for the farm, while Rupert and his men, havingcovered up the dead quaggas with bushes, to guard them from the vultur
esand jackals until the arrival of the waggon, continued on in pursuit offurther game.
Rupert was fully as successful as he expected; a couple of pallahs,three springbocs, and a buffalo being the result of the expedition, inaddition to the quaggas, and all within the radius of a couple of miles.The waggon appeared in due time, and being loaded, he and his men setoff to escort it back to the farm.