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"Only wish some of 'em would come this way," says Measles grimly; and he made a sort of offer, and a hit out at some imaginary enemy. "Here they are," says Joe Bantem, as we walked in. "Curry for dinner, lads look alive." "What, my little hero!" says Mrs Bantem, fetching Harry one of her slaps on the back. "My word, you're in fine plume with the colonel's lady."
But with a howl, such as I never heard woman give, Mrs Bantem rushed between them and the children, caught a bayonet in each hand, and held them together, letting them pass under one arm, then with a spring forward she threw those great arms of hers round the black fellows' necks as they hung together, and held them in such a hug as they never suffered from before.
Next came Mrs Bantem, with Mrs Colonel Maine, and the stout-hearted woman stood as if hesitating for a minute as to how to go, when catching up the colonel's wife, as if she had been a child, she stepped on to the bridge, and two or three men held the butts of the muskets, for it seemed as if they could not bear the strain.
But spit in his hands he did, and then he was down on his hands and knees, crawling on to the mattress very slowly, and you could hear the bayonets creaking and gritting, as they played in and out of the musket-barrels but they held firm, and the next minute Measles was as far as the tree, but only to get his load hitched somehow in a ragged branch, when there was a loud crack as of dead-wood snapping, a struggle, and Measles growled out an oath he would swear, that fellow would, in spite of all Mrs Bantem said, so you mustn't be surprised at his doing it then.
The next morning was hotter, I think, than ever, with no prospect either of rain or change; and, after doing what little work I had to get over, it struck me that I might as well attend to what Captain Dyer advised give two eyes to Chunder and his friends; so I left Mrs Bantem busy over her cooking, and went down into the court.
"Hold your tongue, will you!" says Joe Bantem. "I ain't killed, nor yet half. How would you like your wife frightened if you had one?" "How's Private Lant?" "Cut to pieces, sir," says some one softly. "I'm thankful that you are not wounded, Captain Dyer," then says Lieutenant Leigh. "God bless you, Leigh!" says the captain faintly: "it was a brave act.
As commandant, I ought to stay in the fort; but I've no one to give the leadership to, so I take it myself," said Lieutenant Leigh; "and now, my lads, make ready present! That's well. Are all ready? At the word `Fire! Privates Bigley and Smith fire at the two gunners. If they miss, I cry fire again, and Privates Bantem and Grainger try their skill; then, at the double, down on the guns.
"I never had any children," sobbed Mrs Bantem then; "and I never wished to have any; for they're not right for soldiers' wives; but only to think the poor sweet, suffering little things. Oh, if I'd only been a man, and been there!"
"And I'd always been abusing and running her down for a fine madam, good for nothing but to squeak songs, and be looked at," Mrs Bantem said to me, a little while after. "Why, Isaac Smith, we shall be having that little maid shewing next that there's something in her." "And why not?" I said gruffly. "Ah, to be sure," says she, with a comical look out of one eye; "why not?
Just then, Miss Ross came round with Lizzy and Mrs Bantem, with wine and water, and I saw a sort of quiet triumph in Lieutenant Leigh's face, as, avoiding Captain Dyer, Miss Ross went up to him, as he half-beckoned to her, and stood by him like a slave, giving him bottle and glass, and then standing by his side with her eyes fixed and strange-looking; while, though he fought against it bravely, and tried to be unmoved, Captain Dyer could not bear it, but walked away.
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