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"Joeboy!" we shouted together excitedly. "Jump in. Hurrah!" As the doctor had spoken we noticed Joeboy's black face, with gleaming eyes and grinning mouth, rising above the big box at the end of the wagon. He wanted no further orders, but swung himself in lightly. "Um?" he exclaimed. "Boss Val, Boss Denham right?" "Yes," I cried, holding out my hand, which he took.
In fact, I was so weary now the time for action was over that I was quite content to subside, and sit leaning back watching the black while he crawled on hands and knees to Sandho, who suddenly raised his head with a start at Joeboy's approach; but on seeing who it was, he uttered a low whinnying sound and went on cropping the grass once more, paying no further heed to the black, who proceeded to hobble, his two fore-legs to keep him from going too far, and then returned to me.
I said in a low tone, for I was afraid now that I had alarmed the sentries on either side; but though Joeboy's load on one side bumped against my companion sentry, he was so utterly wearied out that he did not stir. "Um? Idiot?" said Joeboy. "Boss Val going to be hungry. Joeboy hungry. Been to get all these." "What are they forage-bags?" "Um!" he said. "But where did you get them whose are they?"
The next minute I helped to raise the insensible man carefully on to the black's broad back as he bent down on one knee, Denham's arms being placed round Joeboy's neck; and then, at his request, the wrists were bound together with a sash. "Now," I said, "can you do it?"
We must have been carefully making our way onward for about an hour, when suddenly we walked right into a mist, which made our progress more difficult, for the great blocks of stone seemed to loom up suddenly right in our way; and in avoiding these we somehow missed the track, good proof of which was given me by Joeboy's action; for he suddenly checked the horse, stooped down, felt about, and ended by lifting a stone as big as my head and casting it from him.
Come along and no talk. Take hold, and no let go." I grasped the long handle of Joeboy's assagai, which had touched me lightly on the side as he spoke; so there was no chance of our being separated in the dark and having to call to each other with probably Boer outposts within hearing. The plunge had been made, and now I began to see how terrible was the responsibility I had undertaken.
Then I fell to watching Sandho, and then the soft effects grew hazy, and then hazier and very dark, but not so dark but that I could see Joeboy's big face as he leaned over me and said softly, "Boss Val been asleep?" "No," I said sharply. "Um!" whispered Joeboy, laying his hand across my mouth. "Boer jus' there. Lots. Plenty horses."
Then, between the mouthfuls, a vision of Joeboy's black face and grinning white teeth seemed to rise up; and I fell to thinking how disappointed he would be when he returned from the foraging expedition to find that the corps had been suddenly called out. "Poor old Joeboy!" I thought to myself; "it's a pity father didn't keep him at home. It would be horrible if he were to be shot by the Boers."
What we had to dread was coming across a Boer outpost or patrol; but I had little fear of that without ample warning, for I had had frequent experience in hunting expeditions of the keenness of Joeboy's senses of sight and hearing. I was just beginning to wonder how long it would be before he gave me warning of any danger being near, when he stopped short again.
"Action, action," I muttered. "I should have liked to go back and see them all again; but I must begin at once, before I am taken. What would they do with me?" I said aloud; and a glance at Joeboy's face showed me that, awkward though he was at speaking, he comprehended every word I had said. "Big Boss Boer," he said, nodding, "say Boss Val come fight. No Boss Val fight?
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