The Press., 1885-11-26

ans wer1ng flashes came DaciIf Nlbu pfoslslou I and evident understanding, very different from the confused answers they had received l before This time there coull be no mistak- i ing their meaning, and apparently those on the distant shore were experiencn ng the same enlightenment. sstsA8
 "4H g.ighf!-Got your naessoge. IViu act l ds yo,t direct.nn
 The signalist put the message together. and the group of officers who were standing round him stood staring blanhlv into one anothers faces, struck dumb with astonish- ment and surprise. ff Ni Are you quite sure"' asked Hartog at length of the officer who was in charge of I the signals ~
 The signalist--a very smart engineer laughed. -
 'sYes. Quite sure, he answered..
 ''Then that boy carried the message to save Bootles!' Hartog exclaimed.
 'B-y Jover' ejaculated Lacy, and I've been vigorously blackeaing the poor little fellow's character al--l day--eve wIy time had a chance I-er-feel beastly ashamed of myself
 Ask again-ask who took the message, and if he is there nowg' suegese1 Hartog to the engineer, who ycompl.el willingly enough, and sent the inquiry fla shng across the rapidly darkening sky in which the brilliant stars were beginning to shine out
 
 Then the reply came back ill series of vivid flashes:
 "A boy left comp on return Journey truth reply before dayli0ht."
 Then the relels have got him." Hartog cried, excitedlv 'sPoor little chap, they've got him sure enouyh.o
 The news spread through the camp in next to no time, anl within half an hour, young Houp-La had as many good words
 Is, l,ol l,s.1 hnI bad ones. Everybody had something pleas ant to say in favor Of the brave little lad, who had thus he-oically risked his life, and, poor fellow, hal probably already lost it, for the sake of the master waom he loved with the fidelity of dog.
 As for his master, he went straight to the colonel and asked, with a strange huskiness in his throat and blaZe in his blue eyes, that searching party might be sent out at once, and as far as was safe, in case the lad had been disabled and could not reach the camp
 Ger ainlv, certainly-an % yourself, if YOU care to do it. Ferrers," sai the colonel, burrie lily. brushing his hand across his eyes. ''Go yourse f, if you care to do 1t. l have much pleasure in returning your sword. am sure ncecely hope the lad has come to no harm. 'Pon my soul, he is the hero of the campaign-'pon my soul he is,' and then the kindly colonel shook his favorite by the hand. and brushei the other across hls eyes once more.
 Bootles said .'Thank you, slr," and went out without another word, chiefly because there was lump in hls throat which made speech difficult. "..'@" It was not long before 8, party was ready to start, with Bootles at its head, to search for the missing boy. Nor was is very long before they found him-perhaps mile from the rebel outposts-lying behind a clump of trees, faint and ghastiy pale, his mouth parche1 and dry and his sharp, young face drawn and distorted with pain. - Bootles was the first to hear his moan, and l turned the light of the bull's-eye he carried | upon the place whence the sound came. In another moment he was down upon hls 1 knees beside the prostrate form of the hali unconscious boy ..s
 Young Houp-La vaguely recognizei his master as he tendsrly raised h.s head upon his arm.
 t ''IVater!n' he gasped, painfully. 1 Bootles filled the cup which formed the lower half of his flask with water, which ons 1 of the searchers had brought, and held it t. the poor parcas lips. Itseenlei 10 put new life into iim for he lifted his head anC looked wildly rouud.
 'Teli the capt'n got there safe. The an sHer IS in my we,'coat pocket. couldn't get back as we'll Ona O them Arab devil. pottel me. I crawle as far's could, but couldn't get further, though l see tn, camp lign.s je'' aheafn Then he perceived that Boo5.es was bending down over him his kind face convused with grief and emo tion. a lsl,..,. 7,.
 "Is that you, sirg' he said, in tone O gentle relief and satisfaction. Don't takt on about me, sir Iain't worth it ''
 w nere are you Eurt, my boy!' Eo,tle asked in choking voice '
 somewhere about the groin sir It's nc use trying to move me-" seeing that two o the men had opened stout blanket ane were preparing to receive him. "It's al over with me now Don't you put yourse out about me, sir, ain'5 worth it'
 Try and drink a drop of this" saie Bootles, holding the cup once more to hi lips. It had brandy in it this time
 It ain't no good, sir" he persisted. bu he swallowed the brandy and water, ans then they raised him very gently and liftet hfn on to the rug. Not so gently, though but that he groaned and moaned piteousl, with the pain, and slipped off into deliriun again, talking wildly all the way back t, camp of the success of his expedition ant how the commanding officar of the othe camp, who had received the dispatch iron hlm, had patted him oa the shoulder ant had called him brave lad, and bade hin God speed and safe return
 And thea, when at last they got him int, camp and on to an ambu ance cot. he cam to his own senses again for little time. an, bade them send for the colonel that he n,ieh give the dispatch into h.s own hands. ss~
 You're not angry, sirs' he said. implor ingly, as the colonel took the paper :. knew the captn couldn't go safe where could and l thought as low it wouldn' matter so much if aught happenol to me You're not angry with me- are YOU. sirs',
 No, my boy, certainly not,n answered the colonel huskily. You are the braves lad in the army. am proud of YOU, yer, proud"
 Tom Snow drew himself up as straightl, as he could against his masters breast where he hal been lying ever since they pu him down upon tha bel, and endea vorei t salute the commandins officer T % thsre, he said, looking round at the face about him, land got back 'ome again. I don any os it matter now,n and then h. slipped Off again and wandered on about tn heat anl the glare of tue sunshine, of hi awful thirst, and the rain of his wound. A last he tried to turn hi, head round to loo, a Bootles
 Are you there, sirs'' he asked, in cleal and sensible voice
 ... .......,,} ....,,} a /