The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-24


no interrupt ON. No doubt he was right
in waiting h,r the return of the forag-
ing party, ms,wc could hear plainly that
their arrivaA was the center of interest
for the time, .and.-Se had mnde our way
out at the point removed the farthest
from the entrance. We got clear of the
wagons and clept cautiously down the
slope toward the river. Fortunately
for us, the niglrtwasdark, and Travers'
experience on seuntry duty no-doubt told
him exactly the best course to take to
avoid observation. / know i held my
breath as / followed him. expecting
every moment to hear the challenge
of some sentry which would prove ia
tad TO our expeditioH none came, how
ever, and we glided silently. STOPPING
low as we went. dow-n the bare slope,
till we had reached the comparative
safety of theriver's hank.
We were well eq,ipped for the ex-
petition. Trwrrs ha.i managed to Sc
cure two light repeating xihes instead
of the heavier weapons we had carried
in the morning, and now he silently
handed me my share Of the necessary
ammunition as we stood for a moment
in the darker shadow of the bank. The
ford of the MalSasesi is good one, and
the water didn't rench to our knees as
we cautiously crossed the stream and
crept up the other hank. This. indeed,
was the critical point, and, obeying
Travcrs' injunction TO ''bend low" 1
Followed him cautiously along the track
by which we had comeva few hours be-
fore. 1t was only for "a few minutes,
and then we straightmed ourselves
once more and stepped out briskly, ex-
ulting in the idea that we were beyond
the danger of recall. IT. was too dark
to see the track with anyhegree of GER
tainty, but we felt that I've couldn't go
very far wrong, as we had no difficulty
in tracing the rugged line of the Kopje,
which loomed up, black and threaten
ing, against the dark violetblue Of the
sky.
The care with which we had observed
the features Of the country IN day
light and noted the principal landmarks
on our course stood us in good stead
now, and Travers seemed hardly ever
at fault in making his way toward tho
stream. which was the object of our
Journey. Our progress was slow. II is
true, as we stumbled over the rough
bowlder-strewn slopes and made our
way through the low, scruoby growths
that beset our path, but at last we
rounded the shoulder Of the Kopje, the
general outline of which we were just
able to make out in the darkness, and
uegan to descend toward the stream,
the sound of which we could hear COM
ing up to us out of the deeper shadows.
We couldn't feel sure that we had
reached it exactly at the right spot,
but, Judging of the character of the
descent toward the banks and the out
line of the rocks that rose overhead, we
felt pretty certain that we were not far
wrong.
We were still in plenty of time. for.
looking anxiously at the sky, we could
not see sign of the expected moon
rise. This will be good spot, Hall,
Think" Travers whispered to me, as we
came to q halt at the foot of n huge,
ground. "You can hear the water dis.
tinctly, and l fancy 1 can make out the
CLEAN of stars reflected down there.
Anyhow, this rock will make a good
shelter till we get more light"
"All right" / whispered in reply. II
see nothing moving yet; do you?"
Hold on bit. The nights young.
1 don't expect they'll begin to come
much before the sky grows lighter, and
that won't be yet awhile. should cay
by the look of it."
It WIS slow work waiting. We burst
not talk, and we couldn't venture to
smoke, in case the smell might scare
away the game. The night was dark
and intensely still. There was not
breath, of wind to stir leaf, and not |
a sound reached us but the soft, slow |
gurgle of the water as 1t eddyed past. |
1t was SO still that il either OF us moved |
ever so little the other would start as |
If something had happened. There was
nothing to be done but TO lie and wait,
and under the circumstances there are |
few things more trying 10 the nerves
than waiting.
Perhaps half ON hour had passed in |
this way when I pushed Travcrs eau
tiously-I could hear something last.
"Hush!" he re-Sicd, in an excited
whisper; keep still, man, for your
life--hcar theJr-"
i obcyed him. and we lay still and |
listened. II was a curious sound. One |
soft, cautious football after another |
seemed TO come up in a whisper out of |
the darkness below US, and sometimes |
re seemed 10 hear n soft brushing still |
closer ut hand, as IL something pushed |
gently through the grass. BY and by.
as strained my eyes 10 peer into the
shadows below. could either sec. or
<ancy ] sav. darker shadows that moved
IN tho darkness. and. as watched moro
eagerly still. strange. obesity forms
seemed 20 flit back ard forward In the
hollow, end rrcrc thna once n l,tilc
splash told where some nnimal had
stepped into the stream. Ny compan-
ions hand uDon lrv arm NarrCd =. q n,