Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-08-14

SSS-
80 " -
| uuy confronted bp an enormously bto
| B0er.
etables on q stone floor In the shadowl
Of the quickly falling night. When
some distance away. the trooper turn
ed to me and cbuckled comfortably
He patted the blanket roll round his
shoulders and smiled. Then l noticed
the roll was swelled In the center, like
q constructors stomach when 1t had
gulped hearty meal.
20 man." said the trooper. these
5ucks were too fat. l annexed the fat
test. have frequently noticed In an
unfriendly land that Providence never
fails to send supper to the deserving
But" l said. rather alarmed, well
60 to trouk UaiD for certainty II We
do this sort Of thing. Besides. It's
"You talk ike u recruit" said the
trooper. kindly recollect that the
Beers hate Englishmen; therefore the
Transyaal Is an unfriendly country;
therefore foraging-foraglng, please
Is permissible. justiHable, according to
the rules. and In every way eminently
praiseworthy."
But
But n pumpkin would. as you were
going to say. improve the stew greatly.
II Is an excellent suggestion you make.
and have still some pepper and salt
"You want me to ST.
"Sh! No. my dear fellow. Just slip
back to that barn now it's dark enough
and levy It."
l looked at the plump duck, and my
nostrIls fancied grateful smells. l
thought Of the uncivil Boer. and !
went.
Il will 20 on TO that sprult we saw
from the road" the trooper said, "and
get things ready and build fire. Bring
the biggest"
1t was dark and silent. moonless and
still. gained the barn. selected a
pumpkin. slipped OF with IL cuddled In
my arms and stepped out again almost
ON top Of the towheaded boy. Ny gaze
upon him was momentary. and fed;
be also. There was no explanation pos
sible. and l ran without word. cling.
ing to my pumpkin. my supper. The
child. as he darted TO the house. utter
ed a yell which aroused the farm. even
to the distant ducks. which | heard
Quacking on the ponds banks with. j
imagine. O note Of revengeful delight.
II was now quite dark, and l STUN
bled as plunged along the rough road
to the bed Of the stream, where the
trooper was to await me. Behind me
came a great scrambling Of feet and q
blether Of voice. distinguished the
farmers easily. II had a baying note
to II which was particularly menacing.
I knew little Of his language. but was
aware that be was calling on me to
stop and probably saw me with the
clearness Of night vision Boer shares
with the savage.
Suddenly there was a pause In the
rush behind and cessation OF his
yells. In q moment heard the crack
Of his gun-it sounded horribly near
and q bullet tipped over my head. !
left the path then and sought the shad-
ows Of the bush. where few trees and
big rocks might render my safety more
hA Ornnn6
dashed. painting. and heard the shouts
renewed behind me, but they seemed
to keep to the road. Soon they faded
away. but I did not slacken speed. and
all the time l stuck obstinately to the
big. fat pumpkin. It was within me
contest between fear and hunger. II
there was q sinking Of the heart, there
was still as powerful sinking Of the
stomach. When halted at last. listen
Ing between pants. the monster vegeta-
BILE was still mine and supper yet prob
able.
But I was lost. In daylight the un-
accustomed traveller may easily, does
frequently, get lost by leaving the
track to examine the bush. In the
darkness Of q moonless night II would
be madness In ordinary cases to step
of the road. At last found the thin
and trickling stream, which in that dry
season represented the river OF other
months, and followed 1t down with
pain and difficulty, now stepping In q
pool, now cracking my ankles against
the powders.
An hour brought me to the ford, but
there | was confused. The faint light
of the moon, just peeping above the
rim Of the veldt, allowed me to see
dimly that the road at the drift broad
ened out to a great width. l compre-
hended that the wagons, passing In the
wet season, had each sought according
to the drivers judgment, the safest
place to cross. In such manner are
South African roads first made.
/ stood at one side Of the road. The
other was possibly half mile on.
Whereabouts, then. in that mazeof ruts
and blackness, should l seek the troop
er and, of more consequence to me. In
my starving condition, the duck?
While l hesitated the sound Of voices
struck my ears once more not far from
me. l could not mistake who It was;
the words, "verdamter uitander."
again came too distinctly across the
trek. I skunk back up stream. not will
ing to stand another shot. Crawling
into little kloof in the bank, ! lay
still, like q hare, perhaps, considering
the raid on pond and barn-a fox
would be the better word-and at last
IL heard the voices and scrambling
steps Of the hunters returning. 1t
alarmed me afresh, however. not to
distinguish amid the sounds the roll
| Ing curses Of the farmer.
l waited awhile and heard nothing.
and then the thought Of that trooper,
smuggling In cosy hidden nook some
where near. preparing the duck for
supper. overpowered me. and l rose
and set out to find him. bearing my