登陆注册
15451200000046

第46章 CHAPTER XIII THE DRIFT OF THE LETABA(1)

The dusk was gathering fast as we neared the stream. From the stagnant reaches above and below a fine white mist was rising, but the long shallows of the ford were clear. My heart was beginning to flutter wildly, but I kept a tight grip on myself and prayed for patience. As I stared into the evening my hopes sank. I had expected, foolishly enough, to see on the far bank some sign of my friends, but the tall bush was dead and silent.

The drift slants across the river at an acute angle, roughly S.S.W. I did not know this at the time, and was amazed to see the van of the march turn apparently up stream. Laputa's great voice rang out in some order which was repeated down the column, and the wide flanks of the force converged on the narrow cart-track which entered the water. We had come to a standstill while the front ranks began the passage.

I sat shaking with excitement, my eyes straining into the gloom. Water holds the evening light for long, and I could make out pretty clearly what was happening. The leading horsemen rode into the stream with Laputa in front. The ford is not the best going, so they had to pick their way, but in five or ten minutes they were over. Then came some of the infantry of the flanks, who crossed with the water to their waists, and their guns held high above their heads. They made a portentous splashing, but not a sound came from their throats. I shall never know how Laputa imposed silence on the most noisy race on earth. Several thousand footmen must have followed the riders, and disappeared into the far bush. But not a shot came from the bluffs in front.

I watched with a sinking heart. Arcoll had failed, and there was to be no check at the drift. There remained for me only the horrors at Inanda's Kraal. I resolved to make a dash for freedom, at all costs, and was in the act of telling Arcoll's man to cut my bonds, when a thought occurred to me.

Henriques was after the rubies, and it was his interest to get Laputa across the river before the attack began. It was Arcoll's business to split the force, and above all to hold up the leader.

Henriques would tell him, and for that matter he must have assumed himself, that Laputa would ride in the centre of the force. Therefore there would be no check till the time came for the priest's litter to cross.

It was well that I had not had my bonds cut. Henriques came riding towards me, his face sharp and bright as a ferret's.

He pulled up and asked if I were safe. My Kaffir showed my strapped elbows and feet, and tugged at the cords to prove their tightness.

'Keep him well,' said Henriques, 'or you will answer to Inkulu. Forward with him now and get him through the water.' Then he turned and rode back.

My warder, apparently obeying orders, led me out of the column and into the bush on the right hand. Soon we were abreast of the litter and some twenty yards to the west of it.

The water gleamed through the trees a few paces in front. I could see the masses of infantry converging on the drift, and the churning like a cascade which they made in the passage.

Suddenly from the far bank came an order. It was Laputa's voice, thin and high-pitched, as the Kaffir cries when he wishes his words to carry a great distance. Henriques repeated it, and the infantry halted. The riders of the column in front of the litter began to move into the stream.

We should have gone with them, but instead we pulled our horses back into the darkness of the bush. It seemed to me that odd things were happening around the priest's litter.

Henriques had left it, and dashed past me so close that I could have touched him. From somewhere among the trees a pistol-shot cracked into the air.

As if in answer to a signal the high bluff across the stream burst into a sheet of fire. 'A sheet of fire' sounds odd enough for scientific warfare. I saw that my friends were using shot-guns and firing with black powder into the mob in the water.

It was humane and it was good tactics, for the flame in the grey dusk had the appearance of a heavy battery of ordnance.

Once again I heard Henriques' voice. He was turning the column to the right. He shouted to them to get into cover, and take the water higher up. I thought, too, that from far away I heard Laputa.

同类推荐
  • 禹贡锥指略例

    禹贡锥指略例

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • War of the Classes

    War of the Classes

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Royalty Restored

    Royalty Restored

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说菩萨睒子经

    佛说菩萨睒子经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 华严一乘成佛妙义

    华严一乘成佛妙义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 重生之全能宅男

    重生之全能宅男

    修真派太乙真人第三大天才子弟修炼失败,被自己的师兄暗算。意外重生到都市,而且意外获得全能戒指。清纯的校花,美丽的老师,熟妇,以及天真的丫头,本书是后宫文,也是一本YY小说。在都市《重生之全能宅男》情节跌宕起伏、扣人心弦,重生之全能宅男是一本情节与文笔俱佳的都市言情,各位书友要是觉得都市艳遇全文阅读还不错的话请不要忘记向您QQ群和微博里的朋友推荐哦!本人新手,刚刚开始写。O(∩_∩)O谢谢评论手下留情
  • 追行记

    追行记

    喂!朋友。如果你感兴趣就看下去,我的玄幻修炼是体制,剧情是灵魂。天地循环,自然自律,五定阴阳,八卦伏羲。这就是我的玄幻。一部千人关系大作即将呈现在你眼前,我将会用我所有来颠覆整个大陆,世界在改观,人类会灭绝?这世界谁是改革者——我或是你。醉酒红颜佳人入,恩怨情仇江湖路。那句最美的话是——保护你,我最爱的人。
  • 明伦汇编皇极典风俗部

    明伦汇编皇极典风俗部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 鸢步入商心

    鸢步入商心

    与他的相遇是一场意外,若能重来她必不愿有此,可她如何舍得……他似雾如谜,使得她看不清他的心。他强迫她成了他的女人,后又无从抉择的成为他的王妃,如若愿意她应会是这天下最尊贵的女人……可他定然不知,那些从未是她想要的,她要他的或许从来都不多,或许一个他就够了……商斗、皇位、江湖,当暗涌来袭,硝烟四起,一切又将如何落幕!繁花落、佳人泪、帝位临、何处归……
  • 厄运成神

    厄运成神

    一个网游小天王带着网游里的能力来到了一块叫做天赋大陆的地方,这里的居民都有自己的天赋能力。他将在这里用游戏宅男特有的修炼方式把所谓的厄运天赋用到极致走到世界的巅峰。
  • 铁血独立营

    铁血独立营

    1937年,日寇侵略,民不聊生。日本人到处烧杀抢掠,无恶不作。抵抗侵略者的势力,共产党,国民党联合作战奋勇杀敌。王大庆,小王庄一个唯一幸存的村民,全村几百人都死在了日寇手里,为了报仇,他被迫上山当了山匪,随后带领山寨兄弟加入共产党领导的八路军,成立了一支番号为独立营的分队。杀敌日寇闻风丧胆,当之无愧的抗战英雄。
  • 君武乾坤

    君武乾坤

    一指一席谈,谈破苍穹经纶;一花一世界,幻灭三生因果;一梦一轮回,君武乾坤千秋。道神的修为破不了苍穹的经纬乾坤,苟活于一丝残念,唤起了六世的等待;是身死道消,还是破天重生;是帝临九州,重铸汉魂帝柱,还是龙困浅滩,再度轮回!
  • 错华年之苏少第一宠妻

    错华年之苏少第一宠妻

    一个是九黎族嫡脉,一个是世家少家主,千年世仇,她与他会如何抉择?前世恩怨,今世来偿,她与他将会走向何处?当一切剥开迷雾,他们是否会认命?且看中二少女许齐妍与腹黑男主苏黎瑾之间的命运纠葛,世仇化尽,他俩是否可以长相厮守?(本文1v1甜宠,后期较虐,欢迎入坑┗(?ω?;)┛)奈酱最近要准备考试,没有什么心情打字,手稿到是写了不少,先停更吧,停更期未知。
  • 君心唯诺:绝色世子妃

    君心唯诺:绝色世子妃

    她失踪归来,性情大变,强势捍卫自己所爱的人和家人。看曾经伪痴傻的辅国公府大小姐如何穿梭在权妾与恶妹之间,将尔虞我诈玩弄于掌心。又是如何吸引了一只绝色而腹黑的世子夫君,与其一同斗天斗地斗皇权……这是一个关于女子是如何一步步与她所爱的人肩并肩共同站于天地顶峰的故事…..
  • 星外来客

    星外来客

    偶然出现的神秘人,赋予别人神奇能力。他们为何这样做?看似和蔼善良的他们,谁能想到他们狼子野心的真面目。