“Some of them!” said Ingleborough drily.
“Well, if I am brought down, don’t hesitate a moment: out with your knife, rip open my jacket, get the despatch, and run on.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Of course.”
“What about you? Are you to be left wounded here on the veldt?”
“Yes: until the despatch reaches the proper hands. Then come and save me if you can.”
“I understand,” said Ingleborough drily. “That’s if matters come to the worst! Let’s hope they will not!”
He raised his head a little and had a good look round as soon as he had finished speaking, for all was now very still, and as far as he could make out in the eerie light there was not a Boer within sight.
“Now then,” he said softly; “let’s go on! No, no; not like that. Crawl, man, crawl.”
He only spoke in time, for West was about to spring up. Then their painful imitation of some quadruped recommenced, West following his comrade patiently and unquestioningly till a change seemed to come over the light.