I had but to take two steps, and then I could touch the speaker, who was standing with his back towards me.
“Joeboy no turn round,” he said. “Boss Val keep close. Joeboy got to keep seeing wagons, and not lose them.”
“But you can’t see the wagons now,” I said softly.
“Um? Joeboy see um inside um head. Can’t see with eyes. Too far away. But Joeboy know jus’ where they are, and feel see um. Come along and no talk. Take hold, and no let go.”
I grasped the long handle of Joeboy’s assagai, which had touched me lightly on the side as he spoke; so there was no chance of our being separated in the dark and having to call to each other with probably Boer outposts within hearing. The plunge had been made, and now I began to see how terrible was the responsibility I had undertaken. For a few minutes after leaving our friends I began to ask myself whether Denham had not been right in calling it a mad project; but these thoughts soon passed away as I pulled myself together with the determination to do what my friends had told me: “Go in and win.” There was too much to do and too much excitement now to leave room for hesitation and thoughts about risk and chances of discovery. Joeboy, too, was a splendid fellow for a companion: he went steadily on as if the whole business was some exciting game in which he played the chief part.
Fortune seemed to be favouring us so far as the weather was concerned, for a brisk wind was blowing, and the clouds overhead veiled every star; so the night was profoundly dark.
After tramping on for about ten minutes, Joeboy stopped and stood motionless; then he whispered to me to come close up, without turning his head when he spoke.
“Boss Val lissum with both ears,” he said. “Tell Joeboy when he hear Doppie. Joeboy tell Boss Val too.”
“Right,” I said; and we went on again so silently that I did not hear my own footsteps in the sandy earth.
There was no risk of meeting with any impediment, for the veldt from the old fortress right away to the place where I had marked down the wagons was a smooth, undulating plain. What we had to dread was coming across a Boer outpost or patrol; but I had little fear of that without ample warning, for I had had frequent experience in hunting expeditions of the keenness of Joeboy’s senses of sight and hearing. I was just beginning to wonder how long it would be before he gave me warning of any danger being near, when he stopped short again. I closed up so that I could lay my hands upon his shoulders. Then he whispered very softly: