“It must,” said Lennox, “and then makes its way amongst the stones to spread out below there and flow on to the river.”
“Seems rum, though,” said Dickenson. “I never did understand why water should shoot up here at the highest part of a flat country. It ought to be found low down in the holes. What makes it shoot up?”
“The weight and pressure of the country round, I suppose,” said Lennox. “Hullo! What does that mean?”
“Business,” cried Dickenson, as both the young men sprang to their feet and seized belts and weapons. For the report of a rifle was followed by others, coming apparently from the direction of the kopje near to where the stream came rushing out between two rugged natural walls of piled-up stone. Every one was on the alert directly, fully in the expectation that the enemy we’re about to act in non-accordance with their regular custom and make an attack in the dark.
But the firing ceased almost as suddenly as it had begun; and after a time the alarm was traced back to a sentry who had been on duty at the lower part of the west side of the kopje, near by where the water gushed up at the foot of a huge mass of granite, where the most precipitous part stretched upward half-way to the summit.
Captain Roby’s company held the kopje that night, and consequently both of the young officers were present at the tracing of the cause of the alarm, when it seemed to have been proved that it was only false.
The sentry who fired was examined by Captain Roby, and was certain that he had not given any alarm without cause, for he said he had heard steps as of more than one person approaching him as if going to the water.
“And you challenged?” asked the captain.
“Yes, sir; and then all was quite quiet for a few moments, but I heard the sounds again as if they were coming closer to me, and I fired, and there was a rush of feet.”
“A party of baboons going down to drink,” said the captain contemptuously.