“Not for me or Rose. If it’s for one of us, it’s for Helen,” exclaimed Maud. “He evidently admires her, though she is too busy to admire him in return. At all events, we shall have him as an addition to the garrison, should the Zulus come before Rupert and the men with him return.”
“I have been looking out for them, but I don’t see them. Crawford, however, will be here presently, and tell us what they are about, so that we may know when to expect them.”
Percy had taken two or three turns on the platform, when he suddenly exclaimed, “I do believe there are some people coming down the mountain, but who they are I cannot make out, though there appear to be a good many of them. Maud, do you go down and tell Helen and Rose and Biddy to get ready. I’ll fire the signals to let the men know they are to drive in the cattle. Crawford will be here long before the Zulus can cross the river, even if he doesn’t mount his horse and let the young quagga go. Don’t alarm our mother, that’s all. I say, Maud,” he added, as his sister was hastening away, “before you do anything else, send Biddy here with the swivel guns. One at a time is as much as she can carry, and I have got a rope to hoist them up. There are places already fitted to fix them in; and then tell her to bring along the muskets and a good store of ammunition. Let Mangaleesu know what is wanted, and he’ll help her, and his wife too. As long as they do not show themselves, there is no reason why they should not come out of their retreat.”
Maud hastened away to obey these directions, and Percy resumed his look-out through the telescope. He was more than ever sure that a considerable force was coming over the hill,—a force, too, which took no pains to conceal itself. This might prove that they came with no hostile intentions, or it might be that, confident in their own strength, they were indifferent to being discovered.
“I wish that Rupert and the hunters were not away,” said Percy to himself. “This may be no joking matter; at the same time we must put on a bold face, and not allow the savages to suppose that we are daunted by their numbers. I only hope that Rupert will be back before they cross the river, for it would be serious were he to be caught by them; and then perhaps my father and Lionel will be coming, and they may be surprised by the cunning rascals.”
Again and again Percy turned his glass to the eastward.
“Hurrah! that’s one good thing; the fellows have halted just about the spot where they were before encamped.”
His remarks to himself were interrupted by Biddy’s voice.
“Sure, we’ve been after bringing yer one of thim big pop guns, Masther Percy; but how will ye git it up there?”
And, looking down, he saw her and Mangaleesu carrying a swivel gun between them. The Zulu showed himself to be more of an adept in securing a rope than was Biddy, who at once climbed up to the platform. The swivel was soon hoisted up, and mounted in the place intended for it. Mangaleesu in the meantime had brought out the other, which in like manner was quickly got into position.