“I consider that Percy is mistaken, although I have no doubt that you have made the best preparations for defence,” said Crawford, inclined to treat the whole affair as a joke.
“Sure, if the inemy do show themselves near this, we will put them to the right about,” cried Biddy, flourishing the captain’s sword.
“Let me secure my horse and this little zebra filly which I have brought for you, Miss Helen; I will then join Percy, and ascertain what is likely to happen,” said Crawford.
Helen duly thanked the young Englishman for his intended gift, but as the little animal at that moment took it into its head to grow restive, and kick, scream, and prance about, she did not show any inclination to approach it.
Crawford having taken his horse and little captive round to the yard, hurried up to the platform, where Percy was standing. Looking through the telescope, he was satisfied Percy was right in supposing that the people he saw below the hill were Zulus. They were probably not aware that they could be distinguished at so great a distance. He then turned his glass in the direction he hoped Rupert and his men would be coming.
“I see their waggon,” he exclaimed, “although they appear to me to be moving very slowly. I tell you what, Percy, the best thing I can do is to set off and hasten Rupert and his men. It will be better to lose the waggon than to have them cut off. Depend upon it, I’ll not spare whip or spur.”
“Thank you, Mr Crawford; pray go by all means,” said Mrs Broderick, who had just then come out of the house. “I was wrong in letting Rupert start, but I pray that he may be back before the Zulus reach the river.”
“No fear of that, mother, as Crawford is going for him,” said Percy. “We’ll get in the waggon too, with its load of meat, which will better enable us to stand a siege.”
Crawford, without further delay, threw himself on his horse, while Percy returned to the platform to watch what the Zulus were about.
“They are still halting,” he shouted out, “though I suspect they will send forward scouts to reconnoitre our fortifications. Come up, girls; come up, Biddy, and show yourselves on the ramparts. I am half inclined to fire off the guns, but it may be wiser not to let them know that we are prepared for them until they come nearer, as they probably expect to take us by surprise, and the disappointment will be the greater when they see armed men on the walls.”