ng.Theircrouchinggaittookawayfromtheirheight,butIshouldputthematfivefeetorso,withlongarmsandenormouschests.Manyofthemcarriedsticks,andatthedistancetheylookedlikealineofveryhairyanddeformedhumanbeings.ForamomentIcaughtthisclearglimpseofthem.Thentheywerelostamongthebushes.
"Notthistime,"saidLordJohn,whohadcaughtuphisrifle."Ourbestchanceistoliequietuntiltheyhavegivenupthesearch.Thenweshallseewhetherwecan'tgetbacktotheirtownandhit'emwhereithurtsmost.Give'emanhourandwe'llmarch."
Wefilledinthetimebyopeningoneofourfoodtinsandmakingsureofourbreakfast.LordRoxtonhadhadnothingbutsomefruitsincethemorningbeforeandatelikeastarvingman.Then,atlast,ourpocketsbulgingwithcartridgesandarifleineachhand,westartedoffuponourmissionofrescue.Beforeleavingitwecarefullymarkedourlittlehiding-placeamongthebrush-woodanditsbearingtoFortChallenger,thatwemightfinditagainifweneededit.Weslunkthroughthebushesinsilenceuntilwecametotheveryedgeofthecliff,closetotheoldcamp.Therewehalted,andLordJohngavemesomeideaofhisplans.
"Solongasweareamongthethicktreestheseswineareourmasters,"saidhe."Theycanseeusandwecannotseethem.Butintheopenitisdifferent.Therewecanmovefasterthanthey.Sowemuststicktotheopenallwecan.Theedgeoftheplateauhasfewerlargetreesthanfurtherinland.Sothat'sourlineofadvance.Goslowly,keepyoureyesopenandyourrifleready.Aboveall,neverletthemgetyouprisonerwhilethereisacartridgeleft—that'smylastwordtoyou,youngfellah."
WhenwereachedtheedgeofthecliffIlookedoverandsawourgoodoldblackZambosittingsmokingonarockbelowus.Iwouldhavegivenagreatdealtohavehailedhimandtoldhimhowwewereplaced,butitwastoodangerous,lestweshouldbeheard.Thewoodsseemedtobefulloftheape-menagainandagainweheardtheircuriousclickingchatter.Atsuchtimesweplungedintothenearestclumpofbushesandlaystilluntilthesoundhadpassedaway.Ouradvance,therefore,wasveryslow,andtwohoursatleastmusthavepassedbeforeIsawbyLordJohn'scautiousmovementsthatwemustbeclosetoourdestination.Hemotionedtometoliestill,andhecrawledforwardhimself.Inaminutehewasbackagain,hisfacequiveringwitheagerness.
"Come!"saidhe."Comequick!IhopetotheLordwearenottoolatealready!"
IfoundmyselfshakingwithnervousexcitementasIscrambledforwardandlaydownbesidehim,lookingoutthroughthebushesataclearingwhichstretchedbeforeus.
ItwasasightwhichIshallneverforgetuntilmydyingday—soweird,soimpossible,thatIdonotknowhowIamtomakeyourealizeit,orhowinafewyearsIshallbringmyselftobelieveinitif