Chapter 21
It was, quite, for the rustling behind seemed to be terribly near, and it was with a feeling of intense relief that the lad felt his arm pressed, and fell into step with his officer, who directly after cried "Haiti" in a low, stern voice, and formed his men in line, before giving the orders: "Make ready! Fire!"
Quite time, for spears and bullets crossed, the former in a curve, the latter direct, and drawing from the enemy yells of mingled defiance, rage and pain.
"That's give it 'em, sir," whispered Tom May, who was close to Murray, and he made his rifle hiss as he rammed down a fresh cartridge.
"Any one hurt?" asked the lieutenant, in a low, eager tone.
"I got a spear a-sticking in me, sir," said one of the men, in the same subdued tone of voice, "but I can't say as it hurts."
"Let me see," said Murray excitedly, and he stepped to where the man was standing tugging at himself instead of following his comrades' example and reloading.
"Don't think you can see, sir! it's so smoky. Would you mind ketching hold here and giving a good pull?"
As the man spoke, the mids.h.i.+pman did as he was requested, so far as to take hold of the shaft of a spear. But there he stopped short, his imagination suggesting consequences to which he gave voice in a strangely unnatural tone.
"I daren't draw it out," he said. "It may be wrong to do so."
"But I can't march with a thing like that all wibble wobble at every step, sir."
"Then you must be helped, my lad," said Murray hastily. "If I draw it out the wound may burst out bleeding."
"Think so, sir?"
"Yes. You must be helped back till the doctor has seen to you."
"Here, what is it?" said a familiar voice out of the gloom.
"t.i.tely has a spear through his shoulder, sir."
"Tut, tut, tut! Here, let me look."
"Oh, never mind me, sir," said the injured man; "it don't hurt much, on'y feels like a scratch; but it's orfly in the way."
"Who's this?" asked the lieutenant.
"Murray, sir."
"Let me see. Yes: right through, evidently."
"He wants
"Yes, certainly," said the lieutenant. "He must be helped back. What's that?"
"More spears, sir," growled Tom May, as there was the whizz and thud of the missiles once more.
"Present! Fire!" said the lieutenant sharply; and a fresh volley was fired, with the result of a rush of feet being plainly heard from the enemy, now in full retreat.
"Keep silence, my lads," said the lieutenant, who had been waiting till the thudding of the ramrods came to an end and denoted that the little party was once more ready to deliver fire.
Silence ensued, save where Murray stood half supporting the wounded man.
"Here, give it a good pull, Mr Murray, sir," whispered the man. "I'll hold a couple o' plugs ready for you to stop the bleeding."
"No, no, my man; you must be patient," whispered Murray sympathetically.
"But I can't be patient, sir. You don't know what it means."
"Does it pain you so much?"
"No, sir; not so werry much. I can bear it well enough, but it makes me feel as if I'd got a skewer through me."
"Silence there," said the lieutenant.
"It's all very fine," muttered the man; and then, leaning towards Murray, "Say, sir, these here n.i.g.g.e.rs on the coast are cannibals, aren't they?"
"Yes, some of them, I believe," whispered back the mids.h.i.+pman.
"Don't leave me behind, then," said the man softly, and he uttered a low chuckling laugh. "I don't want 'em to come upon me and find a fellow skewered and trussed ready for cooking."
"Can't you keep that man quiet, Mr Murray?" said the lieutenant angrily, and he came up to where the pair stood together. "It's like telling the enemy where to throw again, for they are wonderfully quick of hearing."
"I am trying, sir," whispered the mids.h.i.+pman, "but I wish you would place your hand here."
"Place your hand there, Mr Murray!" said the officer, in a voice full of vexation. "I have no time to feel the poor fellow's wound."
"But it isn't quite that, sir," said the lad. "I can't help thinking--"
"Think, then, sir, but don't bother me."
"I can't help it, sir," whispered the lad excitedly.
"What do you mean, Mr Murray?" said the officer, alarmed by the lad's excitement. "Don't say you are wounded too?"
"No, sir, and I don't think that t.i.tely has got anything worse than a scratch."
"Eh?"
"Feel here, sir. The spear has gone right through the bandolier and his s.h.i.+rt from the front and gone out through the s.h.i.+rt and bandolier at the back, running all up a bit."
"Well, but what about the poor fellow's flesh and bone?" said the officer excitedly.
"I think it's only gone through the skin, sir."
"Yes, that's right," said the man. "I telled Mr Murray, sir, as I didn't think I should bleed much if he pulled the skewer out."
"We must wait for daylight, my lad--till the smoke lifts. Ah, what are you doing?"
"On'y wiggling the spear a little, sir," replied the man gruffly. "Just give a tug at it. Does hurt a bit. I seem to have teared some'at.