[Charge! by George Manville Fenn]@TWC D-Link bookCharge! CHAPTER NINE 1/12
CHAPTER NINE. THE FRIEND IN NEED. "Why, Joeboy," I cried, wiping my eyes, "you're splendid.
But where's Echo Nek ?" "Dah!" he said, pointing behind him with the dangerous-looking assagai he carried. "Did you see me coming ?" He nodded, it being one of his habits to say as little in English as he could. "Tell me: have you got anything to eat ?" I said.
"I'm starving." He darted back to the other side of the ridge, and came back with the strap of a big canvas satchel over his shoulder, the bag-part looking bulky in the extreme. "Um Tant Jenny," he said, frowning, as he shook the satchel, and then proceeded to scrape off with the blade of his stabbing-assagai the large ants which had scented the contents and were swarming to the attack. "Is there any water near ?" I asked. "Um," said Joeboy, pointing towards the other side of the ridge. "Then there will be grass too," I said.
"Go on, and show the way. Quick!" The great black nodded and went off at a trot, taking me over the ridge and down a steep slope into a large gap in the side of the hill; and a quarter of an hour later we were alongside a bubbling stream, where long, rich, juicy grass grew in abundance. Directly after Sandho was grazing contentedly; and when I had drunk from the pure fresh water, I was devouring rather than eating the magnified salt-beef sandwiches of which the satchel contained ample store, while Joeboy grinned to see the way in which one disappeared. "Catch hold," I said, pushing a great sandwich towards my black companion; but he shook his head and shrank away. "Tant Jenny say all young Boss Val," he said, and then he laughed and displayed a large packet carefully fastened to the inside of his shield. This packet he opened, took out a sandwich similar to mine, then squatted down and began to eat. "Joeboy had plenty yes'day," he said, and he gave his front a circular rub as if to suggest that it was still fairly stored, after which he went on munching slowly as if to keep me company. "Now," I said after eating a few mouthfuls, "what did my father say ?" "Big Boss say Joeboy go Echo Nek.
Stop till son Val come." "Is that all ?" I said wonderingly. "Yes; all Boss say." As he spoke, however, Joeboy laid his sandwich upon the shield beside him, and then began to fumble behind him in the band of his cut-down trousers, out of a leopard-skin pocket attached to which he drew a packet of common leather tied up with a slip of the same. I opened the leather packet with trembling fingers, and found a letter, which I eagerly read: "Dear Val,--I take it for granted, my boy, that you will escape from those ruffians and be lying in wait for my message.
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