But you? Oh, hang it all! somebody bring a light. Hi, there, a lantern!”
“No, no!” roared the colonel out of the darkness. “Are you mad? Who’s that asking for a light?”
“Mr Dickenson, sir.”
“Bah! Keep every light away. There may be another explosion.”
The colonel gave a few sharp orders respecting being on the alert for an expected attack to follow this attempt – one that he felt to have been arranged to throw the little camp into confusion; and with all lights out, and a wide berth given to the neighbourhood of the headquarters, the troops stood ready to receive the on-coming Boers with fixed bayonets.
But an hour passed away, and the doubled outposts and those sent out to scout had nothing to report, while all remained dark and silent in the neighbourhood of the damaged huts.
Meanwhile Dickenson had hurried Lennox and the sergeant off to the doctor’s quarters, where they were examined by that gentleman and his aids.
“Well, upon my word, you ought to congratulate yourself, Lennox.”
“I do, sir,” was the reply, made calmly enough.
“And you too, sergeant.”
“Yes, sir,” said the man stolidly.
“Why, my good fellow, you ought to have been blown all to pieces.”
“Ought I, sir?”
“Of course you ought. It’s a wonderful escape.”
“Oh, I don’t know, sir. What about my back hair, sir?”
“Singed off, what there was of it; and yours too, Lennox. Smart much?”
“Oh yes, horribly,” said the latter.
“Oh, well, that will soon pass off. Threw yourselves down on your faces – eh?”
“No. We were knocked down.”
“Good thing too,” said the doctor. “Saved your eyes, and the hair about them. A wonderful escape, upon my word. Yes: you ought to have been blown to atoms. – Eh? What’s that, sergeant?”
“I say we should have been, sir, if we hadn’t scattered the powder-bags.”
“Scattered the powder-bags?” said a voice from the door, and the colonel stepped into the circle of light spread by the doctor’s lamp. “Tell me what you know about this explosion, Lennox. How came you to be there instead of visiting your posts?”
Lennox briefly explained, and the colonel stood frowning.
“I don’t see all this very clearly,” said the colonel. “Somebody stealing the corn, and you were tracing the thieves and came upon a train laid up to my quarters. There was a sentry there; what was he about?”
“No, sir: no sentry there,” said Lennox.
“Nonsense! I gave orders for a man to be posted there, and it was done.”
“I beg pardon, sir,” said Lennox. “No one was there to challenge us.”
“Indeed!” said the colonel. – “Who’s that? Oh, Mr Dickenson, examine the place as soon as it is light. There was a man there, for I saw him myself. But now then, I cannot understand how the enemy can have stolen through the lines and carried the powder where it was found. What do you say, Lennox?”
“Nothing, sir. My head is so confused that I can hardly recall how it all happened.”
“Of course. Well, you, sergeant. You said that you scattered the powder-bags.”
“Yes, sir. Threw ’em about as far as we could.”
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