Between Snow and Fire — page 132: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

< - = - = | ie ‘TWEEN SNOW AND FIRE. “One man killed,” answered Shelton. ‘It’s Parr, poor chap.” “So? Well, fall in with us and come on. We haven't done with Jack Kafir yet.” “Can’t. We're all but cleaned out of ammunition.” “So?” said Brathwaite again. ‘ We’ve turned up none too.,soon then. Fortunately we’ve got plenty.” A burried levy was made upon the cartridge belts of the new arrivals, and thus reinforced in every sense of the word, the Kaffrarian men, keen to avenge their comrade and retrieve their position, fell in with their rescuers, and the whole force moved rapidly forward in pursuit of the enemy. But the latter had hastened to make himself scarce. With characteristic celerity, the wily savages seemed to have melted into earth or air. If thirty-five whites—a mere handful—had given them about as much fighting as they could stomach, they were not going to stand against that handful multiplied by three. “There they go!” suddenly shouted someone, pointing to the almost bare brow of a, hill about half a mile away, over which a number of Kafirs were swarming in full retreat. A tremendous fusillade was opened upon this point, but with slight effect. The distance was too great. ‘We must get the cattle,” cried Brathwaite, Shelton hay- ing hurriedly given him the particulars. ‘“ And we must race for them, too, for they'll have got a good start. They are sure to take them right away to that big bit of forest which runs down to the coast. Once there they are safe as far as we are concerned. I know this strip of coun- try. Armitage, the man who owned the bugle, and who was known to most there present either personally or by name, as a licensed wag and an incorrigible practical joker, was in- structed to blow a callof assembly. This hedid, in hideous and discordant fashion, and the men collected. Briefly Brathwaite explained the situation. ‘‘ Beyond this first rise there’s another,” hesaid. ‘ Beyond that there’s five miles of open ve/d¢ ; then the strip of forest I was mentioning. If we don’t get the cattle in the open we shan’t get them at all. Forward!” No second command was needed. The whole force pressed eagerly forward. At length, after a toilsome ride, (e(oyiaylicel oxoyoy <S (E(o) m