Charge! | Page 4

again.' `Oh, yes, I shall, John,' I said, `for I've come to stay.' `What!' he cried; `would you go with us, sis?' `Yes,' I said, `to the very end of the world.' So we came here, Val, where there's plenty of room, and no neighbours to find fault with our ways."
That's how it was; and now I can admire and think of how Aunt Jenny, the prim maiden lady, gave up all her own old ways to set to and work and drudge for us all, living in a wagon and then in a tent, and smiling pleasantly at the trees we planted, and bringing us lunch where we were working away, dragging down stones for the house which progressed so slowly, though father's ideas wore modest.
"For," said he, "we'll build one big stone room, Val, and make it into two with part of the tent. Then by-and-by we'll build another room against it, and then another and another till we get it into a house."
Yes, it was hard work getting the stones, and we were busy enough one day in the hot sunshine, about a month after the wagon had been with the trees and stores, when Bob suddenly stood shading his eyes, and cried:
"Some one's coming!"
We looked up, and there, far in the distance, I saw a black figure striding along under a great, broad matting-hat.
"Why, it looks like that great Kaffir, father," I said.
"Nonsense, boy," he replied; "the Kaffirs all look alike at a distance."
"But it is, father," I cried excitedly. "Look; he's waving his big hat because he sees us." I waved mine in answer; and directly after he began to run, coming up laughing merrily, and ending by throwing down three assagais and the bundle he carried, as he cried:
"Come back, boss."
We gave him something to eat, and the next minute he was lifting and carrying stones, working like a slave; and at night he told me in his way that he was going to stop along with old boss and young boss and little boss and old gal, and never go away no more.
CHAPTER TWO.
OUR UGLY VISITOR.
The black fellow's arrival at such a time was most welcome; but my father put no faith in his declaration.
"They're all alike, Val," he said. "He's a quick worker, and as willing and good-tempered as a man can be; but he'll only stay with us till he has earned wages enough to buy himself some bright-coloured blankets and handkerchiefs, and then he'll be off back to his tribe."
"Think so, father?" I said. "He seems to like us all here. He says it's better than being with the Boers. He always says he means to stay."
"He does mean it, of course," said my father; "but these black fellows are like big children, and are easily led away by some new attraction. We shall wake up some morning and find him gone."
But seven years glided away, during which apprenticeshiplike time Joeboy, as we called him--for he would not be content with Joe when he had heard the "boy" after it once or twice, "Joeboy" quite taking his fancy--worked for us constantly, and became the most useful of fellows upon our farm, ready to do anything and do it well, as his strength became tempered with education. In fact, it grew to be a favourite saying with my father, "I don't know what we should have done without Joeboy."
One of the first persons I saw that morning, when I trotted towards the house after being called by my brother, was the great black hurrying out to meet us; and as we got closer it was to see his face puckered up and his eyes flashing, as he said to me hoarsely:
"Won't go, Boss Val; won't go. You tell the Boss I've run up into the hills. Won't go."
"Here, what do you mean?" I said.
"Boss Boers come to fetch up go and fight. Won't go."
"Nonsense," I said. "I dare say they've only come to buy bullocks."
"No," said the black, shaking his head fiercely. "Come to fetch Joeboy."
"Here, don't run away."
"On'y go up in kopje," he said. "Hide dar."
He rushed away, and I was sure I knew where he would hide himself. Then I walked on with my brother, to find my father and Aunt Jenny by the door.
"What's it all about, father?" I asked.
"I don't know yet, my boy; but we soon shall. There's about a score of the Boers, well mounted and armed. Yonder they are, coming at a walk. There were only twelve; but another party have caught up to them, and maybe there are more."
"Joeboy has run off in a fright," I said. "He thinks they've come to fetch him."
"Oh no; it isn't that, my boy," said my father. "I fear it's something worse."
"What?" I said wonderingly.
CHAPTER THREE.
MY FIRST