Off to the Wilds | Page 4

think so of poor mamma. You look so like her. I say don't, or you'll make me cry too; and I won't," he cried, grinding his teeth. "I said I'd never cry again, because it's so childish; and I won't."
"Then I'm childish, Jack," said Dick, as he rubbed the tear away with one hand.
"No, no. You have been so weak and delicate that you can't help it. I'm strong. But I say, Dick, you are ever so much stronger than when we came out here."
"Yes," said Dick, with a wistful look at his brother's muscular arms. "I am stronger, but I do get tired so soon, Jack."
"Not so soon as you did, Dick; and father says you'll be a strong man yet. Hallo! what's the matter? Look there."
The brothers turned round, and hardly knew whether to laugh or to be alarmed; for a short distance away there was Dinny dancing about, waving his arms and shouting, while Coffee and Chicory, each with his kiri, were making attacks and feints, striking at the Irishman fiercely.
"Ah, would you, ye black baste?" shouted Dinny, as roaring now with laughter the brothers ran back.
"Shoo, Shoo! get out, you dirty-coloured spalpeen. Ah, ye didn't. Kape off wid you. An' me widout a bit of shtick in me fist. Masther Dick, dear! Masther Jack! it's murthering me the two black Whiteboys are. Kape off! Ah, would ye again! Iv I'd me shtick I'd talk to ye both, and see if your heads weren't thick as a Tipperary boy's, I would. Masther Dick! Masther Jack! they'll murther me avore they've done."
As aforesaid, the two Zulu boys had picked up a great deal of the English language, but their understanding thereof was sometimes very obscure. In this instance they had heard Dinny talking to his young masters in a way that had made the tears come in Dick's eye, and driven him and Jack away. This, in the estimation of the Zulu boys, must be through some act of cruelty or insult. They did not like Dinny, who made no attempt to disguise his contempt for them as "a pair of miserable young haythens," but at the same time they almost idolised the twin brothers as their superiors and masters, for whom they were almost ready to lay down their lives.
Here then was a cause for war. Their nature was to love and fight, as dearly as the wildest Irishman who was ever born. Dinny had offended their two "bosses"--as they called them, after the fashion of the Dutch Boers, and this set their blood on fire.
Hardly had the brothers walked away than, as if moved by the same spirit, they forgot the beauty of the old boots in which they had been parading--to such an extent that they kicked them off, and kiri in hand made so fierce an attack upon unarmed Dinny that, after a show of resistance, he fairly took to his heels and ran back to the house, just as the brothers came up.
"Popo give him kiri," cried Chicory.
"Bechele de boy make Boss Dinny run," cried the other, his eyes sparkling with delight. "No make de boss cry eye any more."
"No make Boss Dick cry eye any more," repeated Chicory.
The brothers looked at each other as they comprehended the meaning of the attack.
"Why, Jack," said Dick, "what faithful true fellows they are. They'll never leave us in a time of trouble."
"No, that they won't," cried Jack; and just then a tall, stern, sunburnt man, with grizzled hair and saddened eyes, came up to where they stood. Laying his hand affectionately on the shoulder of Dick,--
"Come, my boys," he said, "dinner is ready. Let's be punctual while we are leading a civilised life."
"And afterwards, father, as punctual a life as we can," said Dick, smiling.
"Hurray!" cried Jack, giving his cap a wave in the air. "Only another week, and then, father--"
"Yes," said Mr Rogers, with a quiet, sad look, "then, my boy, good-bye to civilisation."
"Only for a time, father," said Dick, quietly.
"Till you win health and strength, my boy," said Mr Rogers, with an affectionate glance.
"And that we'll soon find," cried Jack; "for we are off to the wilds."
CHAPTER TWO.
WHY THEY WENT AWAY.
It was about two years before this that Mr Edward Rogers, a gentleman holding a post of importance in the City of London, had purchased some land and come out to dwell in Natal. For physician after physician had been consulted, seaside and health resort visited, but as the time glided on the verdict of the doctors became more and more apparent as a true saying, that unless Mrs Rogers was taken to a warmer climate her days would be few.
Even if she were removed the doctors said that she could not recover; but still her days might be prolonged. What was more,