Off to the Wilds | Page 4

angrily, as he saw the tears start into
his brother's eyes, and that in spite of the sunburning he turned haggard
and pale.
"Don't take any notice, Dick," he whispered, in a tender, loving way, as
he laid one arm on his brother's shoulder and drew him aside. "Dinny
don't mean any harm, Dick, but he has such a long tongue."
Dick looked piteously in his brother's face, and one tear stole softly
down his cheek.
"I say, Dick," cried Jack, imploringly, "don't look like that. It makes me
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