A stray Boer or two
would have made an interesting diversion; but, even without the
Boers, a night guard in the open possessed its own interest.
By four in the morning, the interest had waned perceptibly. The
establishment of their force in a convenient hut and the placing of
pickets had served to occupy an hour or so. After that, nothing
happened. The storm was increasing. The rain beat ceaselessly on the
corrugated iron roof of their shelter and made a dreary bass
accompaniment to the strident tenor of the rising wind. Inside the
but the men yawned and whispered together by turns. Carew's best
jokes began to fall a little flat, and Weldon held his watch to his
ear, to assure himself that it was still in active service. Then
hastily he thrust the watch into his pocket, gathered up his
sleeping-bag and removed himself to a remote corner of the hut, with
Carew and a dozen more after him.
Not even the most enthusiastic champion of South African rights can
affirm that the South African citizen is heedful of the condition of
his lesser buildings. The rising wind had proved too much for the
hut. Its joints writhed a little, seesawed up and down a little,
then yawned like a weary old man.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77