on the firing line-第7部分

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he　way　out。〃

〃You　have　known　Miss　Dent　for　a　long　time？〃　Weldon　queried。

Captain　Frazer　answered　the　question　as　frankly　as　it　was　asked。　For　the　moment；　they　were　man　and　man。　In　a　moment　more；　they　could　resume　their　formal　relations　of　captain　and　soldier。

〃I　knew　her　well　in　England。　We　met　at　one　or　two　house　parties；　a　year　ago　last　fall。　I　was　at　her　coming…out　function；　too。〃　Then　he　rose。　〃I　shall　see　you　again；〃　he　added　formally。　〃Now　I　wish　to　make　my　round　of　the　guards。〃　And；　turning；　he　went　striding　away　towards　his　own　quarters　in　the　vestry。

Weldon　looked　after　him　thoughtfully。　Then　he　uttered　terse　judgment。

〃Carew；　that's　a　man；〃　he　said。

〃Quite　likely；〃　Carew　assented。　〃Women　don't　usually　wear　khaki。　Shall　we　go　in　search　of　Paddy？〃

They　found　him　smoking　tranquilly　by　the　churchyard　gate。　The　old　stone　wall　towering　above　his　head　made　good　shelter　from　the　drizzle；　and　Paddy；　his　day's　labor　done；　was　leaning　back　at　his　ease；　exchanging　adverse　compliments　with　the　half…dozen　sentries　who　patrolled　the　wall。　He　hailed　Weldon　with　cordiality。

〃Come　along　here；　little　Canuck；〃　he　called。　〃There's　room　for　the　two　of　us　and　fine　smoking。　Mr。　Carew　can　stay　out　in　the　rain。　It's　worth　his　while；　even　then；　for　the　sake　of　watching　that　pigeon…　toed　cockney　in　the　oilskins；　him　as　is　stubbing　his　toes　in　the　sand；　this　blessed　minute。〃

〃Shut　up；　Paddy；〃　his　victim　retorted　hotly。

〃It's　you　that　should　shut　up　and　teach　the　toes　of　you　to　walk　hushlike。　If　you　go　on　like　this；　you　living　watchman's　rattle；　the　Boers　can　hear　you；　clear　up　in　the　Transvaal。　Tell　me；　little　one；　have　you　seen　your　captain　yet？〃

〃Captain　Frazer？〃

〃Yes；　Captain　Leo　Frazer；　sure　as　you're　a　trooper　of　C。　Squadron。　You're　in　luck；　boy。　There's　not　a　better　soldier　nor　a　finer　Christian；　this　side　the　line。　Neptune　must　have　give　him　an　extry　scrubbing；　when　he　come　over；　for　he's　white　he　is；　all　white。　Boys！〃　Paddy　spoke　in　a　portentous　whisper。

〃Let　her　go；〃　Weldon　advised　him　calmly。

〃It　goes　without　letting。　Once　let　Paddy　get　free　of　his　skillets；　once　let　him　have　a　rifle　in　place　of　his　spoon；　and　you'll　see　war。　The　Kingdom　of　Heaven　is　a　spot　of　everlasting　peace。　All　I　ask　of　Saint　Peter　is　a　place　in　front　of　a　line　of　Boers　and　Captain　Frazer　beside　me　to　give　the　orders。〃

〃Here　he　is；　Paddy。〃　The　low…pitched　voice　was　full　of　mirth。　〃He　orders　you　inside　your　tent　to　plan　up　an　extra　good　breakfast。　Some　of　these　fellows　must　volunteer　for　a　night　guard　out　in　the　open；　and　they　will　need　a　feast；　when　they　come　in。〃

Weldon　rose　hastily。

〃At　your　service；　Captain；〃　he　said；　just　as　Paddy；　in　nowise　daunted　by　the　unexpected　presence　of　his　superior；　responded；

〃Sure；　Captain；　I　put　a　condition　on　the　tail　of　it。　If　you'll　remember　back　a　little；　you'll　see　that　I　merely　said；　'when　I　get　a　rifle　instead　of　a　spoon。'　It's　a　sorry　day　for　an　able…bodied　man　to　be　tied　to　a　frying　pan　all　his　days。　Now　and　then　he　longs　to　leap　out　and　get　into　the　fire。〃

Meanwhile；　half　of　the　men　inside　the　church　were　volunteering　for　the　party　of　twenty　guards　demanded　by　the　Captain。　It　was　a　surly　night；　cold　and　raw　with　a　drizzling　rain。　Nevertheless；　this　was　their　first　approach　to　anything　even　remotely　resembling　active　service；　and　the　men　sought　it　eagerly。

By　dint　of　attaching　himself　to　the　Captain's　elbow　and　assuming　that　his　going　was　an　understood　thing；　Weldon　accomplished　his　aim。　Eleven　o'clock　found　him；　wet　to　his　skin；　sneaking　on　the　points　of　his　toes　through　the　thick　grass　beyond　the　river；　with　nineteen　other　men　sneaking　at　his　heels。　There　had　been　no　especial　pretext　of　Boers　in　the　neighborhood；　tactical　thoroughness　merely　demanded　a　guard　on　the　farther　side　of　the　river。　Nevertheless；　the　enthusiastic　fellows　threw　themselves　into　the　game　with　the　same　spirit　with　which；　twenty　years　before；　they　had　faced　the　danger　of　a　runaway　by　the　tandem　of　rampant　hall　chairs。　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。　From　a　dozen　points　above；　the　rain　came　pattering　down；　seeking　with　unerring　instinct　that　precise　spot　on　each　man's　back　where　skin　and　collar　meet。

〃Whither？〃　Carew　queried；　as　Weldon　made　his　fifth　move。

〃Outside；　to　see　what　the　pickets　are　about。〃

〃But　it　rains；〃　Carew　protested　lazily。

〃So　I　observe。　Still；　I'd　rather　take　it　outside　as　it　comes；　instead　of　having　a　gutter　empty　itself　on　me；　when　I　am　supposed　to　be　under　cover。〃

〃Better　stay　in；〃　Carew　advised　him。

〃No　use。　Sleep　is　out　of　the　question；　and　I'd　rather　be　moving；　it　is　less　monotonous。〃

〃Go　along；　then；　and　look　out　for　Boers。　Can　I　have　your　bag？〃

〃You're　too　wet；　you'd　soak　up　all　the　inside　of　it。　If　I　am　to　get　a　chill；　I'd　rather　do　it　from　my　dampness　than　your　own。〃　Carew　laid　hands　on　the　bag。

〃What　a　selfish　beast　you　are；　Weldon！〃　he　observed　tranquilly。　〃This　is　no　sack…race；　you　can't　go　out　to　walk　in　your　bag。　In　fact；　it　takes　two　to　make　a　navigable　pair。　Then　why　not　let　me　have　it？〃

〃Why　didn't　you　bring　your　own？〃

Already　Carew　was　arranging　himself　in　his　new　covering。

〃I　mislaid　mine　in　Cape　Town；〃　he　replied　sleepily。　〃Now　please　go　away。　I　need　my　beauty　nap。〃

An　hour　later；　he　was　roused　by　a　sharp　reversal　of　his　normal　position。　When　he　became　fully　awake；　he　was　lying　in　a　pool　of　water　in　the　middle　of　the　hut；　and　Weldon　was　in　possession　of　the　blankets　and　bag。

〃What's　the　row？〃　he　asked　thickly。　〃I'm　a　Canadian；　out　here　shooting　Boers。　Oh；　I　say！〃　And　he　was　on　his　feet；　saluting　the　man　at　Weldon's　side。

〃The　only　bag　in　the　squadron；　Captain　Frazer；〃　Weldon　was　explaining。　〃The　blankets　are　quite　dry。　Roll　yourself　up；　and　you　will　be　warm　in　a　few　minutes。〃

Carew　surveyed　the　transfer　with　merry；　impartial　eyes。

〃Well；　I　like　that；〃　he　said；　when　the　Captain's　yellow　head　was　all　that　was　visible　above　the　encircling　cocoon。　〃I　thought　you　said　that　you　preferred　to　catch　cold　from　your　own　wetness；　Weldon。　I　was　merely　damp；　this　man　is　a　sponge。〃

Before　Weldon　could　answer；　the　yellow　head　turned；　and　the　blue　eyes　looked　up　into　Carew's　eyes　laughingly。

〃Merely　one　of　the　privileges　of　rank；　Carew；〃　the　Captain　observed　as　dryly　as　if　he　had　not　risen　from　his　warm　bed　to　swim　the　river　and　walk　a　mile　in　the　darkness　and　the　downpour；　in　order　to　see　how　the　new　boys　were　getting　on。




CHAPTER　SIX


Captain　Leo　Frazer；　age　thirty　and　an　Englishman；　had　a　trick　of　looking　Fate　between　the　eyes　with　those　black…fringed　blue　eyes　of　his；　of　accepting　its　gifts　with　gratitude；　its　occasional　knocks　with　cheery　optimism。　At　Rugby　he　had　ultimately　been　captain　of　the　school；　at　Oxford　he　had　been　of　equal　prowess　in　rowing　and　football。　Since　taking　his　degree；　he　had　been　a　successful　doctor　in　the　intervals　of　time　allowed　him　by　his　membership　in　one　of　the　crack　regiments　at　home。　He　had　never　seriously　contemplated　the　possibility　of　active　service；　but　Colenso　had　been　too　strong　a　pull　upon　him。　Leaving　some　scores　of　sorrowing　patients　to　bemoan　him　as　already　dead；　he　had　promptly　shipped　for　Cape　Town。　The　year　of　grace　nineteen　hundred　had　found　him　on　the　scene　at　most　of　its　exciting　events。　Where　Fate　refused　to　take　him；　he　asserted　his　strong　hand　and　took　Fate；　until　that　weary　lady　was　forced　to　go　hopping　about　the　map　of　South　Africa　with　the　agility　of　a　sand　flea。

In　battle；　Frazer　was　always　in　the　thickest　spatter　of　bullets；　where　he　bowed　himself　to　the　inevitable　and　lay　prone；　though　with　his　face　turned　to　one　side　to　give　free　passage　to　the　chaff　which　carried　his　comrades　through　so　many　grim　hours。　In　the　presence　of　danger；　his　humor　never　failed　him。　In　those　sorrowful　hours　which　followed　the　cessation　of　firing；　no　man　was　in　greater　demand　than　he。　Many　a　brave　fellow　had　died　with　his　hand　shut　fast　over　Frazer's　long；　slim　fingers；　many　a　man's　first；　awful　moments　in　hospital　had　been　soothed　by　the　touch　of　those　same　firm；　slim　hands。　And　in　the　singsongs　around　the　camp　fire；　or　at　the　mess　table；　Frazer's　voice　was　always　heard；　no　matter　how　great　the　tumult　of　a　moment　before。

Like　many　another　of　his　countrymen；　Captain　Frazer　had　learned　lessons　since　he　had　left　the　ship　at　Cape　Town；　just　a　year　before。　He　had　come　out　from　England；　trained　to　the　inflexibly　formal　tactics　of　the　British　army。　Again　and　again　he　had　seen　those　tactics　proved　of　no　avail　in　the　face　of　an　invisible　enemy　and　an　almost　inexpugnable　country。　He　had　learned　the　nerve…racking　tension　of　being　exposed　to　a　storm　of　bullets　that　came　apparently　from　nowhere　to　cut　down　the　British　lines　as　the　hail　cuts　down　the　standing　grain；　he　had　learned　the　shock　of　seeing　the　level　veldt；　over　which　he　was　marching；　burst　into　a　line　of　fire　at　his　very　feet　from　a　spot　where　it　seemed　that　scarce　a　dozen　men　could　lie　in　hiding；　to　say　nothing　of　a　dozen　scores。　He　had　learned　that；　under　such　fire；　a　man's　first　duty　was　to　drop　flat　on　his　face；　to　push　up　a　tiny　breastwork　of　earth　and　to　fire　from　behind