them coffee.
'My God, it's cold enough to freeze the hanger off a brass monkey.'
Sean cupped his hands around the mug and sipped noisily.
'At least you've got a hood to keep your tip warm,' Saul retorted.
'We'd better get moving before we all freeze to the ground. ' 'Dawn in
an hour,' Sean agreed. 'Time to start walking our beat,' and he called
across to MbeJane,
'Kill the fire and bring my horse. ' In double file with the scotch
cart bumping along in the rear they started on the outward leg of their
patrol. In the last four days they had covered the same ground as many
times, tacking backwards and forwards across the beat that Acheson had
assigned them. The grass was brittle with frost and crunched under the
horses' hooves.
While ahead of them the Zulu trackers ranged like gun dogs
and behind the troopers huddled miserably in their greatcoats, Sean and
Saul picked up their endless discussion from the point at which they
had left it the previous evening. Already they had reached so faR,
into the future that they were talking of a federation under
responsible government that would encompass all the territories south
of the Zambesi.
'That's what Rhodes has proposed for the last ten years,' Saul pointed
out.
'I don't want any part of that wily bastard. ' Sean spoke
emphatically. 'He'll keep us tied for ever to the apron strings of
WhiteHall, the sooner we get rid of him and Mimer the better, say
'You want to get rid of Imperial rule?' Saul asked.
'Of course, let's end this war and send all of them back across the
sea. We can run our own affairs. ' 'Colonel, it seems to me you are
fighting on the wrong side,' Saul remarked, and Sean chuckled.
'But seriously, Saul . . . ' He never finished. Mbejane came out of
the darkness, running with silent purpose so that Sean checked his
horse and felt the skin along his arms prickle with nervous
excitement.
'Mbejane?'
'Mabuna!'
'Where? How many?'
He listened to MbeJane's hurried explanation, then swung round to face
Sergeant, Major Eccles, who was breathing heavily down his neck.
'Your birds, Eccles. A hundred or so of them, only a mile ahead and
coming straight towards us. ' Sean's voice was tight with the same
excitement that made Eccles's moustache wriggle like an agitated
caterpillar on the impassive oval of his face.
'Deploy in single line. They'll walk Right on top of us in the dark. '
'Dismounted, sir?'
'No,' Sean answered. 'We'll gun charge them as soon as they show.
But for God's sake keep it quiet.'
As Sean sat his horse with Saul beside him, the two files of troopers
opened on each side of them. There was no talking; only the clicking
of iron, shod hooves on rock, the rustling of men struggling out of
their heavy greatcoats, and the soft rattle and snick of breech, bolts
