CHAPTER XVII.CONCLUSION.

CHAPTER XVII.CONCLUSION.

The Club stood speechless with astonishment, and so did the trapper. Uncle Dick was the first to break the silence, which he did by laughing long and heartily. “You have made a reputation now, Lewis,” said he. “These natives are all firm believers in witchcraft, and they think you are a medicine-man.”

This was the reason why the Zulus had fled in such hot haste. They had never seen a white man dressed as Dick was, and neither had they ever seen one act so strangely. It struck them at once that he was a conjuror, and that he was going through some sort of an incantation for the purpose of bringing some dire calamity upon his foes.

“I think we have seen the last of them for to-night,”continued Uncle Dick. “Now when we resume our journey we must make all haste, for when these fellows go back to their own country their king will send an army after us, and Dick may not be able to frighten them away again.”

As soon as the Zulus were gone the Griquas came out of their hiding-places and gathered about the tent, all clamoring to know how it happened that the dreaded enemy had been driven off so easily. When Uncle Dick gravely informed them that his conjuror had found means to send them away, their gratitude knew no bounds. Then most of them dispersed at once, and when they returned, brought presents of milk and corn—articles for which they had hitherto demanded the highest prices in beads and wire—and tremblingly placed them on the ground before the great medicine-man. Groups of them stood about the fire until ten o’clock that night, watching every move he made; and Dick had only to stand erect, look toward the stars, extend an arm at full length and pull the other back to his shoulder as if he weredrawing a bow, to send them scampering away at the top of their speed.

The next morning the travellers were astir at an early hour, all eager to begin the journey to the coast; but now another difficulty was presented. The Griquas who had been engaged to fill the places of the Kaffirs were nowhere to be found. The boys were dismayed, but Uncle Dick was as serene as usual. “I expected it,” said he. “They were frightened by that visit from the Zulus. We must depend upon the oxen to guide us back.”

“Do they know the way home?” asked George.

“No, but they made a trail coming here, and their instinct will lead them to follow that trail back.”

“Why, it must be obliterated by this time.”

“No matter for that. They will find and follow it in the darkest of nights.”

Inspanning was a task the boys did not like, and they hoped they had assisted in it for the last time; but as there was no one to do the business for them they set to work with a will, and by teno’clock the wagon was in motion. Contrary to their expectations, not a Griqua followed them out of the village. They were afraid of the Zulus, and so was Uncle Dick, if one might judge by the way he disposed of his forces, and the arrangements he made for repelling an attack. He and Frank went on ahead as usual, the two trappers brought up the rear—there were no loose cattle and horses to drive now—and the others rode beside the wagon, Eugene being instructed in case of difficulty to take his brother up behind him. The travellers moved in this order until the middle of the afternoon, when they entered the dry bed of what had once been a stream of considerable magnitude. The high banks on each side were thickly lined with bushes and rocks, affording excellent ambush for an enemy, and as the bed of the stream was only forty feet wide, and the road ran through the middle of it, it was impossible for the travellers to get out of range of the javelins of the Zulus should they chance to be awaiting them here. And they were waiting for them, just as Uncle Dick expectedthey would be. The chief of the Zulus, having recovered from his fright, had made a wide detour around the village during the night, and concealed his warriors along the banks of the stream among the rocks and bushes. When the passage was about half completed he made his presence known. The signal for attack was a loud yell given by the chief, who suddenly appeared on the top of one of the high rocks on the bank; but no sooner had he gained a footing there, than a bullet from Bob Kelly’s ready rifle brought him headlong into the bed of the stream. His warriors however, promptly obeyed the signal. They arose from their concealments on both sides of the road, and the way the spears whistled through the air for a few minutes was surprising. The majority of these weapons seemed to be aimed at the two trappers—the warriors, no doubt, believing that if the conjuror could be killed the rest of the travellers could be easily managed—and it was a wonder how they escaped being pierced by them. Their horses were struck down almost instantly, but the trappers landed ontheir feet, and sheltering themselves behind convenient rocks in the road, opened a hot fire on the savages.

All these things happened in less than a minute. Although the attack was not altogether unexpected, it was still a surprise, it was made so suddenly. As soon as Uncle Dick had time to think he began to issue his orders.

“Leave the wagon, boys,” said he, “and run for that high hill you see yonder.”

“Come on, Dick,” shouted Archie, slinging his empty Maynard on his back and drawing his pistols from their holsters.

“Lewis, you and Bob stay where you are,” commanded Uncle Dick. “You’re safe there, and in a few minutes we shall be in a position to help you.”

The boys, led by Uncle Dick, at once put their horses into a full gallop. Walter, who was seated on the driver’s box, springing up behind his brother, and Frank bringing up the rear, carrying a revolver in each hand, and banging away every time he saw a head to fire at. The oxen, frightened by theshouting and the noise of the firearms, tried to follow, but three of them had already been killed in the yoke, and the leaders turning back upon those in the rear, the team became mixed up in the greatest confusion.

Frank was astonished at the force with which the Zulus threw their spears. They did not throw them very accurately, for the reason that they were so very much afraid of the bullets which rattled about among the rocks, that they did not spend an instant in poising their weapons before they launched them; but they sent them through the air with great speed, and those which struck the oxen and horses made wounds that were almost instantly fatal. Presently Frank was given further proof that they were terrible weapons in the hands of those who knew how to use them. Archie, who was galloping along in front of him, mounted on the splendid animal which he had paraded before his cousin when the latter drew the ungainly beast he was then riding, suddenly came to the ground all in a heap. Frank drew up on the instant, and theutmost horror was depicted on his countenance as he threw himself from his saddle and kneeled by his cousin’s side. As he did so a spear whistled through the air and buried itself in the sand beside him, but he paid no attention to it. His thoughts were wholly wrapped up in his cousin, who set his fears at rest by saying, cheerfully,

“I’m all right, but I’ve lost my horse at last. Did you see that spear go through his neck? He has fallen on my leg, and I—Oh, Frank!”

The latter, who had seized his cousin by the shoulders, and was exerting all his strength to pull him to his feet, suddenly released his hold and fell by Archie’s side. At the same time there was a whistling sound in the air, and Archie looked up to see the shaft of a spear quivering in the air above his cousin’s side, the point being out of sight. It looked as though it was buried in Frank’s body, but fortunately it was not. It had passed through the haversack in which he carried the cartridges for his Maynard, and was thrown with sufficient force to carry him to the ground. The next moment thegrim warrior who launched the weapon came tumbling heels over head down the bank, while a triumphant shout from Dick Lewis told the cousins who it was that sent him there.

“It is hot about here, Frank. You had better take care of yourself,” said Archie.

The only notice Frank took of this friendly advice was to jump to his feet and renew his efforts to release his cousin. This time he was successful, but when he lifted him to his feet Archie found that he could not stand alone. That, however, was a matter of small moment seeing that Frank had a horse close by. The animal had remained motionless where his rider left him, and it was the work of but a few seconds for Frank to jump into the saddle and pull his cousin up after him. This done, he put the animal to the top of his speed, and the two were carried safely down the ravine and into the midst of their friends, who having reached the hill of which Uncle Dick had spoken, were in a position to drive the Zulus from the field. Having a cross-fire upon them they had completecommand of their position, and one volley was all that was needed to send them flying up the hill on each side of the ravine.

As soon as the Zulus were out of sight the trappers arose from their concealments, and having removed the saddles and bridles from their dead steeds and thrown them into the wagon, they proceeded to put the train in motion, Uncle Dick and his party keeping up a steady fire all the while to prevent the return of the savages. While Bob cut the dead oxen loose from the yokes, Dick forced the leaders back into their places, and when the animals had been made to understand what was required of them, they brought the wagon up the hill in safety. It was a lucky fight taken altogether. The Zulus must have suffered severely; the trappers said they had seen a dozen or more of them tumble into the ravine, while all the travellers lost were three oxen and as many horses. Frank had had a very narrow escape. The weapon which had so nearly ended his existence was packed carefully away in the wagon with the haversackstill fast to it. He intended that these articles should some day occupy a prominent place among the curiosities in his room at the cottage.

The misfortunes which had thus far followed the travellers seemed to end with that fight. From that time forward things worked as smoothly as could be desired. Fortune first smiled upon them the next morning when the Griquas, who had been engaged to accompany them to the coast, entered the camp. The Zulus having been whipped and driven out of the country, they were no longer afraid to fulfil their contract. Walter was glad to see them, for he was tired of acting as driver, and so were the rest of the boys, for they were relieved of the task of inspanning. They passed back through the Boer settlement, and here another surprise awaited them. The Dutchmen having had time to recover their good-nature were in the humor for trading, and at every farm they visited some of the goods, which they thought they would have to carry back to Grahamstown with them, were exchanged for fat cattle. Long before theyreached the coast their stock was exhausted, there was a drove of eighty oxen following behind the wagon, and those of the party who had lost their horses were remounted on animals purchased from the Boers. Everything was disposed of at a fair profit, so that the expedition, which at first threatened to end in failure, turned out much better than they had ever hoped it would.

Uncle Dick’s first care, when he reached the coast, was to inquire for his runaway driver, of whom he had heard at several farm-houses along the route. He found that the man had been in Grahamstown, and that he had sold a horse and gun there; but they were not the same that he had stolen from his employer. Mack was much too smart for that. He had traded off Uncle Dick’s horse and gun at the first opportunity, sold those he received in exchange, and used the money to carry him out of the country. Uncle Dick’s gun had probably been left with some Boer a thousand miles back in the interior; but of course it would not pay to go back after it.

When the last ox, the last pound of ivory, and the last article composing their outfit had been disposed of, the party went on board the schooner in high spirits; and at the turn of the tide the anchor was hoisted not to be dropped again, they fondly hoped, until they sailed into the bay at the rear of Mr. Gaylord’s plantation. Nothing happened to mar the pleasure of the homeward voyage. Propelled by favoring breezes the Stranger sped merrily on her way, and the topsails were scarcely touched from the day they took their departure from the Cape of Good Hope until land was sighted on the other side of the Atlantic. The first familiar object they saw was Lost Island, which would ever be memorable in the history of the Sportsman’s Club, and the next was the village of Bellville. As the schooner sailed along past the town—the wind being favorable she did not signal for a tug to tow her in—her appearance attracted the attention of the people on the wharves, who gazed at her with great interest. There were some among them who had never seen her before,while others thought there was something about her that looked familiar, but they could not tell who she was. The Club’s friends had learned from Chase and Wilson that the Stranger was homeward bound, but they did not look for her so soon, and not one on the wharf could call her by name until they saw her round the point above the village and shape her course towards Mr. Gaylord’s wharf. Then it was too late to welcome her.

When the schooner rounded the point the Gaylord mansion and all its surroundings came plainly into view. The family did not seem to be on the lookout for her, but they were quickly made aware of her arrival. The twenty-four pounders, whose voices had not been heard since they spoke so emphatically to the inhabitants of that island away off in the Pacific, awoke the echoes of the hills, and when the breeze carried away the smoke that rolled up from their muzzles, some one was seen running along the carriageway that led from the barn to the house. It was old Sam. He was gone but a few minutes, and when he returned he was accompaniedby Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord. The schooner stood as close in to the jetty as the depth of the water would permit, and then dropped her anchor. Before it had fairly touched the bottom the gig was in the water, and Uncle Dick and the Club were on their way to the shore.

Of course, a perfect round of festivities followed the return of the wanderers, and the happy Christmas times were repeated. It was a week before George Le Dell and the cousins could tear themselves away from the hospitable Gaylord mansion. The rickety stage-coach carried them to New Orleans, and when they had taken leave of the trappers and seen them safely on board a steamer bound for St. Louis, they took passage on board a Washita River boat, and the next time they set foot ashore it was in front of George’s home. There the cousins remained another week—Archie would have been glad to prolong the stay indefinitely—and then started for Lawrence, where they arrived in due time, their voyage around the world being happily terminated.

Now, reader, the story of the Club’s adventures and exploits is ended, and before bidding them and you farewell, it only remains for us to tell where they are now, and what they have been doing since we last saw them. It is a true saying, that the boy is father to the man; and from what we know of our heroes, it is safe to predict that the virtues of manliness, truthfulness and fidelity which have ruled their lives in the past will always be strictly adhered to. Frank Nelson has not yet made anything more than a local reputation, but that he is sure to do it some day his friends all feel confident. He is a practicing lawyer in his native State. He is as fond of his fishing-rod and double-barrel as he ever was, and spends a portion of each summer at the Rangeley Lakes and among the Adirondacks. If he ever goes into politics, as his friends are urging him to do, it is to be hoped that he will use his influence and eloquence to correct some of the abuses that are now so prevalent. His home is still at Lawrence, where his mother resides. Archie Winters, shortly after his return from abroad, became a student at a certain polytechnicinstitute. He settled down to business with the determination to make a man and a civil engineer of himself. He graduated with honors, stepped at once into a responsible and lucrative position, and the cards of invitation that were sent out a few months ago show what he was working for. Archie is married now, and General Le Dell and his family go North every summer to visit him and his wife. Henry Chase and Leonard Wilson have purchased an orange plantation in Florida, and report says they are respected and successful men.

Fred Craven is a first lieutenant in the revenue service; and when he becomes a captain, as he probably will before another year has passed over his head, we should like to see any smuggler outwit him as Mr. Bell outwitted the captain of the cutter who overhauled the Banner once upon a time, and made her captain and crew prisoners. Jasper Babcock is a commission merchant and cotton factor in Bellville; George Le Dell, who is Archie’s brother-in-law, is in the same business in Memphis; Phil Perkins owns a controlling interestin a line of steamers plying between New Orleans and Galveston; and Walter and Eugene are carrying on their father’s extensive plantation, Mr. Gaylord having retired from active business. Of course they live at home—there is no place in the world like home, they think—and so does Uncle Dick, whose cabin is as much a place of resort for the young men of the vicinity as it used to be for the boys. The Banner is still in existence, and as for the Stranger, Uncle Dick says she is as good as she ever was, and still able to beat anything of her size that floats.

The intercourse between the cousins and the Sportsman’s Club which was brought about almost by accident, has never been interrupted. This acquaintance quickly ripened into friendship, which will be as lasting as life itself. Many a grand reunion have they had since they returned from abroad; and of all the adventures of which they have been the heroes, none occupy a more prominent place in their memories or are so often discussed as those that befell them while they were sojourningAmong the Boers.

FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS.

FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS.

FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS.

FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS.

GUNBOAT SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 6 vols. 12mo.

Frank the Young Naturalist.Frank in the Woods.Frank on the Lower Mississippi.Frank on a Gunboat.Frank before Vicksburg.Frank on the Prairie.

Frank the Young Naturalist.Frank in the Woods.Frank on the Lower Mississippi.Frank on a Gunboat.Frank before Vicksburg.Frank on the Prairie.

Frank the Young Naturalist.Frank in the Woods.Frank on the Lower Mississippi.Frank on a Gunboat.Frank before Vicksburg.Frank on the Prairie.

Frank the Young Naturalist.

Frank in the Woods.

Frank on the Lower Mississippi.

Frank on a Gunboat.

Frank before Vicksburg.

Frank on the Prairie.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

Frank among the Rancheros.Frank in the Mountains.Frank at Don Carlos’ Ranch.

Frank among the Rancheros.Frank in the Mountains.Frank at Don Carlos’ Ranch.

Frank among the Rancheros.Frank in the Mountains.Frank at Don Carlos’ Ranch.

Frank among the Rancheros.

Frank in the Mountains.

Frank at Don Carlos’ Ranch.

SPORTSMAN’S CLUB SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle.The Sportsman’s Club Afloat.The Sportsman’s Club among the Trappers.

The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle.The Sportsman’s Club Afloat.The Sportsman’s Club among the Trappers.

The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle.The Sportsman’s Club Afloat.The Sportsman’s Club among the Trappers.

The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle.

The Sportsman’s Club Afloat.

The Sportsman’s Club among the Trappers.

FRANK NELSON SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

Snowed Up.Frank in the Forecastle.The Boy Traders.

Snowed Up.Frank in the Forecastle.The Boy Traders.

Snowed Up.Frank in the Forecastle.The Boy Traders.

Snowed Up.

Frank in the Forecastle.

The Boy Traders.

BOY TRAPPER SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

The Buried Treasure.The Boy Trapper.The Mail-Carrier.

The Buried Treasure.The Boy Trapper.The Mail-Carrier.

The Buried Treasure.The Boy Trapper.The Mail-Carrier.

The Buried Treasure.

The Boy Trapper.

The Mail-Carrier.

ROUGHING IT SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

George in Camp.George at the Wheel.George at the Fort.

George in Camp.George at the Wheel.George at the Fort.

George in Camp.George at the Wheel.George at the Fort.

George in Camp.

George at the Wheel.

George at the Fort.

ROD AND GUN SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

Don Gordon’s Shooting Box.The Young Wild Fowlers.Rod and Gun Club.

Don Gordon’s Shooting Box.The Young Wild Fowlers.Rod and Gun Club.

Don Gordon’s Shooting Box.The Young Wild Fowlers.Rod and Gun Club.

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The Young Wild Fowlers.

Rod and Gun Club.

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Tom Newcombe.Go-Ahead.No Moss.

Tom Newcombe.Go-Ahead.No Moss.

Tom Newcombe.Go-Ahead.No Moss.

Tom Newcombe.

Go-Ahead.

No Moss.

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Joe Wayring.Snagged and Sunk.Steel Horse.

Joe Wayring.Snagged and Sunk.Steel Horse.

Joe Wayring.Snagged and Sunk.Steel Horse.

Joe Wayring.

Snagged and Sunk.

Steel Horse.

WAR SERIES.ByHarry Castlemon. 5 vols. 12mo. Cloth.

True to his Colors.Rodney the Overseer.Marcy the Refugee.Rodney the Partisan.Marcy the Blockade-Runner.

True to his Colors.Rodney the Overseer.Marcy the Refugee.Rodney the Partisan.Marcy the Blockade-Runner.

True to his Colors.Rodney the Overseer.Marcy the Refugee.Rodney the Partisan.Marcy the Blockade-Runner.

True to his Colors.

Rodney the Overseer.

Marcy the Refugee.

Rodney the Partisan.

Marcy the Blockade-Runner.

Other Volumes in Preparation.

Other Volumes in Preparation.

Other Volumes in Preparation.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, byR. W. CARROLL & CO.,In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, byR. W. CARROLL & CO.,In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by

R. W. CARROLL & CO.,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTESMoved the advertising page from after thetitlepage to theend.Silently corrected typographical errors.Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

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