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diff --git a/42417.txt b/42417.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 60f7540..0000000 --- a/42417.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11607 +0,0 @@ - THE AIR PATROL - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: The Air Patrol - A Story of the North-west Frontier -Author: Herbert Strang -Release Date: March 26, 2013 [EBook #42417] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AIR PATROL *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover] - - - - -[Illustration: NURLA BAI ASCENDS. See page 405] - - - - - THE AIR PATROL - - _A STORY - OF THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER_ - - - BY - HERBERT STRANG - - - - _ILLUSTRATED BY CYRUS CUNEO_ - - - - LONDON - HENRY FROWDE - HODDER AND STOUGHTON - 1913 - - - - - RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, - BRUNSWICK STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., - AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK. - - - - - PREFACE - -It needs no gift of prophecy to foretell that in the not distant future -the fate of empires will be decided neither on land nor on the sea, but -in the air. We have already reached a stage in the evolution of the -aeroplane and airship at which a slight superiority in aircraft may turn -the scale in battle. Our imperial destinies may hinge upon the early or -later recognition of the importance of a large, well-equipped, and -well-manned aerial fleet. - -In _The Air Scout_ I endeavoured to illustrate the part which an -air-service may play in a combined naval and military campaign. The -scene of the present story is laid among the vast mountain ranges of -Northern India, where the issue of a great war may depend upon the -aerial equipment of the opposing armies. - -Some two thousand years ago a handful of devoted Greeks held the narrow -pass of Thermopylae against the myriad host of Xerxes, in the noble -effort to save their country from the Persian yoke. The following pages -tell the story of a new--and a more fortunate--Thermopylae, an episode -in a great struggle for the mastery of India. I am among those who -believe that the spirit which animated the Spartan heroes of old burns -in our British youth to-day. Only opportunity and a great occasion are -needed to evoke it to glorious use. - -HERBERT STRANG. - - - - - CONTENTS - -INTRODUCTORY - -CHAPTER THE FIRST - THE RUINED REST-HOUSE - -CHAPTER THE SECOND - BEYOND THE PALE - -CHAPTER THE THIRD - MR. APPLETON'S MINE - -CHAPTER THE FOURTH - THE AEROPLANE ARRIVES - -CHAPTER THE FIFTH - THE LIGHT IN THE GALLERY - -CHAPTER THE SIXTH - NURLA BAI DISAPPEARS - -CHAPTER THE SEVENTH - NURLA AT BAY - -CHAPTER THE EIGHTH - THE EDGE OF THE STORM - -CHAPTER THE NINTH - A FLIGHT BY NIGHT - -CHAPTER THE TENTH - A FATEFUL DISCOVERY - -CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH - THE FIGHT AT THE BRIDGE - -CHAPTER THE TWELFTH - A SKIRMISH ON THE BANK - -CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH - THE REVOLT OF THE KALMUCK MINERS - -CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH - RALLYING THE PATHANS - -CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH - NURLA BAI SLIPS THE NOOSE - -CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH - NO THOROUGHFARE - -CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH - A CRY IN THE NIGHT - -CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH - THE TOWER IN THE HILLS - -CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH - STALKED - -CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH - A FRIEND IN NEED - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST - THE FRONTIER HOUSE - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND - DITTA LAL INTERPRETS - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-THIRD - CAPTURING A GUN - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH - A CHECK - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH - THE FIGHT AT THE BEND - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH - THE DEATH TRAP - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH - AD INFIMOS - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-EIGHTH - THE LAST FIGHT - -CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH - REUNION - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - -NURLA BAI ASCENDS (see page 405) . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ - -THE AMBUSH AT THE REST-HOUSE - -THE ATTACK IN THE GALLERY - -A CHECK IN THE PURSUIT - -RECONNOITRING IN THE AEROPLANE - -GUR BUKSH DEFENDS THE MINE - -THE KALMUCKS MAKE A PRISONER - -LAWRENCE DROPS A BOMB - - - - - INTRODUCTORY - - -A summer afternoon was dwindling to night over a wild solitude among the -borderlands of Northern India. The sun had already left the deep -spacious valley, wherein, as the light waned, the greens changed to -browns, the browns deepened to black, and the broad silver band that -denoted a stream flowing along the bottom was dulled to the hue of lead. -On the west, the harsh and rugged features of the mountains, towering to -incalculable heights, were softened by the increasing shade; while the -snowy summits, flushed by the declining rays, were scarcely -distinguishable from the roseate clouds. Away to the east, where the -sunlight still lingered, the huge mountain barrier showed every -gradation of tone, from the greenish-black of the pine forest at the -foot, through varieties of purple and grey, to the mingled pink and gold -of the topmost crests. Every knob and fissure on the scarred face was -defined and accentuated, until, as the curtain of shadow stole gradually -higher, outlines were blurred, and the warm tints faded into drabs and -greys. - -Along the front of the mountains on the west there was a road--a track, -rather, which might have seemed to the fancy to be desperately clinging -to the rugged surface, lest it were hurled into the precipitous valley -beneath. It followed every jut and indentation of the rock, here -broadening, narrowing there until it was no more than a shelf; with -twists and bends so abrupt and frequent that it would have been hard to -find a stretch of fifty yards that could have been called straight. - -Three horsemen were riding slowly northward along this mountain road, -picking their way heedfully over its inequalities, edging nearer to the -wall of rock on their left hand as they came to spots where a false step -would have carried them into the abyss. To a distant observer it would -have appeared as though they were moving without support on the very -face of the mountain. They wore European garments, and the briefest -inspection of their features would have sufficed to tell that they were -Englishmen. Behind them, at some little distance, rode eight or ten -bearded men of swarthy hue, whose turbans, tunics, and long boots -proclaimed them as sowars of a regiment of Border cavalry. Still -farther behind, in a long straggling line, came a caravan of laden -mules, each in charge of a half-naked Astori. The tail of this singular -procession, perhaps a mile behind the head, consisted of two native -troopers like those who preceded them. - -It was now nearly dark. Presently the three Englishmen halted, and the -eldest of them, turning in his saddle, addressed a few words in Urdu to -the dafadar of the sowars behind. The riders, English and native alike, -dismounted, and led their horses up a slight ascent to the left, halting -again when they reached a stretch of level ground which the leader had -marked as a suitable camping place. A thin rill trickled musically down -at the edge of this convenient plateau, forming a small quagmire in its -passage across the track, and plunging over the brink to merge in the -broader stream, now obliterated by the night, hundreds of feet below. -The three Englishmen tethered their horses to some young pines that -bounded the level space, then sat themselves upon a neighbouring rock, -lit their pipes, and looked on in silence as the dusky troopers removed -their saddle-bags and stood in patient expectancy. - -By and by the head of the mule train appeared along the winding track. -They came up one by one, and now the evening stillness was broken as the -muleteers stripped their loads from the weary beasts, and with shrill -and voluble chatter spread about the impedimenta of the camp. Quickly a -tent was pitched, cooking pots were set up; and the Englishmen felt that -comfortable glow which envelops travellers at the near prospect of -supper after a long and toilsome march. The meal was almost ready when -the end of the caravan arrived, and the two rearmost sowars rejoined -their comrades, with no other sound than a guttural grunt of -satisfaction. - -The Englishmen were eating their food, too hungry and fatigued to talk, -when one of them, looking southward along the track, suddenly pointed to -a figure approaching on foot, scarcely discernible in the fast-gathering -darkness. On this lonely road, which they had ridden the whole day long -without meeting a single human being, the appearance of the stranger had -for them something of the curious interest which one passing ship has -for another in the ocean solitudes. They watched the figure as it grew -more distinct--a tall gaunt man, naked save for a strip of cloth about -his loins, long hair flowing wild over his shoulders, no staff in his -hand, neither pack nor wallet upon his back. There was something weird -and fascinating about this solitary figure, as it stalked on rapidly -with long even stride, the head turning neither to left nor right. The -newly-pitched camp was fully in his view, but the pedestrian gave it no -heed. He came below it on the track, but neither altered his pace nor -looked up when one of the muleteers shouted a salutation. Even when the -eldest of the Englishmen, in the tone of one accustomed to be obeyed, -challenged him sharply in the native tongue, and demanded whither he was -going, the man did not turn his head or slacken speed, but merely lifted -his lean right arm and pointed ahead, where the path disappeared in the -gloom. - -"What is your business?" asked the Englishman again. - -And the reply came faintly back from the man, who had already passed by, -and spoke without checking his step. - -"I AM A SHARPENER OF SWORDS!" - -And he vanished into the night. - - - - - CHAPTER THE FIRST - - THE RUINED REST-HOUSE - - -The travellers proceeded with their meal almost in silence. - -The two younger men had felt subdued and chastened ever since they had -left Rawal Pindi, some days before. Major Endicott was too good a -fellow to insist on the disapproval with which he regarded their -company, but they were conscious of being on sufferance, which was the -more irksome because of the whole-hearted admiration they were ready to -lavish upon him. His mission was a delicate one,--one which, to any but -a political officer of the frontier, would have appeared not a little -hazardous; and he felt that it was gratuitously complicated by the -journey of two young civilians through so wild a region at this -particular time. A tribe in one of the valleys west of the mountain -road, some three days' march from the spot on which the travellers were -now encamped, had been giving trouble of late. It had always been -troublesome. Only once had it been visited by a white man, Major -Endicott himself; yet, accompanied by no more than a dozen troopers, he -was venturing alone among these wild hill-men, to demand the payment of -a fine in expiation of a recent raid upon their neighbours, and security -for their future good behaviour. The alternative was an expedition in -force, and Major Endicott had preferred to take whatever personal risks -a visit might involve, rather than recommend a hill campaign, with all -its difficulties and its heavy cost in money and men. - -But he did not relish the accidental responsibility cast upon him by the -presence of these two young Englishmen, little more than lads, who had -no concern in his business, and were indeed strangers to the country. -He regarded it as a very unfortunate coincidence that they arrived in -Rawal Pindi at the moment of his setting out, and that the road they -proposed to follow in their further journey northward would be for -several days the same as his own. They were travelling at their own -risk; it was no part of his duty to safeguard them; but he could do no -less than suggest that they should accompany him over so much of the -road as was common to their party and his. Privately he wished them at -Halifax. - -His attitude was after all more political than personal. Great changes -had recently occurred in the politics of Central Asia. The fall of the -Manchu dynasty and the establishment of a Republic in China had resulted -in the secession of the princes of Mongolia. They had first placed -themselves under the protection of Russia, only to find that they had -exchanged King Log for King Stork. Russia had sufficiently recovered -from the staggering effects of the Japanese war to recommence her -forward movement in Asia, which for long had seemed as gradual and as -irresistible as the encroachment of the tide upon a sandy beach. The -Mongols soon came to loggerheads with their adopted protector, and were -beginning to experience the same process of assimilation that had in -previous generations been the fate of Bokhara and Western Turkestan. A -sudden conflagration in which Russia became involved in Europe, together -with the rise to power of a prince of exceptional ambition and capacity, -gave the Mongols an opportunity of striking for complete independence, -of which they were not slow to take advantage. The advance of a Russian -army of 20,000 men was checked near Urga for want of supplies from the -north. With an Austro-German army threatening Moscow and St. Petersburg, -the Russian government recalled the greater part of their Eastern -forces, leaving the Mongolian expedition to extricate itself as best it -could. It might still have proved equal to the strain but for a -Mussulman rising, which, after long smouldering, now broke into flame in -the conquered Khanates eastward of the Caspian. The revolt spread with -the rapidity of a prairie fire from Khiva to Tashkend, paralysing any -efforts that might have been made to relieve the army destined for -Mongolia. A raid of many thousands of Tartars who cut the railway at -Irkutsk turned the check into a retreat. The first sign of wavering -brought against the Russians every man who possessed a pony and a rifle -from the Great Wall of China to the Altai mountains. Under this -pressure the retreat became a rout, and the rout a slaughter. Within a -year Mongolia became the most powerful of the Central Asian States, and -with the guns and equipment of the annihilated Russian army as a -nucleus, the Mongol Napoleon set about building up a new empire -extending from the shrunken frontiers of the Chinese Republic to the -shores of the Caspian. Five years had sufficed to transform the -political aspect of Central Asia. Russia, exhausted by a three years' -struggle with her western neighbours, was powerless to stem the flood of -Mongol conquest. For the moment the tide had apparently spent itself on -the eastern border of Asiatic Turkey, and the mountain chain dividing -Persia. There had been a lull for more than a year, during which the -world wondered with no little apprehension what would happen next. Some -thought that the Mongol prince who had inspired this recrudescence of -the Tartar spirit might now be content to consolidate his empire. -Others looked for a new movement still more stupendous, for there were -not wanting many in Europe who trembled at the name of Ubacha Khan as -their forefathers in bygone centuries had trembled at the names of -Genghis Khan and Timur. - -Little wonder, then, that Major Endicott was perturbed at the thought of -two young Englishmen journeying to the fringe of the vast territory in -the breasts of whose peoples were stirring aspirations after a greatness -which their forefathers had enjoyed, and which was celebrated in stories -handed down by long tradition, and in songs that were still sung at -village festivals and country fairs. - -Robert and Lawrence Appleton, aged nineteen and eighteen respectively, -were the sons of the retired lieutenant-governor of an Indian -presidency. The elder had just entered Sandhurst, the younger was on -the point of competing for a scholarship at Oxford, when the sudden -death of their father put a summary check upon their careers. He had -enjoyed a good pension, but his investments having proved unfortunate, -when his pension died with him they found themselves almost without -means. The army for Robert, the Indian Civil Service for Lawrence, were -now equally out of the question, and they saw themselves faced with no -brighter prospects than clerkships or junior masterships presented, when -a letter from their uncle Harry in Asia came like a ray of sunlight in -the gloom. - -Their uncle had been something of a rolling stone. He had left home -when a mere youth, and for many years his family had wholly lost sight -of him. Gossip said that he had made and lost several fortunes in -remote parts of the globe before he finally "struck oil," literally as -well as figuratively, in Mexico. One day he turned up unexpectedly at -the headquarters of his brother, the lieutenant-governor, told him that -he had "made his pile" and retired from business, and now wanted to -amuse himself. Sir George did what he could for him, but Harry soon -wearied of the mild excitements of Indian social life, had his fill of -tiger shooting and pig-sticking, and looked about for some other means -of employing his time. - -Happening to learn that it was a difficult matter to get permission to -cross the north-west frontier, with characteristic obstinacy he set his -mind on overcoming official reluctance. It was a period of some -restlessness among the frontier tribes; and the government of India, -never very willing to grant permits to non-official travellers, however -good their credentials, refused his application, although his brother's -influence was employed in his behalf. This was enough for a man of -Harry Appleton's adventurous temperament and independent spirit. -Resolving to crack the nut himself, he suddenly left India, disappeared -for many months, and then emerged, to the no small embarrassment of the -Russians, on the border at Wakhan. He had slipped across the Persian -frontier, and before the Russians were aware of his presence, was -half-way to the Pamirs. Then he had disappeared for a time into Afghan -territory, exploring districts in which it was believed that no other -white man had ever set foot, and, much to the wonderment of his friends, -coming out alive. When he was again heard of, he had entered British -territory far up in the Chitral country, laden with shooting trophies in -the shape of many heads of ibex and _Ovis poli_, the large long-horned -sheep characteristic of the hill country. His intention was to return -to civilisation by way of Gilgit and Kashmir, but he was held up for a -time at Gilgit while telegrams passed between the local officials and -the government at Simla. There had always been something a little -ridiculous, perhaps, in the government's barring the Gilgit road against -the use to which roads are commonly and suitably put--travel and trade. -The government had only two courses open to them: to turn him back over -the Pamirs under escort, or to allow him to pass. It was the latter -alternative which they wisely adopted. - -Pluming himself not a little on his victory over red tape, as he -considered it, Harry Appleton returned to London and remained there for -two or three years, interesting himself in all sorts of fantastic -schemes which were alike in two respects: they cost much money, and they -failed. His friends learnt by and by without surprise that he had lost -the greater part of his Mexican fortune, and when they heard that he had -suddenly left London again, to retrieve his fortunes by mining in the -Hindu Kush, they regarded it as only one more of "poor old Harry's" -crack-brained adventures, and wondered what would be the end of it all. -It was consequently a cause of some wonder when, after his brother's -death, he invited his nephews to join him in the mountain wilds, -promising them a fair income to begin with, and possible wealth later -on. Why on earth a man should have gone to the Hindu Kush to mine for -copper, which could only be brought to market over hundreds of miles of -difficult and dangerous country, was a question that puzzled even those -who were prepared for almost any sign of insanity in "poor old Harry." - -These were the circumstances which had made the two Appletons travelling -companions of Major Endicott in this eventful summer. - -So far the journey had been without incident. The caravan marched from -dawn to dark every day, and the two Appletons found even the rugged -majesty of the mountains pall upon them. The pleasantest hours were -those spent in camp, when the heat and burden of the day were past. In -social circles Major Endicott was regarded as something of a stick; -ladies said he had "no conversation"; but in the silent evenings about -the camp fire the lads hung upon his lips as he related, in slow -sentences, punctuated by puffs from his pipe, some of the incidents of -his career. They conceived an admiration not far short of hero-worship -for this quiet soldier, who knew so much, and had done so much, though -his own achievements were never the prime subject of his discourse. - -To relieve the monotony of the journey, the two lads sometimes ventured -to stray from the track, knowing that the speed of their sturdy hill -ponies would enable them soon to catch up the rest of the slow-moving -caravan. For these divagations the opportunities were few, unless they -should turn themselves into mountaineers, and scale on foot the -precipices on either side. But now and then there was a break in the -hills to right or left, where a small mountain stream joined the larger -river that flowed through the valley, above which the road pursued its -winding course. The Major had warned them not to wander far on these -occasions, and his warnings became more peremptory as they approached -the quarter in which he feared that trouble might be brewing. But -high-spirited youth is impatient of control, and the two lads were -inclined to make light of the sober caution of their elder. - -Two days after they had encamped on the mountain side, as already -related, they were tempted to try what appeared to be a kind of track -leading up into the hills to the east. Taking advantage of a momentary -preoccupation of Major Endicott with the sowars, they turned their -ponies into this track, and began to scramble up. The gradient was -steep, and the path rose higher and higher above the road they had left, -but for some distance did not greatly diverge from it. At times they -could see it winding away northward beneath them, although it was -concealed from them for long stretches by the contour of the ground, and -was sometimes difficult to distinguish from the hillside itself. - -The track appeared to lead nowhere, and after following it toilsomely -for nearly an hour, they began to think it was time to return. - -"I hate going back the same way," said Lawrence. "Can't we manage to -cut straight down, Bob?" - -"Rather risky, don't you think?" replied his brother. "This track goes -up and up; there's no path down that I can see, and we don't want to -risk our ponies' knees. We could do it on foot." - -"Well, look here; we ought to be able to get a good view of the ground -between us and the road from that rock yonder. Just hold the ponies, -will you, while I go and take a squint?" - -He slipped from the saddle, placed the bridle in Bob's hand, and -scrambled up the side of a high rock jutting out from the path. As he -expected, when he reached the top he found the country beneath clearly -mapped out. He could follow the course of the road for some distance in -each direction, except where it was hidden by crags and promontories. -At the moment the caravan was out of sight. Between him and the road -the ground was much broken, showing many narrow seams, and falling away -at places into sheer precipices. It was evident that any attempt to -descend here on horseback was bound to end in disaster. - -As he cast his eye northward, he suddenly became aware of a group of -motionless figures about a mile away, between him and the road. Impelled -by some instinct of caution, perhaps acquired during his training in the -school cadets, he moved stealthily behind a jutting spur of the rock, -and examined the group through his field-glass. He counted fourteen -hill-men on horseback. There was no movement among them, and their -attitude, with their heads towards the road, suggested patient -expectation. They were too far away for him to determine accurately the -configuration of the ground, but it appeared to him that they were -gathered in a slight hollow about a quarter of a mile east of the road. -And as he moved his glass over the intervening space, he caught sight of -a small building which had hitherto escaped his notice, so like was it -in colour to the rocky ground surrounding it. In general shape it -reminded him of the little wayside shelters which, called dak bungalows -in India, were known beyond the borders as rest-houses. But this -building was apparently fallen into disuse. It was roofless, and much -of the stonework of the walls was broken away. - -[Illustration: THE AMBUSH AT THE REST HOUSE] - -While Lawrence was still examining the ruins and the group behind, he -heard the rapid clatter of a horse's hoofs on the hard rock below. At -first he could not see the horseman, who, however, presently emerged -into view from behind a shoulder of rock to his right, and discovered -himself as a hill-man galloping northward. Having come abreast of the -rest-house, he wheeled to the right, quitted the road, and made straight -for the hollow in which the group of fourteen was waiting. On joining -them, he appeared to give them a message; they closed about him, and -after a brief consultation they all dismounted, tethered their horses to -some stunted trees at the edge of the hollow, and then moved quickly -towards the rest-house. All except one entered the ruins; the one went -a little distance from them, and took up a position behind a rock from -which presumably he could look up the road. It was as if he was waiting -to signal some one's approach. - -The observer now shut his glass, clambered down from the rock, and -hurried back to his companion. - -"Well?" said Bob. "You've been long enough." - -"Don't speak so loud. Every sound carries in these hills." - -In a whisper he went on to tell what he had seen. - -"Looks fishy, eh?" said Bob. "We must warn the Major. Can we do it in -time?" - -"Come on," said Lawrence shortly. - -He remounted, and the two began to make their way back along the path, -slowly at first, lest they should be heard, but more rapidly as they -increased their distance from the rest-house. They had not ridden far -when they caught sight, through a gap in the rocks, of a portion of the -caravan. They were still a long way from the spot where the hill-track -left the road; the head of the caravan would have drawn much nearer to -the rest-house before they could overtake it, if they kept on their -present course. To give warning by a shout would but alarm the hill-men. -They could save time only by hazarding a direct descent. Turning -sharply off the track, they began to scramble down the hillside, -trusting themselves to their sure-footed ponies. In their excitement -they gave no thought to the risks they ran, and only became partially -aware of them when, reaching the road, they were met by Major Endicott, -who had for some minutes been watching their venturesome feat with -growing wrath and indignation. - -"You young fools!" he cried. "Of all the idiotic, asinine, torn-fool -tricks I ever saw----" - -"But, sir----" Lawrence interrupted. - -"I thank my stars I shall soon be rid of you," the Major went on -unheeding; "you'll take no warning, listen to no advice, and will either -break your necks or be potted by hill-men before I get quit of you." - -"Really, sir, it's no joke," said Bob as soon as he could get a word in. -"There's a nice little crowd ahead waiting to get an easy shot at you." - -"_What's_ this?" demanded the Major. - -"Oh, I just happened to spy a gang of armed hill-men sneaking into a -half-ruined rest-house a mile or so ahead," said Lawrence. "We came -down to warn you; it's a pity we didn't think of our necks." - -"Just describe them to me, will you?" said Major Endicott, now the cool, -alert soldier again. - -"I couldn't see them very well, but they seemed all alike, big fellows -with black beards, dressed in dark-brown, with skin hats of some sort. -I counted fifteen altogether. One is on the look-out, the rest are -hiding in the ruins." - -"You didn't see a larger body anywhere, nor single scouts in the hills?" - -"Neither." - -"And how far ahead?" - -"Well, about a mile as the crow flies from where I caught sight of them; -we've come back a mile or more, and what with the windings of the road, -I should say they're something over two miles away." - -The Major had halted; the sowars sat their horses motionless a few yards -behind; the mule-train was still straggling on far in the rear. The -march was now resumed, Major Endicott pondering in silence the news -brought him. He had no doubt that the men whom the lads had seen -belonged to the tribe he was on his way to visit. His coming was almost -certainly known to them, for news spreads through the hills almost as -quickly as if it were flashed by telegraph. The fact that the -ambuscade--such it clearly was--was so small seemed to show that the -tribe as a whole was not in arms; but, as the Major well knew, many a -frontier war had been precipitated by a few hot-heads, who had forced -the hand of their community by some impetuous action. He foresaw -trouble, but he was not the man to be diverted from his purpose by such -a difficulty as this. Having set out to pacify the tribe, he meant to -complete his journey; but obviously the news brought him was not to be -disregarded. - -He decided that he must see for himself the nature of the ambuscade, but -it was necessary to act in such a way as to awaken no suspicion among -the tribesmen, if, as was possible, there were watchers on the hillside. -Ordering the sowars to continue their march slowly, the Major rode back -with the Appletons and his native orderly until he reached the first -mules of the caravan. In obedience to his command, one of the muleteers -loosed the girths of the animal he led, and let the baggage it carried -slip down a gentle slope at the roadside. This brought the caravan to a -halt, and the wondering Astoris were instructed to go very leisurely -about the work of recovering and restrapping the load. Then with -Lawrence and the orderly he galloped back to the spot where the -hill-track branched from the road, and turning into this, hastened on -until he reached the rock whence the lad had made his observations. -There taking a swift glance at the rest-house below, he came to a sudden -resolution. - -"If anything happens to me," he said to Lawrence, "ride back as fast as -you can, and make the best of your way up the road with the caravan -until you reach the nearest fort." - -"But what are you going to do, sir?" asked Lawrence rather anxiously. - -The Major did not reply, but spoke a few words in Urdu to the orderly. -Then, leaving his horse with the two, he began to clamber down rapidly, -yet with caution, in the direction of the rest-house. His course was -tortuous, as much to avoid obstacles as to escape observation from the -ruins, or by the man on the look-out close at hand. Every now and then -he vanished from sight, and Lawrence watched nervously for his -reappearance. He could not guess the Major's intentions, and it seemed -to him that, foolhardy as his own exploit had been in riding down the -hillside, the soldier's action in approaching alone the scene of the -ambush was stark madness. When, after a long interval during which the -Major had been lost to view, he suddenly emerged within a few yards of -the rest-house, Lawrence caught his breath. Probably the situation was -far more trying to him who watched than to the man who was apparently -taking his life in his hand. - -The Major was drawing near to the ruined building by a path somewhat -northward of the spot from which the hill-men had entered it. Lawrence -saw at once that his approach was covered from them, and from the -watcher on the south side, by what remained of the north wall of the -building. Tingling with curiosity and apprehension mingled, he beheld -the tall soldierly figure move swiftly towards the gap which had once -been the doorway, enter, and disappear. - -"Good heavens! what is he about?" he thought. - -He looked round at the orderly, but the man's dusky face was devoid of -any expression; only his eyes gleamed as they stared fixedly at the -opening by which the Major had entered. - -To Lawrence the minutes seemed to lengthen into hours. He saw the -look-out, a moment or two after the Major's disappearance, turn round -suddenly, and hasten into the building. For some time nothing happened. -There was neither sight nor sound to indicate that the building was -anything more than what it seemed--an unoccupied and deserted ruin. -Lawrence became more and more nervous. Major Endicott was not the man -to utter a warning lightly; he had clearly anticipated a possible -danger; and the tension became distressing as the lad waited and waited, -expecting every moment to hear a shot, or a cry of fierce anger or -savage exultation. - -"What is he doing?" he asked of the orderly. - -The man simply murmured "Sahib!" deprecatingly, without turning his eyes -from the rest-house. - -The suspense was becoming unendurable when suddenly, after what was -perhaps ten minutes, but seemed as many hours, the Major's tall form -reappeared in the broken doorway. The orderly's impassivity gave way -for the first time; he uttered a single grunt of satisfaction. Lawrence -felt unutterably relieved, yet puzzled, for by the Major's side stood -one of the hill-men, and as they came out into the open they were -followed by all the rest; he counted them as they filed out; the number -was fifteen in all. - -The Major signalled with his hand, and the two watchers, guessing at his -meaning, rode on a little way until they came to the spot where he had -begun his descent. Dismounting, and leading the horses carefully, they -picked their way, the orderly leading, down the steep and rugged -hillside. When they came to the foot, and joined the party, the Major -turned to the man who had come first out of the ruins with him, and with -a slight smile addressed him in a strange tongue. The man drew himself -up, clicked his heels together, and saluted Lawrence in military style, -murmuring: - -"Salaam, sahib." - -Then the whole party mounted their horses, and made their way at a -walking pace up the road towards the caravan. - - - - - CHAPTER THE SECOND - - BEYOND THE PALE - - -Of all the strange scenes which the Appletons had witnessed since their -arrival in India, none was more surprising than the immediate sequel of -the ambuscade. The hill-men rode in high good-temper behind their -intended victims; and when they met the sowars, their leader exchanged -laughing greetings with the dafadar, and the two parties became one. -For the rest of that day they marched together, and at fall of night -they formed a common encampment, the troopers acting as hosts towards -the hill-men, and exerting themselves to entertain them. - -To the Appletons it was all very mysterious. Lawrence had put a question -or two to Major Endicott as they marched; but finding him strangely -uncommunicative, deferred further enquiry to the hour after supper, when -he was most often in the mood to talk. Even then the young fellows' -curiosity was rather piqued than satisfied. - -"That man Nagdu, the leader of the hill-men, was a sergeant of yours, -you say, sir?" said Lawrence. - -"Yes, years ago he was a dafadar in my troop." - -"But he was laying an ambush for you!" - -"He is paid by the government to guard the road." - -"Oh!" - -"Didn't know it was you, perhaps, until he saw you," suggested Bob. - -"He _was_ rather surprised to see me," said the Major, and a slow smile -gathered upon his face, and passed. - -"My heart was in my mouth when I saw you go alone into the rest-house," -said Lawrence. "And I couldn't get a word out of your man." - -"Pretty close, isn't he?" said the Major. "But look here, my lads, I -called you a couple of young fools a while ago. I take that back, for -without you I shouldn't have had the opportunity of enjoying the -surprise of Nagdu and his crew. All the same, you _were_ fools, you -know," he added reflectively. - -While this conversation was proceeding beneath the extended flap of the -tent, another, of quite a different tenor, was going on at the nearest -camp fire, fifty yards away. There Ganda Singh the dafadar and his old -comrade Nagdu were seated, gazing into the glow, with their rifles -across their knees. - -"Hai! Ennicott Sahib is truly a very great man," said Nagdu. "We were -there in the little house, with our guns on the wall, looking up the -road, when there came a soft voice behind us. 'Twas like cold water -trickling down my back, O Ganda. And when I turned and saw the huzur's -two eyes like little bits of blue steel, I felt my soul shrivel up -inside me: that is true, old friend. 'You are keeping good watch upon -the road, Nagdu,' said he, and I shivered, and my voice was like a -woman's when I said my salaam." - -"Keeping watch upon the road!" repeated the dafadar with a sly look at -the other. "Do you know, Nagdu, if any harm had come to the sahib-ji I -would have put a bullet there, and there." - -He touched the man's neck and breast. - -"Hai! what harm could come to the huzur?" said Nagdu protestingly. "He -is heaven-born, and knows. 'Keeping good watch upon the road,' he said, -and when I stammered out my 'Salaam, sahib,' he went on: 'It is well. -There are rascals about. I go to hold a talk with your people on that -very matter, and 'tis good luck I met you, for you can take me to your -village.' And I said the huzur's face was like the sun shining upon the -hills, for by that time my soul was come to me again, and after a little -talk we came out. Hai! Truly is Ennicott Sahib a very great man." - -"Ay, he knows the heart of you hill-men. You have a little heart, -Nagdu; the huzur's is a very great one. His word is a sword." - -"And his eyes are like fires that burn. Is there anything he does not -know? He did not see us go into the little house: we were quiet as mice -in the corn; yet he knew we were there----" - -"Keeping watch on the road," said Ganda Singh with a low chuckle. "You -are indeed a mouse, Nagdu; would you measure yourself against a lion?" - -Nagdu protested that he had no such thought, and then turned the -conversation into an easier channel. - -Next day on the march Lawrence Appleton found an opportunity of having a -little private talk with Ganda Singh, who knew just enough English to -make himself understood. Lawrence asked point-blank whether the -hill-men had been lying in wait for the party, intending to fire upon -them from their ambush. The dafadar neither denied nor affirmed, but -contented himself with retailing the substance of what Nagdu had told -him. Putting two and two together, the Appletons arrived at a very fair -estimate of what had actually taken place. They realised that the -hill-men, who would have shot down the Major without ruth if they had -been unseen behind a wall, had been completely cowed when he appeared -alone in their midst. Nagdu was a bold fellow, and had proved his -mettle in many a border fray; but the habit of discipline and the -impression made upon him by the Englishman's dominant personality had -acted like a cold douche upon his purpose. It was the victory of a -stronger nature over a weaker; and the lads formed a new idea of the -Major's personal influence, and the unerring instinct with which he had -probed the character of the natives. - -That day the caravan came to the parting of the ways. Major Endicott's -road struck off westward among the hills; the Appletons had still -several days' northward march before them. The lads, if they had -consulted their own tastes, would very willingly have gone with the -Major; but they knew it was out of the question. They thanked him -warmly for allowing them to accompany him so far. - -"That's all right," said he. "Look me up if you ever come south. By -the way, I've told off three sowars to see you to the frontier: there I -dare say your uncle will meet you." - -"But you can't spare them, sir," said Bob. "You've few enough all told." - -"We aren't a fighting force, my boy. If it comes to a scrap we shan't -stand the ghost of a chance, and the fewer there are of us the better. -Keep to the track. My salaams to your uncle. Good-bye!" - -The Appletons watched the Major and his party until the sowars who -brought up the rear were out of sight: then they turned their faces once -more to the north, feeling somewhat depressed. Their own portion of the -caravan consisted of only five or six mules, whose loads were for the -most part goods for their uncle. For two days they climbed higher into -the rugged mountains that encompassed them on every side. In the -day-time it was hot, though the heights were crowned with snow: but the -nights were bitterly cold; icy blasts swept through the gorges, causing -the lads to desert even their camp fires for the snugger blankets. They -could not help wondering, with a certain misgiving, what the winter in -these heights was like, if such wintry conditions could exist in the -summer. - -On the morning of the third day after leaving Major Endicott they were -met at the British frontier by two stalwart and well-mounted Sikhs, who -had been sent by their uncle to conduct them over the remaining stages -of their journey; and the Major's three sowars returned to overtake -their master. That night they had only just got into camp when they -experienced for the first time the full rigours of a mountain storm. -Dense clouds rolled down from the heights, enveloping them in a -drenching icy mist. A cutting wind sprang up, and soon a hurricane of -sleet and snow burst upon them, with lightning and thunder, and other -rumblings which, as they learnt from their guides, were caused by -avalanches and landslips among the mountains. All next day they were -storm-bound, remaining rolled up in their blankets in the tent, and -feeling more low-spirited than ever. On the following morning, however, -the sun rose in a cloudless sky, and they set off again through a narrow -pass dangerous at any time, but doubly dangerous now that the track was -almost obliterated by snow-drifts. They felt a pang of commiseration -for the scantily clad coolies who trudged along barefoot in snow and -slush by their mules; but the men were cheerful, laughing and singing as -they marched, and the Appletons envied their hardiness and vigour. - -Leaving the Pamirs on their right, they threaded their way through the -mountains towards what had once been the Russo-Afghan frontier. Slowly, -steadily they marched on for three days, the track leading gradually -downwards. Then one morning, soon after they had left camp, they saw in -the far distance two horsemen riding slowly towards them. - -"The huzur, sahib!" said one of the guides. - -The lads lifted their glasses, and were then able to discern that the -one of the two riders who wore a grey suit and a solah helmet was their -uncle himself. They hastened on in front of their party, and in a -quarter of an hour uncle and nephews met. - -"How do?" cried Harry Appleton, gripping them in turn by the hand. -"You've grown since I saw you last: I should hardly have known you." - -"You look the same as ever," said Bob. - -"Wait till you see me with my hat off. Hair doesn't grow on brains, -they say. But I'm glad to see you, boys: you are looking uncommonly fit -too. Have you had a pleasant journey?" - -"Pretty good, bar a snowstorm. Major Endicott came with us best part of -the way. He's gone to interview a troublesome tribe. He sent his -salaams to you, Uncle." - -"Much obliged to him. He thinks I'm mad, you know. Don't look it, do -I?" - -The boys laughed. Their uncle was a sturdy man, rather under middle -height, hard and muscular, his brown face half covered with a thick -moustache and beard turning slightly grey. His blue eyes were bright -and piercing, with an expression of alertness and humour. He certainly -did not look mad. - -"Your caravan is rather smaller than I expected to see," he went on, as -the mules came straggling up. - -"Their loads are mostly your stuff," said Lawrence. "We've only brought -a couple of bags apiece." - -"Very sensible of you. I was afraid you might bring out a lot of -rubbish, and wished I'd sent you a caution. But I needn't have worried, -evidently." - -"Well, there are one or two things coming after us," said Bob, with a -shade of misgiving. "We sent them ahead by slow steamer, and as they -hadn't arrived when we reached Bombay, we thought we'd better come on." - -"Humph!" their uncle grunted. "It'll be a month before my next -consignment comes up, so it's to be hoped you're not in a hurry for your -stuff. I suppose there's not much of it. What is it?" - -"There's my cricket-bag, and a couple of tennis rackets, and a set of -golfing sticks," said Lawrence. - -"You didn't happen to bring turf too, I suppose?" said their uncle with -twinkling eyes. "The ground hereabout is all bunkers. Anything else -useful?" - -"There's my aeroplane," said Bob. - -"Your what?" - -"A monoplane. I was going into the flying corps, you know, if-- - -"Yes, yes," interrupted Mr. Appleton. "It must have been very -disappointing, my boy, but you must cheer up. But an aeroplane!" - -"It's very light and portable--perhaps a couple of mule loads at the -most." - -"I wasn't thinking of the mules," replied his uncle dryly. "An -aeroplane in these hills will be just about as useful as a Dreadnought -in a millpond. You didn't realise that the Hindu Kush is not exactly -like the South Downs. Well, it can't be helped now. Anything else?" - -"Nothing of any importance," said Bob, feeling a little dashed. He had -looked forward to many hours of flying in his spare time, and it was -rather dispiriting to find that the expense of shipping his aeroplane -was to be wasted. - -"Well, we'll get on," said Mr. Appleton. "With good luck we shall reach -the mine before dark. You won't be sorry, I expect, to spend the night -under a roof again." - -They rode on, the track running generally to the north-north-west. -About an hour after they started, their uncle pointed to a narrow cleft -in the hills on their left hand. - -"You see that path?" he said. "It runs into Afghan country. About six -months after I started operations the mine was raided by a horde of -ruffians who came that way." - -"I say!" cried Bob. "What happened?" - -"Luckily I had been put on my guard against an attack from that quarter -by one of my Pathan miners. I had twelve hours' grace, and when the -raiders arrived they found they'd got a tougher nut to crack than they -expected. They only made one serious rush. We beat 'em off, and they -moved some distance up the valley, sniped us for a day or two, and then -cleared out. We've had no trouble of that sort since, though they've -played highwaymen once or twice with my caravans, and in one case got a -certain amount of loot. Among other things they collared a boiler that -I was bringing up at huge expense from India. I don't suppose they knew -what it was, but for the sake of the metal they tried to carry it -through the difficult pass into their own valley. But it proved too -cumbersome, as you might expect, and they had to leave it. I found it -some time afterwards when shooting in the pass, at the bottom of a deep -nullah, where it had rolled from the track above. It took me nearly a -fortnight to recover it and bring it home, but I was glad to get it at -the price." - -"Things aren't all beer and skittles, then," said Bob. - -"Oh, there's a little excitement sometimes, but we are well placed, as -you will see, and I fancy nothing short of a regular train of artillery -could do us much damage." - -What the boys heard from Mr. Appleton during that march whetted their -curiosity to get their first view of his mine, but they were -disappointed, for twilight fell while they were still some distance from -it. In the gathering dusk they saw a number of distant lights, which -their uncle explained were the camp fires of the miners. The red glow, -growing larger as they proceeded, lent a romantic touch to the night. -The fires were somewhat below them; and, viewed from the high ground -from which they were approaching, the settlement appeared to be situated -in a huge cleft between two steep mountain barriers. They could just -see, swirling along the bottom, a torrential stream, which their uncle -told them was unusually high just now, being swollen in summer by the -melted snow from the mountains. It was, he said, a tributary to one of -the headwaters of the Oxus. - -They had just arrived at the outskirts of the settlement when the -silence of the evening was suddenly broken by a great hubbub, and they -saw a number of dark figures hurrying towards one of the camp fires. In -a moment the open space was filled with a shouting swaying crowd; but -before the boys had time to realise what was happening, or even to ask a -question, their uncle urged his tired horse towards the scene, and -dashing into the midst of the crowd, scattered the men to right and -left. When the boys galloped up behind him, they found him sternly -questioning one or two of the men in their own tongue. They returned -sullen answers, whereupon he addressed them in tones of rebuke, -concluding with a sharp word of command at which they turned away -towards a number of huts ranged in rows beyond the camp fires. - -"What is it all about, Uncle?" asked Lawrence. - -"We'll see in the morning. It's too late now. Slip off your horses; -I'll call a fellow to take charge of them." - -A man came up in answer to his call, and led the horses towards the -stables beyond the huts. Then Mr. Appleton gave a loud hail, and led his -nephews to the left. - -"Look after your feet," he said, taking a small electric lamp from his -pocket. - -They now saw that they were at the edge of the ravine. Below them they -heard the gurgle and rush of the river. A few steps cut in the side of -the chasm led down to a narrow platform, and upon this the three stood -waiting. Mr. Appleton's call was answered from the opposite side, and -immediately afterwards the boys heard a creaking sound, as though a -machine of some sort were being wound up. Then a dark mass appeared to -detach itself from the wall of rock across the gap, and descend towards -them. - -"My drawbridge," said their uncle. - -It sank slowly and with much groaning and squeaking until the nearer end -rested on the edge of the platform where they stood. They stepped upon -it, followed by the Sikhs who had acted as their guides, and in a few -strides came to the other side. - -"Welcome to the Appleton mine," said Mr. Appleton. "And now for supper. -Our menu isn't elaborate, but if you're as sharp set as I am you won't -be dainty. Come along!" - - - - - CHAPTER THE THIRD - - MR. APPLETON'S MINE - - -Mr. Appleton led the way across a sort of yard, littered with mining -debris, towards a building in the upper part of which lights were -burning. To the left sheds and a chimney stack loomed up in the -darkness, scarcely distinguishable against the background of rock. They -passed through a gate, and found themselves in a less cumbered -enclosure, at the farther corner of which stood the illuminated -building. This proved to be a compact square edifice, the lower storey -of stone, the upper of wood. The door stood open, and in the entrance -appeared a grave turbaned servant, who salaamed as the boys went in. - -"Chunda Beg, my khansaman," said Mr. Appleton. "Come upstairs and see -your room. We haven't over much space, but we've done our best to make -you comfortable." - -The boys followed their uncle to the upper floor, which was one large -apartment divided into three by matchboard partitions carried up to -within a foot or two of the ceiling. In the first room, the -dining-room, they saw a table laid for supper. Passing through this -they entered Mr. Appleton's bedroom, a small chamber furnished only with -a narrow camp bed, a chair, a towel-horse, a tin basin on a stand, a -chest of drawers, and a zinc bath; a Persian rug lay on the floor at one -side of the bed. Beyond the further partition, which had evidently been -newly erected, was the boys' bedroom, about the same size as their -uncle's, similarly furnished, but with two camp beds separated by the -width of a Persian rug. - -"No luxuries, you see," said Mr. Appleton, "but I think you'll find it -cosy. I believe there's a looking-glass somewhere on the premises if -you want to shave. That's a thing I haven't done for many years; Chunda -Beg gives me a trimming every now and then when I'm getting too shaggy. -As a follower of the Prophet, he wouldn't cut his own beard for a -pension. He'll send you up some hot water and soap, and when you've had -a wash, come in to supper." - -The menu was not so scanty as Mr. Appleton had led the boys to believe. -There was a roast joint that tasted three parts mutton and one part -venison--the flesh of an ibex shot by Mr. Appleton himself. The -vegetables were mushrooms, onions and lotus beans; the sweets a rice -pudding and stewed peaches; and the beverage a kind of elderberry wine -diluted with hot water. - -"You've got a good cook, Uncle," said Lawrence, when the khansaman had -brought coffee. "We haven't had so good a meal since we left Rawal -Pindi." - -"Well, Shan Tai does his best. He's a Chinaman, of course. We grow our -own vegetables in a patch of ground down the valley. In fact, we do -most things ourselves. The gas is acetylene, made on the spot. Most of -the furniture in your room is home-made, as I dare say you noticed. -We're what you may call self-contained." - -"What rooms have you got below?" asked Bob. - -"We use the ground floor only for stores. In the dark you didn't see, I -suppose, that the walls are loopholed. The stone's very thick, and in -that little trouble I told you about we found them a capital -fortification. The kitchen is outside; the servants have their own -out-houses. The cook is Chinese, as I said; the khansaman is a Pathan; -there are one or two other fellows whose nationality is an unknown -quantity. Chunda Beg is a treasure, as grave as a judge, and as -resourceful as a Jack-tar. You'll take most interest, I expect, in my -storekeeper, Ditta Lal, a Bengali--what's commonly called a Babu. I -wager you haven't spoken to him for more than two minutes before he -tells you he is a B.A. of Calcutta University, and he'll tell you the -same thing ten times a day until he chokes." - -"Why should he choke?" asked Lawrence. - -"Because he's getting so disgustingly fat. I really mustn't raise his -screw--he calls it emoluments--any more. When he first came to me he -was thin and weedy like many of his kind; but he made himself extremely -useful, and I've increased his pay rather often. You'd be surprised at -the result if you could compare him as he is with what he was. Upon my -word, with every rise he swells visibly. I shouldn't like to say what -his waist measurement is now. I told him the other day that I really -couldn't raise him any more, for fear it proved fatal, and he smiled in -my face and said, 'Ah, sahib, God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb,' -which you won't beat for a piece of delightful inconsequence." - -Talking thus, Mr. Appleton interested and amused the boys for an hour or -two until it was time to turn in. The night was cold; but snuggled -under thick blankets they slept like tops, and did not waken until the -khansaman entered with water for their morning tub. - -At breakfast Mr. Appleton announced that his first business for the day -was the holding of a durbar to enquire into the scuffle of the night -before. - -"My discipline is as easy as possible," he said; "there are few rules, -but I see that they are obeyed. The men represent some of the most -unruly tribes of the frontier, but they know I mean what I say, and on -the whole I've had very little trouble with them. Of course they get -good pay; that's the first condition of good work and contentment." - -"The second is good holidays," said Lawrence with a smile. - -"Ah, you've just left school!" said his uncle. "But the men haven't -anything to complain of on that score. They get holidays all the -winter. We stop work for four or five months. What with snowstorms and -the river frozen hard we could scarcely exist here in the winter months, -so the men go off to their homes and no doubt play the heavy swell among -their people, and I betake myself to Bokhara, or pay a round of visits -among my Chinese friends, or go on a hunting trip, returning in the -spring. But there's the bugle; come and see me in my part of unpaid -magistrate. Then I'll take you over the place." - -On leaving the house, the boys saw a number of men filing through the -gate between two ranks of tall bearded Sikhs armed with rifles. Those -who came first were of the Mongolian type, with broad, flat, yellowish -faces, wide noses and narrow eyes. What little clothing they wore was -ragged and stained a deep indigo blue. These men, numbering about -eighty, formed a group on the left-hand side. After them entered more -than a score of swarthy black-haired fellows of more symmetrical shape -and more powerful physique, their features more sharply cut, some of -them having almost a Jewish cast of countenance. Their garments were -marked with streaks and stains of yellowish-green. Mr. Appleton -explained that they were for the most part Pathans from the Afghan -border; but they included also several Punjabis, a couple of Baluchis, -three or four Chitralis, and a sprinkling of men of Hunza and Nagar. -They formed up on the right-hand side. - -At the door of an outhouse on the same side stood a very fat man whom -the boys easily recognized as the Bengali storekeeper. His podgy olive -cheeks were almost concealed by a bushy growth of black hair, and the -loose white garment he wore, encircled with a sash of brilliant red, -emphasised the vast unwieldiness of his bulk. - -When all were assembled, the gate was shut, and Mr. Appleton, standing -before his door, called for Gur Buksh. One of the armed Sikhs stepped -forward, a tall, finely-proportioned, grey-bearded man, who, as the boys -afterwards learnt, had been a havildar in a native Border regiment of -the British army, and had seen considerable service on the frontier. He -stood at attention, saluted, and gravely awaited the sahib's questions. -The young Appletons looked on with curiosity, wishing that they could -understand the conversation that ensued. Lawrence made up his mind to -devote his spare time to a study of the native languages. - -After Gur Buksh had made his report, Mr. Appleton called up two other -men, one from each of the groups. The first was a young Kalmuck, whose -yellow face would have been absolutely expressionless but for a keen -look in his restless eyes. The other was a big hook-nosed Pathan, with -strong, determined features and fierce low brows from beneath which his -coal-black eyes flashed with truculence. The Kalmuck, answering to the -name of Nurla Bai, gave brief and almost sullen answers to his master's -questions; Muhammad Din, the Pathan, on the contrary, spoke at length, -fiercely and volubly, with much play of features and hands. Having -heard them both, Mr. Appleton made a measured speech in fine magisterial -manner, and then dismissed them. At the close of his speech the boys -noticed that the two culprits threw swift glances at them, the Kalmuck's -eyes narrowing, and giving no clue to his thoughts, while the Pathan's -indicated keen interest and searching enquiry. The whole company -marched out of the gate, and the silence which they had hitherto -preserved gave way to excited talk as they went off to their work. - -"So much for that," said Mr. Appleton. "It appears that, taking -advantage of my absence, the Kalmuck fellow, Nurla Bai, got into the -Pathan section of the mine works, against my express orders. Muhammad -Din stood up for law, rather zealously, and it would have come to a free -fight if Gur Buksh hadn't stepped in. At night, when they knock off -work, both parties cross the drawbridge to their huts on the other side, -and the quarrel was just breaking out again when we had the good luck to -come up. Nurla was clearly in the wrong, and I fined him a week's pay." - -"He took it well," said Bob. "The fellow's face was like a mask." - -"He was not so much unmoved as you think," said Mr. Appleton. "I know -the fellow pretty well, and I could tell by the look of him that he was -perfectly furious. I find my system answers very well. I punish all -breaches of the regulations with fines, which are pooled and distributed -every month among the men who haven't offended. Most of the men are -quite keen to get these additions to their pay; in fact, I've known some -of the rascals try to egg on a simple-minded mate to commit some slight -misdemeanour, so that he'll lose his pay for their benefit. They're -queer fish.... Good-morning, Ditta Lal." - -The Bengali, who had been hovering about, gradually drawing nearer to -his master, and casting sheep's eyes at the two young strangers, now -waddled up, his face one broad smile. - -"Good-morning, sir: good-morning, young gents," he said in a breathless -wheeze. "'Full many a glorious morning have I seen, flatter the -mountain tops with sovran eye,'--pat quotation from sweet Swan of Avon, -whose sonnets I got up, with notes, for final exam, for B.A. degree, -Calcutta University. Lovely morning, sir." - -Mr. Appleton's eyes twinkled as he introduced his nephews, who were -looking at the Babu as at some strange specimen. - -"You'll find several mule loads of stuff we ordered on the other side, -Ditta Lal," said Mr. Appleton. - -"They shall be attended to instanter, sir. And I shall esteem it signal -honour on fitting occasion to act as guide, philosopher and friend to -young gents, show them my stores; in fact, do them proud, and all that." - -He bowed, puffed, and waddled away. The boys laughed when his back was -turned. - -"What a treasure!" said Lawrence. "Our old school porter at Rugton was -pretty big about, but this fellow would make two of him. What a rag the -chaps would have if we could transport him!" - -"I can't spare him. He's an abiding joy. But come, let me take you -round." - -The next hour was spent in going over the not very extensive settlement. -The boys found that the portion on the west side of the gorge was -divided into three. The first contained Mr. Appleton's dwelling-house, -the engine-house and stores, and a set of small stamps, together with -sheds for assaying, and a number of huts occupied by the personal native -servants and the Sikh garrison. The dwelling-house was built in an -angle of the cliff, which rose sheer behind it. Between house and cliff, -however, was a space of about three yards filled with heavy beams, which -were all loopholed. The whole of the enclosure in which the house stood -was surrounded by a bank of earth about six feet high, formed of -"tailings" from the mine. This bank was broken only in two places, one -for the gate leading into the second enclosure or compound, the second -for the drawbridge connecting with the east side of the gorge. - -The second compound was somewhat smaller than the first. Here were to -be seen barrows, trucks, and other implements; a line of rails led into -a cave-like opening in the hillside, which, Mr. Appleton explained, was -the entrance to a vein or lode sloping upwards into the heart of the -mountain. - -"It was lucky I hadn't to sink shafts," he said, "considering the -difficulty of bringing mining appliances to this remote region." - -"What led you to pitch here?" asked Bob. - -"Well, you may call it accident, or you may put it down to my being -possessed of a roving eye. I was hunting hereabout some years ago, and -caught sight of what seemed to be an outcrop of copper ore. I poked -about rather carefully, and collected a number of samples of this and -other ores, which I had tested by a capital fellow in Peshawar. His -assays confirmed my suspicions, and I thought I couldn't do better than -try my luck." - -"Who does the place belong to?" asked Lawrence. "Do you pay rent?" - -Mr. Appleton smiled. - -"I'm afraid I'm a squatter," he said, "not unlike the ancestors of some -people I could name nearer home. The natives, I believe, used to pay -tribute to the Amir, and also to the Chinese emperor--a little gold dust -(where they got it I don't know)--a dog or two, and a basket of -apricots: some trivial thing like that; and as the people are nomads, -their suzerains, I dare say, thought they were lucky to get anything. -Then the Russians came along, and among other unconsidered trifles -snapped up this little no-man's land. They had a small military post a -couple of marches across the hills to the north. This was raided by the -Afghans when they got news of the Russian smash-up in Mongolia. The -Mongols turned out the Afghans; then the post was destroyed by another -Afghan raid; and since then nobody has troubled about it. It would -puzzle even an international jurist in a Scotch university to decide who -is the rightful sovereign of this tract of hill country; and meanwhile -I'm on the spot, and I'll stay here and get on with my work until I'm -turned out. - -"This gallery here is worked by the Kalmucks: you saw some of them at -the stamping presses as you came up. The slope makes it easy to dig the -ore out, and also drains what little water there is: there's only a -trickle, as you see. Come into the next compound." - -He unlocked the door in the stout fence, and led the boys into a third -enclosure, like the second, and having another line of rails leading -into a gallery. - -"This is the Pathan section," said Mr. Appleton. "There are not quite -half as many Pathans as Kalmucks." - -"I suppose you keep them apart for fear of ructions," said Bob. - -"Partly," said Mr. Appleton, smiling a little as he added: "But there's -another reason; I'll tell you that later. We are not treating the ore -from this gallery at present. Look here." - -He led them to the further fence, in which there was a gap, and bade -them look down. They saw a heap of greenish rock lying in a deep -saucer-shaped hollow between the yard and the river below. A line of -rails ran from the mouth of the gallery to the gap, and while the three -men stood there a couple of Pathans emerged from the hill, pushing a -laden truck before them. On arriving at the fence they tilted up the -truck, and the contents fell crashing upon the heap beneath. - -"Now we'll go over the bridge and have a look at the miners' quarters on -the other side," said Mr. Appleton. "I have to inspect them frequently: -I'm magistrate, sanitary inspector, a regular Jack of all trades." - -"Why did those two miners look at us so curiously when you were jawing -them?" said Lawrence. - -"I had just told them who you were, my nephews and the new -superintendents. You've got to earn your living, you know. Bob will be -responsible for the Pathans, and you for the Kalmucks. Of course you've -a lot to learn." - -"They looked as if they didn't much like their new bosses," said Bob. - -"I daresay; but you'll be a comfort to me. I'm not troubled with nerves, -but at times, I confess, I have felt what the old ladies call lonesome -for want of a white man to talk to. The Babu is all very well, but now -and again he worries me. When I'm tired and bothered he'll expound a -knotty passage of Browning or some other incomprehensible poet; and when -I should enjoy a little stimulating conversation, he 'havers,' as the -Scotch say, in a mixture of high falutin' and outrageous slang. Now -that you are here I've no doubt he'll be nothing but the joy I find him -in my cheerful moods. I'm very glad of your company, boys." - - - - - CHAPTER THE FOURTH - - THE AEROPLANE ARRIVES - - -During the next three weeks the younger Appletons were fully occupied in -studying the working of the mine. Dressed in calico overalls they -penetrated into the torch-lit galleries and watched the miners at their -work. They saw the process of crushing the ore, but Mr. Appleton's -operations went little further, for owing to his distance from -civilisation and the limited space at his disposal, he left the final -stages of purification to be performed in India. The boys were rather -curious to know why the colours of the stains upon the clothing of the -two bands of miners differed, but they forbore to question their uncle, -guessing that he would tell them all in good time, and would meanwhile -be pleased by their showing patience. In this they were right. Mr. -Appleton had no wish to keep any secrets from them; he was only waiting -until he had learnt something of the characters of the two young -fellows, whom he had not seen for several years, and at no time had had -many opportunities of studying. - -They both soon showed their bents. In the evenings, when work was done, -there was little to occupy them. Mr. Appleton's books were few; they -were mainly books on mining and grammars and dictionaries of the local -dialects. Robert seized on the former; Lawrence devoted himself to the -latter; and their uncle was very well pleased, for each of these studies -would prove useful. Their recreations were for the present confined to -an occasional game of chess or cards, a still rarer shooting expedition -in the hills, and the reading of the rather dilapidated magazines which -had come at odd times from India and home. Lawrence missed his cricket, -and Bob his golf; but in spite of what Mr. Appleton had said about the -impossibility of using the aeroplane when it should arrive, they both -looked forward privately to trying their wings by and by. - -Lawrence soon became popular with the natives. He had a turn for -languages, and managed to pick up quickly a little Turki and scraps of -the other tongues spoken by the very mixed crowd that constituted the -mining staff. Robert had not the same quickness in learning languages, -but he made himself useful on the engineering side. He had been -accustomed to spend part of his holidays in the engine shops of the -father of one of his schoolfellows, and found his experience valuable. -Once, for instance, when there was a breakdown of the somewhat crazy -engine that worked the stamping presses, he was able to make the -necessary repairs more quickly than Mr. Appleton himself, or the regular -engine man, could have done. Mr. Appleton was a very good prospector -and an all-round man in general, but he had no particular gift in the -direction of mechanics, while the engine man had picked up from his -master all he knew. He was a Gurkha, a short, compact little fellow, of -hard muscles and a very quick intelligence. His race is more accustomed -to military service than to machinery, and Fazl, as this man was named, -had never seen a steam engine before he came to the mine. Mr. Appleton -had found him wandering half starved in Turkestan two seasons before, -and out of sheer kindness of heart put him on as cleaner. Some time -after, the Mohammedan Bengali who had hitherto driven the engine asked -leave to go home and bury his grandmother, and Fazl was promoted to his -place. The Bengali, of course, never returned, and Fazl was still engine -man. - -One evening after supper Mr. Appleton said-- - -"Don't get your books yet, boys; I want to show you something." - -He placed a Bunsen burner on the table, and brought a blowpipe and a -piece of charcoal from a cupboard. Then he took from his pocket a small -lump of ore, which he laid on the charcoal with a little powdered -carbonate of soda, and proceeded to treat in the Bunsen flame. The boys -watched his experiment curiously. After a time they saw a bright bead -form itself on the surface of the ore. Mr. Appleton laid down the -blowpipe. - -"What do you make of that?" he said. - -"Is it tin?" asked Robert. - -"Well, I have known school-boys call it 'tin' in the shape of sixpenny -bits. It is silver. Now I'll let you into my secret. The ore obtained -from the farther gallery, and dumped down into that very convenient -cavity, contains almost pure silver; there's method in my madness, you -see. Nobody knows it but yourselves; though I can't say what some of -the men may suspect. I don't attempt to work it for the simple reason -that I don't want the news to get about. If it became generally known -that I have struck silver, somebody might put in a claim to this -neglected region, and I should either have to decamp or be in constant -fear of attack. As it is, I think I am pretty secure; and when I have -got a sufficient quantity of the ore I shall close down, dismiss the -men, and carry the stuff to India." - -"But isn't there silver also in the other gallery?" asked Bob. - -"No. The two metals, so far as I can discover, lie in parallel vertical -streaks, with a band of quartz between them, and the men who are working -at the copper know nothing of the silver a few feet away. You see now -the reason why I keep the Kalmucks and the Pathans apart. The Kalmucks -work the copper; they belong more or less to the neighbourhood; but the -Pathans come from far distant parts, and if they should discover that -their ore is silver, they are not at all so likely as the Kalmucks to -bring unwelcome visitors upon me. I confess I was a little uneasy when -I heard the explanation of that scrimmage we happened upon as we rode -down. I wondered whether Nurla Bai's presence in the Pathan section was -due to some suspicion of the truth. But he has given no more trouble, -and I hope that I was wrong." - -"He's a sulky beggar," said Lawrence. "I can't get a word out of him, -and I don't like those ugly eyes of his." - -"I'm watching him," said Mr. Appleton. "He works well, and has a great -influence with the other Kalmucks. He's certainly far and away more -intelligent, and he has brought in a good many labourers. In fact, I -had to put a stop to his recruiting. I wanted to keep the Kalmucks -pretty equal in number to the Pathans, but, as you see, they already -outnumber them by more than two to one. One great nuisance is their -possession of firearms. I tried to induce them to hand them over when I -engaged them, but in these regions the hillmen are as tenacious of their -guns as our sailors are of their knives. Without my police Pathans and -Kalmucks would be at each other's throats." - -A few days after this conversation, the caravan which the boys had for -some time been expecting arrived. It was larger than that which had -accompanied them, and Mr. Appleton threw up his hands with a dismay that -was not wholly feigned when he saw how many additional mules had been -required for the transport of the aeroplane. - -"You said two or three," he remarked to Bob as the laden beasts defiled -along the path; "but I'm sure there are seven or eight more than my -stuff needed." - -"I expect it's the petrol," said Bob humbly. - -"You didn't mention petrol." - -"No; but of course we couldn't work the engine without it, and I left -word to send up a good quantity. I didn't suppose you had any on the -spot." - -"And wasn't there a single sensible creature to tell you that you can't -go skylarking with an aeroplane in the Hindu Kush? Whoever sold you the -petrol must have laughed in his sleeve." - -"He seemed uncommon glad to sell it, anyway," said Bob, a trifle -nettled. - -"Of course he was. There are no end of sharks always on the watch for a -griffin. He sold the petrol, and he sold you. And the expense of it! -D'you know how much it costs to bring a mule from India here?" - -"You can dock it out of my screw," growled Bob. - -"And money absolutely flung away. You have seen for yourself that -there's no level space hereabout for running off. And even supposing -you could use the thing, it would be madness to do so. You'd be bound -to come to grief; all flying men do sooner or later, and at the best you -might find yourself landed thirty or forty miles away, with nothing but -peaks and precipices between you and home. There are no repairing shops -to fall back upon; no garages 'open day and night,' or anything of that -sort. In short----" - -"Don't rub it in, Uncle," said Lawrence. "The thing's here now, and -we've got to make the best of it. Come on, Bob; let's go and look after -the unloading; those fellows are sure to smash something." - -The mules were led across the drawbridge to the west side of the gorge, -and the separate parts of the machine were stacked near the dwelling -house until a new shed could be constructed. - -"What on earth we're to do with the petrol I don't know," said Mr. -Appleton. "We daren't have it within reach of the native workmen. -They're as careless as they are inquisitive, and we don't want a flare -up." - -"Isn't there room for the cans in the dynamite shed?" asked Lawrence. - -The explosive was kept in a specially devised cache. The space between -the house and the cliff was boarded in. A doorway led from the house -into this space, which was divided by a partition, in which another door -opened into a kind of strong room excavated in the hill side. There was -room for the cans beside the boxes of dynamite. - -"I shan't sleep at night now that we've got two explosives at our -doors," said Mr. Appleton. - -"Why didn't you store the stuff farther from the house?" asked Bob. - -"Well, as a matter of fact wherever it was stored in the neighbourhood -of the mine the result would be pretty much the same if it exploded. The -best chance of safety was to have it under lock and key where nobody -could get at it but myself. In for a penny, in for a pound. Trundle -your cans through: if I'm not a false prophet they'll stay there until -doomsday untouched." - -When the boys entered the dark chamber between the house and the cliff, -following Mr. Appleton, who carried an electric lamp, Bob uttered a -sudden exclamation. - -"I say, hanged if there isn't a machine gun!" - -He pointed to a corner of the room, where the muzzle of the gun -protruded from a nest of boxes. - -"A very neat little machine," said Mr. Appleton. "I got it as a -precaution against a second raid, and the difficulty of smuggling it -through turned my surviving hairs grey. It came in parts among some -engine fittings; the invoices are very interesting! A clear case of gun -running, of course; but there was no other way; the government would -never have allowed it to pass complete. Nobody here knows of it but -you; I put it together myself; and if you know anything about such -things, Bob, I'll be glad if you'll overhaul it one of these days, and -see if my amateurish efforts have been successful. Some of those boxes -contain ammunition: smuggled in as dynamite. Now stack your cans, and -when you've finished bring me the key. I'll have duplicates cut for -you." - -Later in the day the boys had a consultation. - -"It's no good putting the aeroplane together until we've found a -starting-place," said Lawrence. - -"I know. I've looked all about, and can't find one. It's pretty -rotten, and the old man is so ratty about it that I almost wish we'd -never brought the thing." - -"Oh, he'll come round. I bet you what you like that he'll be as keen as -mustard if we can only get the thing going. We'll go out exploring; -we're sure to hit on some place by and by." - -They spent the spare time of two or three days in ranging up and down -stream in search of a suitable starting-place. Every morning at -breakfast Mr. Appleton dropped some quizzing remark that sorely tried -Bob's temper. "How's the white elephant?" he would say; or "When is the -ascent to take place?" Meanwhile the dismembered aeroplane lay under -tarpaulin at the side of the house, and the Babu irritated Bob by kind -enquiries. - -"Will tender plant suffer, sir?" he asked one morning, when a sprinkling -of snow lay upon the ground. - -"What do you mean?" said Bob. - -"Packages were marked 'fragile with care,' sir, and having been myself -once fragile, delicate infant, sir, I have fellow feeling, that makes me -wondrous kind." - -"Well, be kind enough to shut up," said Bob. - -At length, after much searching, they discovered a spot which, so far as -space was concerned, promised the solution of their difficulty. About a -hundred yards up stream, at a somewhat higher level than the ledge upon -which the mine buildings were situated, there was a similar ledge of -about the same extent and on the same side of the gorge. But it was -very difficult of access. It could not be approached from the mine, -owing to the sheer wall of cliff that separated the two ledges. Nor -could it be gained by bridging the river, for not only was the stream at -this point much broader than lower down, but there was no rock in -mid-channel that would serve as support. After a good deal of -cogitation, Bob hit upon a plan which he determined to attempt. - -On the way up, their caravan had crossed a stream by means of a bridge -constructed on the cantilever principle, as is common in that country. -It occurred to Bob that there was a possibility of constructing a walk -along the face of the cliff on the same principle. - -"It will be a series of bridges made of overlapping planks," he said to -Lawrence when explaining his idea. "There's plenty of timber in the -shed." - -"Which Uncle won't allow to be used." - -"I'll talk him over." - -"But I don't see how you're going to manage it. There are no supports." - -"They are easily managed. All we've got to do to is drive beams into -the rock, say twenty feet apart." - -"Exactly; but how are you going to make holes in the rock? There's -nothing to stand on, and we can't rig up scaffolding from the bottom of -the river." - -"I think we can do it all the same. What we have to do is to go to the -extreme edge of the ledge of the silver mine, bore a couple of holes in -the rock level with our heads, and drive in poles strong enough to -support a swinging platform. You've seen house painters use them on -house fronts at home. We can extend that with some planks, and so reach -a position where similar holes can be bored a little farther away, and -so on until we reach the farther ledge. A couple of stout miners on the -platform can easily bore the holes, level with it, that we require for -the larger beams, and when they are placed it will be a comparatively -simple matter to lay planks upon them, and carry our cantilever walk the -whole way. We can use the upper poles too: connect them by a rope, -which we can cling to as we push the parts of the machine along on -trolleys." - -"It will take a very long time," said Lawrence dubiously. - -"Not so long as you think if we can only persuade the old man to let us -have a couple of men to work at it continuously. I'll tackle him -to-night after supper when he's comfortably settled with a cigar." - -Mr. Appleton happened to be in a very amiable mood when Bob broached the -subject, and though he uttered doleful warnings and foretold broken -limbs, and declared that he washed his hands of all responsibility, he -told the boys that they might do as they pleased. Next day they invited -volunteers from among the Kalmuck miners, and were somewhat surprised -when Nurla Bai was the first to offer his services, explaining that he -was an expert in carpentry. Taking this as a sign of grace, Bob engaged -the man, and told him to choose his own assistant. Nurla at once -suggested a dwarfish man named Tchigin, a thick-set, muscular fellow -with a huge head covered with jet-black hair. Mr. Appleton called him -Black Jack. They began work, and Bob was well pleased with their -industry and skill. Before night there was a row of half-a-dozen of the -smaller poles in position, and all was ready for the drilling of the -larger hole for the first of the stout beams that were to support the -wooden path. - -On the subsequent days, with the number of workers increased to six, the -work was carried on even more rapidly. The greatest difficulty -encountered was a bend in the cliff a few yards before it opened out on -to the ledge on which the aeroplane was to be put together. It cost a -good deal of labour to shape the planks to the curve, and to fix the -beams; and the boys regarded it as a further disadvantage that the ledge -would be out of sight from the mine. Not that they could suppose that -the aeroplane, when set up in its hangar there, would be in any danger -of molestation, for the only approach was from the Pathan compound, and -Mr. Appleton thought that the Pathans might be trusted. But they would -have preferred that their flying machine should always be in sight. -However, there came a time when they were very thankful for the -projecting corner of the cliff which had given them so much extra toil. - -Their proceedings naturally caused a good deal of curiosity and -excitement among the miners and the domestic staff. No one was more -deeply interested than Ditta Lal, who numbered among his many -accomplishments a smattering of theoretical engineering picked up in the -course of his studies at Calcutta University. He talked very learnedly -of strains and stresses, and often laid before the boys scraps of paper -on which he had worked out magnificent calculations and drawn elaborate -diagrams for their guidance. This amused them at first, but it became -rather exasperating as the work progressed. He had a formula for -everything; taught them exactly, to the fraction of an inch, how far the -timbers should project from the ends of those supporting them, and what -strain each portion of the structure could bear. As the successive -bridges were completed, he proved, as he supposed, the accuracy of his -calculations by venturing his own portly person upon them, at first with -some timidity, but with more and more confidence as time went on. Mr. -Appleton, on the other hand, watched the work from the security of the -compound until it passed from sight round the shoulder of the cliff. - -"You're a heap braver than I am," he said once to Ditta Lal. "I -wouldn't trust myself on the thing for a pension, and you're heavier by -three or four stone." - -"Ah, sir, conscience makes cowards of us all," replied the Babu; "by -which I understand immortal bard to mean, ignorance makes you funky. -With my knowledge of science, imbibed from fostering breast of Alma -Mater, Calcutta University--of which, as you are aware, I have honour to -be B.A.--I know to a T exact weight planks will support, all worked out -by stunning formulae, sir. Knowledge is power, sir." - -"Well, if you quote proverbs at me, I'll give you one: 'A little -knowledge is a dangerous thing.'" - -"A thousand pardons, sir, and with due respect, you have made a bloomer: -misquotation, sir. Divine bard wrote: 'A little _learning_ is a -dangerous thing;' and I understand him to mean, if even a _little_ -learning in a man is dangerous to critic who tries to bowl him out, how -much more dangerous is a fat lot!" - -Mr. Appleton found it necessary at this point to break away, and Ditta -Lal's further exposition was lost. - -One evening, when the work of the bridge makers was nearing completion, -the accepted explanation of Pope's line was brought home to the Babu by -a rather unpleasant experience. He had walked along the finished portion -of the pathway, which consisted of two lines of stout and broad planks -supported by the cantilevers, these resting on the thick beams firmly -embedded in the rock. The workmen on their swinging platform, Nurla Bai -and Black Jack, had just laid the planks forming one bridge section -across the gap, and were about to knock off work for the day. Ditta Lal -was so eager to prove the soundness of his calculations, and demonstrate -the valuable share he believed himself to have had in this engineering -feat, that he took it into his head to walk across the planks to the -other side. He had sufficient caution to hold on to the rope which had -been carried along the smaller poles just above the level of his head. - -"Hi, Ditta Lal! Come back!" shouted Bob from behind him. "The planks -aren't nailed down yet." - -The Babu halted and looked round with an air of pained astonishment. - -"Sir," he said, "it is as safe as eggs. Planks are held firm by my own -avoirdupois. I have worked it out." - -Still holding the rope with one hand, with the other he drew from his -pocket a sheet of paper on which he had made his last calculation. - -"The weight which these planks will tolerate," he continued, "is eleven -hundred and eighty-six pounds fifteen point eight ounces gross. My -weight is two hundred and forty-four pounds and a fraction nett, by -which I mean my own corpus without togs. Q.E.D. Suppose I jump, even -then energy I develop is innocuous. I demonstrate the quod." - -He replaced the paper in his pocket, took the rope in both hands, and -lifting his feet, to the boys' horror came down ponderously on the -planks. The result was alarming. One of the planks was jerked off the -beams on which it rested, and fell with a splash into the swirling river -below. The other turned up on its edge; Ditta Lal sought to keep his -footing, but his feet slid off, the plank fell, and he was left hanging -on the rope alone, which sagged deeply under the tremendous strain. - -The boys shivered as they saw the portly man dangling over the river. -They expected every moment that the rope would break and plunge him into -the depths, carrying with him the workmen on their platform below. It -seemed impossible to give him any aid, for a gap of sixteen feet, now -unbridged, separated them from him. But luckily there was lying near -them a plank intended for use farther on. They caught it up, and pushed -it within reach of the workmen, who hastily threw it across the gap in -such a way that the Babu could just reach it with his knees. - -The description of his appearance which the boys afterwards gave made -their uncle laugh heartily. - -"His face was positively green," said Lawrence, "and his eyes were -rolling like the eyes of a giant in one of those moving magic lantern -slides. He was yelling at the top of his voice--invoking strange gods -by the sound of it. When he felt the plank beneath his knees he began -to shuffle along sideways, but away from us instead of towards us; he -was in such an awful state of funk that he didn't know which way he was -going. When he got to the beam he threw his legs across it and sat there -shaking, with the rope under his arms. We couldn't get him to budge -even when we had laid another plank across, so that the way back was -perfectly safe. He looked just like a 'varsity stroke pumped out at the -end of a race--bar the complexion, of course. We tried to persuade him -to get up and walk back, but he did nothing but shake his head and moan. -He wouldn't speak for a bit; at last he said that he must wait till -morning light. 'Buck up!' I said: 'make an effort!' but he only rolled -his eyes and groaned and sighed. You can't do anything with a chump -like that." - -Ditta Lal indeed refused all entreaties, and kept his perch through the -cold night. Lawrence sent him a bowl of soup, but he declined to -unwreathe his arms from the rope. Only when, early next day, the planks -had been firmly nailed to their supports did he allow himself to be -wheeled in a trolley--for his limbs were numbed and useless--back to the -mine. For the rest of the day he was not seen. For a week he avoided -the boys, and made no more calculations except the elementary addition -and subtraction of his store book-keeping. - - - - - CHAPTER THE FIFTH - - THE LIGHT IN THE GALLERY - - -The cliff pathway being at last completed, the boys cleared the farther -ledge of accidental obstructions, and so formed a fairly smooth surface -about sixty yards in length by half as many in breadth. While the -workmen were erecting a shed at one end of the space, the boys -themselves carried over the parts of the aeroplane, and set about -putting them together, with the assistance of Fazl the Gurkha. It was a -monoplane of a recent type, with a length of thirty feet and a span of -forty-three, the area of the main planes being about three hundred and -fifty feet. The fabric-covered fuselage was of approximately -stream-line form, deep enough forward to accommodate the pilot so that -only his head protruded above the cockpit. This was arranged to seat -two, the pilot in front, the passenger in his rear. The elevator was of -fixed monoplane design, with rotating ailerons. The engine, a -four-cylinder machine of 100 h.p., being of the water-cooled variety, a -radiator was necessary: this was incorporated with the lower sloping -front of the body. Bob had provided himself with a second carburetter, -so that paraffin could be used if petrol ran short. The landing chassis -was composed of oval section steel tubes, which ran together at two -apexes. At each of these, on a universal bearing, was a laminated spring -split into two arms at the rear, with a rubber-tyred wheel between them. -The forepart of the spring was attached by an elastic rubber shackle to -the top of the chassis, and a similar attachment connected the single -wheel with the rear-part of the machine. The material employed in the -construction of the machine was mainly wood, which was more easily -repairable than steel. Its total weight was about 1000 lbs. and its -maximum speed seventy miles an hour in still air. - -It was a great day at the mine when the young airmen essayed their first -flight. Mr. Appleton had looked forward to it with a nervousness he did -his best to conceal. He had ceased to joke about the matter, and wore a -grave and thoughtful look during the week in which the boys made their -final preparations. Their enthusiastic discussion of details at -meal-times and in the evening set his nerves on edge; but he was too -wise to let his nephews see how they were distressing him, and they did -not know until long afterwards how nearly he had come to an absolute -prohibition from using their machine. Only as they left him, to try -their wings, did he venture on a word of caution. - -"I say, you fellows, you'll be careful, you know," he said. - -"Of course, Uncle," said Bob. "I've got my certificate, remember." - -"And Ditta Lal had his calculations!" he muttered. - -"Well, they gave him a night out," said Lawrence, quite unconscious how -his light answer jarred upon his uncle. - -They walked along the path and disappeared from sight. It was an hour -before they were seen again. Then from round the shoulder of the cliff -there suddenly came into view a thing resembling a monstrous grasshopper -in flight, and through the air sounded a low grinding hum. The servants -rushed into the compound; the miners at work in the open uttered a -shrill cry, which brought their comrades in a flock from the galleries; -and they stood at gaze as the strange machine wheeled into the gorge, -and flew, skimming the river, until it was lost to sight. - -"Marvellous achievement, sir," said Ditta Lal at Mr. Appleton's elbow. - -Mr. Appleton did not answer: there was a look of anxiety upon his face. - -"I perceive, sir," said the Babu, "that your countenance is sicklied -o'er with pale cast of apprehension. Nothing is here for tears; in -short, there is nothing to be afraid of; I have worked it out. Engine -makes 1500 revolutions per minute: propeller geared down to 750: -ascensional velocity, by my calculations----" - -"Your calculations be hanged!" cried Mr. Appleton, whose wonted urbanity -gave way under the strain of Ditta Lal's loquacity. "Get out!" - -Ditta Lal looked hurt, but tried to smile. It was an hour before the -aeroplane reappeared, and another hour before the boys rejoined their -uncle. - -"We made a splendid flight," said Bob, who was in the highest spirits. -"Everything worked perfectly. You must come for a trip yourself, -Uncle." - -"No, thank you. I am vastly relieved to see you back safe and sound. -The Babu has begun calculating again, and got on my nerves." - -"Calculating, is he?" said Lawrence. "I should have thought he had had -enough of that. I wonder if we can cure him." - -He called to Ditta Lal, who was standing at the door of his store-shed. - -"What weight do you suppose the aeroplane will carry?" he asked. - -"I do not suppose, sir," replied the Babu. "I have worked it out. -Permit me to express jubilation at successful trip, sir. You ask about -weight." He drew a paper from his pocket. "Here are correct figures. -You can carry fifteen hundred and eighty-six pounds six ounces, with -four decimals of no account." - -"What do you scale, Bob?" asked Lawrence. - -"Twelve stone two." - -"I'm eleven stone eight: together we make about three hundred and thirty -pounds. Ditta Lal, _there's just room for you_!" - -For a moment the Babu looked puzzled. Then he said: - -"It is human to err, sir. I must have made trifling error in my -additions. I revise my calculations." - -And he went away, evidently determined to discover either that the -aeroplane would not support so great a load as he had calculated, or -that his own weight considerably exceeded twelve hundred pounds. - -A daily flight became part of the boys' programme. They did not tell -their uncle of the difficulties they had to contend with, but these were -real enough. To start from and alight on so narrow a platform as the -ledge furnished was in itself a severe test of airmanship; but the -problems of actual flight were still more serious. The gorge was so -narrow that it gave them little room for evolutions. There were only -one or two spots, either up or down stream, at which they could turn -with safety; and when the wind came in sudden gusts down the mountain -side the act of turning, even in these comparatively open spaces, was -attended with much danger. They could only avoid the peril by ascending -to altitudes which as yet Bob was unwilling to attempt. But a few -weeks' practice developed in them a kind of instinct for dodging the -risks to which the circumscribed space rendered them liable; and though -they had one or two lucky escapes they met with no real mishap. - -All this time they got a good deal of quiet amusement out of their -uncle's attitude. At first he affected to regard the aeroplane as a -plaything, and a somewhat dangerous plaything, much as an elderly person -watching a child playing with fireworks expects him sooner or later to -burn his fingers. In the early days of their flying he was indeed -genuinely nervous, and tried by means of hints and warnings to wean them -from their sport. But as time passed, and none of his fears were -realised, they perceived that he was becoming less uneasy and more and -more interested. One day he actually accompanied them to the shed, -which he had never yet visited, and watched them as they drew the -aeroplane out on to the ledge, made a methodical inspection of the -engine, and prepared for their flight. - -"A neat piece of mechanism," he said. "Much stronger than it looks from -a distance." - -Lawrence surreptitiously winked at Bob. - -"Yes, it's strong enough," said Bob, smiling as he continued his task of -cleaning one of the cylinders. - -"What load can you carry?" asked Mr. Appleton presently. "I don't trust -the Babu's calculations." - -"A thousand pounds or more," replied Lawrence, who was examining the -gearing of the propeller. - -"You've only two seats," Mr. Appleton went on, after an interval of -silence. "Some machines will carry three, I suppose." - -"Oh yes," answered Bob. "We could easily rig up a third seat. Pity you -dislike the thing so much, Uncle." - -Mr. Appleton did not reply. When the boys got into their places, he did -not warn them to be careful, as his habit was, but bade them good-bye as -unconcernedly as if they had been going for a short train journey. - -"He's fishing for an invitation," said Lawrence to his brother as they -rose into the air. "Bet you what you like we have him with us within a -week." - -But the period proved to be even shorter. Before leaving the aeroplane -that evening, they spent an hour or two in making a third seat. Two days -later, when Mr. Appleton again crossed to their ledge to see them fly -off, he noticed the addition. - -"Who's your second passenger?" he asked. - -"Gur Buksh said that he'd like to try a flight," replied Bob: "but -knowing how much you disapprove of the machine, he hasn't ventured to -ask your permission yet." - -"Humph! I don't think I can allow that--at any rate, until I have tried -it myself." - -"You don't mean it, Uncle!" - -"Well, having an hour to spare, I think perhaps--I've a very open mind, -you know." - -"Come _on_, sir!" cried Lawrence, slapping him on the back. "That's -sporting, upon my word." - -"Don't fly away with me," said Mr. Appleton, as he got into his place. -"One hour: no more." - -But when they were soaring northward down the river, and came to where -the valley broadened out into the plains of Turkestan, Mr. Appleton -forgot altogether about his time limit. The old adventurous spirit was -still strong in him; after the first few minutes he was quite at his -ease, and even when Bob "banked" the machine in wheeling round, or when -a sudden gust swept through a rent in the mountain and made the -aeroplane heel over slightly, he showed no nervousness. The flight -lasted two hours, and as they walked back along the pathway, Mr. -Appleton said-- - -"If the country were only flatter, I might be tempted to go in for -flying myself. It's most exhilarating. But I'm afraid I'd never be -much good at it. I fancy it ought to be learnt young, like golf." - -After that both Mr. Appleton and Gur Buksh were occasional passengers -with the boys. One day, as Lawrence was watching from the compound the -flight of Bob accompanied by the Sikh, Ditta Lal came to his side. - -"I am consumed with envy, sir," he said: "envy, eldest born of hell, as -blind poet sings." - -"Why, what's wrong?" - -"Why, sir, that unlettered Sikh learns secrets of empyrean hidden from -me, B.A. of Calcutta University." - -"Well, we'll take you, any time you like." - -"Alas, sir! I am, through no fault of my own, fat and scant of breath, -and rapid transit through rarefied atmosphere would blow me out--I mean, -put disastrous strain upon my panting lungs." - -"D'you know, Babu, I think you're a funk." - -"I repel charge with honest indignation, sir. I am bold as a lion, king -of beasts--on terra firma, sir." - -They had been using the aeroplane for about a fortnight when a convoy of -provisions arrived. The leader of the caravan brought news which gave -interesting material for discussion at the supper-table, and which was -talked over with scarcely less eagerness among the natives. The man -reported that he had had great difficulty in getting through. -Apparently an embargo had been laid on all food stuffs. Armed and -mounted men were flocking south-west from all parts of Mongolia, and the -talk of the country was that another great movement against Russia was -in preparation. - -"They'll have a tougher job this time," said Mr. Appleton, in the quiet -hour before bedtime. "It was easy enough to lop off one of the -extremities of the empire, but they'll find things more difficult as -they near the European border, if that's what they are aiming at. I -don't know whether you know anything about history----" - -"I know Napoleon's campaigns, not much else," said Bob. - -"Well, you can take it from me, then, that when the Mongols were at -their strongest they couldn't keep a permanent footing in European -Russia. But there's such a lot of them, all mounted, too, that there's -just a chance they may sweep across the southern plains as their -forefathers did. Russia is in a bad way; they know that, of course. -This long war with Germany has broken her credit; she's seething with -unrest and rebellion; Finland's in revolt at last, and I shouldn't -wonder if the Poles make a move now: they wouldn't before, because they -don't love the Germans. It'll be rather curious if the Mongols do cut a -slice out of the bloated monster." - -A night or two after this, when the caravan had departed, Bob awoke in -the small hours, and feeling rather thirsty, got up for a drink. The day -had been very hot, and before returning to bed he sat at the open window -to inhale the fresh cool breeze that blew along the gorge. Everything -was very still. All that he could hear was the gurgling of the stream, -now swollen to its full extent by the melted snow from the mountains; -and the occasional whinny of a horse from the sheds that served as -stables on the other side. - -He had sat thus for a few minutes drinking in the beauty of the night -when his eye was caught by a faint glow in the distance. It seemed to -be near the entrance of the Pathan gallery, his own section of the mine. -The glow flickered; it was not strong enough to light up the -surroundings. - -"That's very curious," he thought, and was on the point of awaking -Lawrence, when it occurred to him that he would look rather foolish if -it proved to be nothing but a colony of glow-worms. He knew nothing of -natural history, or he would not have suspected the possibility of -finding glowworms in such a spot. But he was sufficiently curious to -feel that he must find out the cause of the light. He could not leave -the house without passing through his uncle's room, and unwilling to -disturb the household, he made up his mind to climb out of the window, -which was at no great distance above the ground. The timbers of the -upper part of the house were rough; and a practised climber would find -no difficulty in descending by availing himself of their inequalities -until he reached the stone part and could drop. - -He pulled on his socks, thrust his arms into his smoking jacket, and -clambered out. The sound he made in reaching the ground was so faint -that it did not disturb the doorkeeper, slumbering Indian fashion on the -threshold thirty feet away. Crossing the compound on tiptoe, he came to -the fence, and regretted that he had not thought to bring his key of the -gate: there was nothing for it but to scale the obstacle. This he did, -and crossed the Kalmuck section in the same way, moving very quietly, -for he did not wish to attract the attention of the sentry on duty at -the drawbridge or to rouse the settlement. - -From the time of his dropping from the window until he had crossed the -second fence and stood in the Pathan section, the glow had been hidden -from him. It now revealed itself as originating in the mine gallery. -The glow was diffused through the opening, though the source of light -was not visible. No one had any business there after the bugle had -sounded the time for ceasing work. Thinking that perhaps the Pathan -foreman, Muhammad Din, had forgotten to extinguish one of the torches -that were employed for lighting the miners at their work, Bob was about -to cross the ground and enter the gallery without precaution. But he -was checked by the thought that the explanation might not be so simple. -He threw a glance round the compound. All was dark and quiet. Then he -stole across to the mouth of the gallery, and after a moment's pause -entered it. - -Some little distance from the entrance a torch was burning in its socket -on the wall. Nobody was in sight. If there was indeed a trespasser in -the mine, he was either behind one of the beams supporting the roof, or -farther down the gallery. This was straight from the opening up to the -torch, which was so placed as to light a further stretch that bent a -little inwards. Bob went along carefully, looking behind every beam and -into every recess, but without discovering an intruder. - -Having come level with the torch, he stopped, and glancing round the -curving wall, was surprised to see another light about twenty paces -ahead. It was burning but dimly; the ventilating apparatus was not at -work; but the illumination was sufficient to reveal the figure of a man -bending to the floor, engaged apparently in gathering small fragments of -rock. Bob could not identify the man, whose back was towards him. -Whatever his object was, there was something suspicious in his having -chosen the dead of night for carrying it out; and Bob at once made up -his mind to steal upon the man, seize him, and haul him before Mr. -Appleton. He crept forward; there were only about a dozen paces between -the two. But while he was in the very act of making his leap, he was -conscious of a rush of feet behind him. Next moment he was struck by a -heavy object, and fell on his face to the floor of the gallery. His -head hit the hard rock; there was one instant of intense pain, and then -his senses forsook him. - -[Illustration: THE ATTACK IN THE GALLERY] - - - - - CHAPTER THE SIXTH - - NURLA BAI DISAPPEARS - - -Bob never knew how long he lay unconscious on the floor of the gallery. -When he came to himself he was in darkness: only the smoky atmosphere -remained to bear witness to the reality of the torches. He rose dizzily -to his feet, feeling sick and giddy as the result both of his blow and -of the close air, and groped his way slowly to the entrance. There the -cool breeze somewhat revived him; but he found it difficult to make his -way past the obstacles which had given him no trouble before. To scale -the fences cost much labour, and he was near fainting by the time he -reached the house. Having no key with him, he had to waken the darwan -who lay wrapped in rugs on his mat before the door. The man was much -surprised to see him, but said nothing as he gave him admittance. Bob -crept upstairs quietly; his uncle's door was open, and he managed to -cross the room without waking him. Then he dropped on to his bed and -nudged his brother. - -"You're a juggins," said Lawrence rather unfeelingly, when he had heard -the story. "That's the sort of thing they do in the school stories, when -the bold bad bully climbs down the gutterpipe and sneaks off to the pub -to play cards and swill swipes. But I say, you're not hurt, old man?" - -"The whack on the head rather crumpled me up," replied Bob. - -Lawrence was out of bed in a trice, lit his candle, and bent over his -brother. - -"There's a bump as big as a duck's egg," he said. "Jolly lucky your -head's hard, old chap! Turn over, and I'll bathe it." - -In getting the water-can he stumbled over his boots, making a slight -noise. - -"It's time you fellows were asleep, came a muffled voice through the -door. Mr. Appleton had awoke, and fancied that the boys had not yet -settled down for the night. - -"Shall we tell him?" said Lawrence. - -"I meant to wait till morning, but as he's awake--yes, I think we had -better." - -Lawrence opened his uncle's door. - -"I say, Uncle," he said, "Bob fancied he heard burglars and went -prowling without a knuckle-duster----" - -"Go to bed," growled Mr. Appleton, only half awake. - -"It'll keep till morning, but I think you had better hear it now. I'll -tell you through the doorway while I bathe Bob's head." - -"What's wrong with his head?" - -When Lawrence explained how Bob had seen a glow from the window, in the -Pathan section of the mine, Mr. Appleton sat up, now thoroughly -awakened. He listened to the rest of the story in silence. At its -conclusion he said: - -"Just cut downstairs and tell that fellow at the door to hold his tongue -about it. Why on earth didn't you wake me at once, Bob, instead of -playing that schoolboy trick?" - -"I didn't want to disturb you." - -"That's all very well, though you wouldn't have hurt an old campaigner -like me. You ought to have told me at once, and then we might have -caught the rascal. I'm afraid there's trouble ahead, and I've a shrewd -suspicion who's at the bottom of it. You didn't recognize the man in -the gallery?" - -"No; his back was towards me." - -"What's it mean, Uncle?" asked Lawrence, returning. - -"It means that some one--Nurla Bai, I fancy--suspects that I've found -silver, or at any rate something better than copper. You remember how -he'd been trespassing on the night you came. But how did he get across? -You saw all the men off the premises at bugle call, Bob?" - -"Yes." - -"Then he's either in league with the sentry, or caught him napping, -though I don't understand how Gur Buksh and his men could have slept -through the groaning and creaking of the drawbridge." - -"Perhaps it wasn't Nurla at all, but some one on this side," suggested -Lawrence. - -"I don't believe it for a moment. The Sikhs are perfectly trustworthy; -the servants too; and the Babu, though as inquisitive as a monkey, is -quite honest and knows nothing about ores--though I daresay he wouldn't -own it. Look here! we must say nothing whatever about this matter. To -refer to it publicly would only stir up unrest among the workmen, and -might lead to disturbances between the Pathans and the Kalmucks. Each -set would accuse the other. We must keep quiet for a day or two, and -watch. You had better not show up to-morrow, Bob. To see you with your -head bandaged would set every one talking." - -"I shall be all right in the morning," said Bob. - -"I hope so. By the way, you were struck from behind, you say?" - -"Yes: there are evidently two men in it." - -"So much the better. There'll be two quaking in their shoes, and we may -be able to spot signs of guilt in their manner. Keep your eye on Nurla -and Black Jack, who follows him like a shadow. You made the darwan -understand he's not to talk, Lawrence?" - -"He won't say a word, I'm sure." - -"Then get to bed. I see you've bandaged Bob's head in a workmanlike -way. Where did you learn that?" - -"Ambulance work in the school cadet corps, Uncle." - -"Ah! They manage things better than when I was young. Good-night, -boys." - -Bob found himself much better in the morning, and declined his uncle's -suggestion that he should remain in bed. But his wound was too painful -to allow of his wearing a hat, and his appearance bareheaded, and with a -strip of sticking plaster on his neck just behind his ear, caused many -curious eyes to be turned towards him. Only the Babu made any reference -to it. Inquisitiveness was his failing, and he could never keep his -tongue still. - -"I perceive, sir," he said, "that you are not in your usual salubrity. -Your countenance is pale, and I opine from patch upon your neck that all -is not O.K. Pardon me, have you abraded the cuticle?" - -Bob looked at him. - -"Because, sir," the Babu continued with great deference, "I have in my -store sticky plaster, powdered alum, gold-beater's skin, sweet olive -oil, cold cream scented with roses, all things warranted to make -epidermis blooming and good as new. Item and in addition, perhaps a -little cooling draught may reduce inflammability and----" - -"Oh, shut up!" said Bob, and the Babu went away smiling but sorrowful. - -The three Englishmen went about their usual occupations as if nothing -had occurred. They watched the workmen narrowly for signs of guilt, but -could detect nothing. The Pathans were frankly curious and sympathetic; -the faces of the Kalmucks were as expressionless as they always appear -to Europeans. Nurla Bai, who was the special object of Mr. Appleton's -attention, was inscrutable: there was no change in his demeanour. - -Convinced that his assailant had in some way crossed the river in the -darkness of the previous night, Bob was at a loss to guess how he had -accomplished the feat. In the interval at mid-day, when the men had -trooped across the drawbridge for their meal, he suggested to Lawrence -that they should walk along the pathway to the ledge on which they kept -the aeroplane, and see if there were some fordable place which had -escaped their uncle's notice. On the way they examined every foot of -the cliff below them. It rose sheer from the bed of the river, so steep -and smooth as to afford no foothold for man or beast. Even if the river -had been swum or forded, it would have been impossible for any one to -climb up to the level platform on which the mine works were situated. -Nor could the most hardy and adventurous stranger have approached from -above, for the slope was too steep to give foothold to a mountain sheep. -In the other direction, down-stream, access was equally impossible, and -for a time both the boys felt thoroughly baffled. - -At length, however, Lawrence made a discovery. In retracing his steps -towards the plank pathway he climbed out upon a huge buttress of rock -that projected some feet into the river. - -"Take care!" cried Bob, feeling some alarm at the risk his brother was -running. - -"All right, old man," returned Lawrence. "It's rather a fine view down -the gorge from here. You'd better try it yourself when your head's -mended." - -He picked his way carefully over the somewhat uneven rock, and had gone -three parts of the way round its circumference when he suddenly stood -fixed, staring at something in front and a little below him. - -"By George!" he ejaculated in an undertone. Then he lay flat on the -summit of the rock, wriggled forward to the edge, until his head -projected, and peered downwards. - -"What is it?" asked Bob from his position several yards in the rear. - -Lawrence did not answer until he had crawled backward and once more -stood erect. - -"I've solved the puzzle," he said. "The fellows have got courage at any -rate, and must be as agile as monkeys. There's a rope hanging down from -the last beam,--down the cliff into the water." - -"A rope!" - -"Yes, one of our stoutest, cleverly stained so that it's hardly -distinguishable from the rock itself. I caught sight of something -swaying, and it took me a few seconds to be sure what it was. Whoever -it was that knocked you on the head--Tchigin very likely--he must have -climbed the rope, twisted himself up on to the planks, and so got to the -mine. It's a trick I shouldn't care to attempt." - -"But how on earth did he get to the rope from the other side? He -couldn't have forded, and the strongest swimmer couldn't get across with -the torrent rushing down at something like eight miles an hour." - -"That wants thinking out. Meanwhile we'd better get back. If we were -seen here we might put somebody on the alert." - -"Yes. I tell you what: we'll cross the bridge and stroll up the other -side; perhaps we may get a clue there." - -They walked back without hurry along the planks, spent some little time -in their respective sections of the mine, and then, taking their shot -guns, crossed the bridge and walked up the narrow road as they had done -many times before when shooting. - -"I've been trying to work it out," said Bob as they went. "If I wanted -to make for a particular spot on the other side, I should plunge in a -good way higher up--you know, where the stream widens and isn't quite so -swift. Then I should strike diagonally across and trust the current to -carry me where I wanted to go." - -"It would sweep you past. You couldn't be sure of hitting the rope." - -"I don't know. We'll see when we get opposite it." - -They sauntered on side by side, giving no signs of the carefulness with -which they were examining the base of the cliff on the farther side. The -bank beneath the road on which they were walking was not precipitous -like the opposite cliff. Here and there the rocks shelved down to the -water's edge, but there was no continuous perpendicular barrier. - -Their course brought them presently opposite the buttress by which hung -the rope. They did not pause, but as they strolled on Bob said-- - -"You see that in the angle formed by that buttress and the cliff there's -a sort of backwater: not exactly a backwater, of course, but the force -of the current is much diminished there. If a swimmer got to that -point, he could make headway against the stream." - -"That's just where the rope hangs. Did you see it?" - -"No; I only took a passing glimpse. We'll turn in a few minutes and -take a better look going back." - -They went on. Lawrence shot a ptarmigan which would give colour to the -ostensible object of their walk. Then they turned and retraced their -steps. As they passed the buttress Bob looked carefully for the rope, -and could just discern it by its slight motion against the background of -rock. - -"You might pass a dozen times and never notice it," he said. - -Facing in the same direction as the current they were now able to take a -more comprehensive view of the gorge. - -"Where would you make your plunge if you wanted to swim across?" asked -Bob. - -Lawrence looked along the bank. - -"There!" he said after a little, indicating a rock a few feet below and -beyond them, that jutted out into the river. - -"Well, let's go and take a look from there." - -They left the track, climbed on to the rock, and sat down there with -their knees up, flinging pebbles aimlessly into the water. - -"I think you're right," said Bob. "Allowing for the strength of the -current it's just about here that I should take the plunge. The oblique -distance between this and the rope would make the -diagonal--parallelogram of forces, you know." - -"I don't suppose Nurla knows anything about that," said Lawrence with a -smile. "But look here: don't these bushes look as if they'd been -disturbed recently?" - -He nodded his head towards some scrubby bushes at their right hand. - -"You'd think so, certainly," said Bob. "Still, we may be wrong. I -remember old Colonel Fanshawe warning us against the danger of seeing -what we wanted to see." - -After sitting a few minutes longer, keeping up the appearance of -aimlessness by careless tossing of pebbles into the water, they rose and -resumed their walk. But just at this moment Lawrence caught sight of a -dark object among the bushes that grew sparsely on the hillside above -the track, twenty yards away. At the distance, partially concealed by -the foliage, the nature of the object was not apparent; but Lawrence -clambered up by means of the bushes, and discovered a long coil of thin -strong cord, lying between two inflated water-skins. He left them where -they were, and returned to the track. - -"It's clear as daylight," said Bob, when he had heard his report. "The -fellow fastened the cord to the rock and held on to it when he took the -water. He supported himself on the skins, and when he got to the other -side, attached cord and skins to the dangling rope. When he came back, -he hauled himself hand over hand against the stream, and pulled in the -cord after him. That cord will, metaphorically speaking, hang the -fellow, but he's clever enough to have deserved a better fate." - -They returned slowly to the compound, well pleased with the result of -their investigations. - -A few minutes after they had gone, a small figure rose from among the -bushes within a few yards of the spot where the cord was placed. -Clambering up the hillside, and screening himself as much as possible -behind clumps of vegetation, and by the natural inequalities of the -ground, the little man made his way rapidly in the same direction as the -Englishmen, and descended unseen among the huts of the Kalmuck miners. -His narrow little eyes were gleaming with excitement. The men were just -returning to work. The Pathans had already crossed the drawbridge; the -Kalmucks were crossing. Black Jack pushed his way into the throng, -apparently in a great hurry. He overtook Nurla Bai at the entrance to -the mine gallery, and together they disappeared. - -The boys lost no time in communicating their discoveries to Mr. -Appleton. - -"This is getting warm," he said. "We can do nothing yet. Act as though -nothing had happened: to-night we'll talk things over. You're sure none -of the men suspect you?" - -"There's no sign of it," said Lawrence. "They saw us go, and come back -with a bird: a very ordinary thing, that. I flatter myself that a -Scotland Yard detective wouldn't have guessed from our manner that there -was any other object in our walk." - -The day passed like every other day. At sundown the bugle's note drew -the men from their work. They returned to their several quarters, and -after their evening meal settled down to their games of chance or skill. - -After supper, when pipes were lit, Mr. Appleton returned to the subject. - -"I haven't a doubt that Nurla is the man," he said. "You remember his -industry when you were building your bridges. The scoundrel's motive is -clear. The question is, what is he after? It can't be mere -inquisitiveness. He suspects that the Pathans are mining something more -valuable than copper, and if he can prove it, he'll sell his knowledge, -I suspect, and we shall have trouble. I only hope that your appearance -last night disturbed him before he had had time to get any samples." - -"If it didn't?" said Bob. - -"He'll probably try again. The fact that he hasn't absconded seems to -show that he isn't satisfied. If he had got enough for his purpose he -would have been over the hills before this. We must keep a strict watch, -and if we catch him making any further attempt of the same kind it's the -sack at once." - -"Wouldn't it be best to sack him now?" Lawrence suggested. - -"I'm rather loth to act without definite proof. We should make an enemy -of the fellow needlessly, and he has such influence with the Kalmucks -that he might call them all out." - -"Would that matter? The silver's the thing," said Lawrence. - -"Not at all. If I went on mining without them it would be a clear proof -that I could afford to leave their gallery unworked, and there'd be -trouble all the same. There'll probably be trouble anyhow, but I'd -rather keep the Kalmucks working quietly as long as possible. Meantime -we'll take precautions. I'll put a Sikh in the Pathan section to keep -guard through the night, and withdraw him before dawn, so that nobody is -any the wiser." - -Early next morning, a few minutes after the bugle had sounded reveille, -the Englishmen were disturbed in their dressing by the sound of a great -uproar from across the river. They flung on their coats and hurried -out. The drawbridge had not been lowered; half an hour would elapse -before the bugle called the men to work. But at the farther end the -Pathan miners had assembled, and were gesticulating in much excitement, -shouting lustily for the huzur. Mr. Appleton ordered the drawbridge to -be let down, and hastened across to meet the men. - -For some time he found it impossible to gather anything definite from -their frenzied clamour. Then, singling out one man as a spokesman, and -bidding the rest be silent, he heard a startling story. Muhammad Din, -the Pathan foreman, had been discovered in his hut with a knife in his -throat. Mr. Appleton had a great liking for the man--a rough uncouth -fellow, but an excellent workman and very popular with the men of his -race. He at once gave orders that Muhammad should be carried across the -bridge to the house, and announced that he would hold an inquiry after -breakfast. - -In knocking about the world he had picked up a knowledge of rough and -ready surgery and medicine, and had more than once treated sick men. A -short examination showed that the wound in the unconscious Pathan's -throat was serious, though not necessarily mortal, and he set to work at -once to cleanse it with antiseptic lotion and to bind it up. While he -was still in the midst of this task, more surprising news was brought -from the other side. - -Quarrels between the Pathans and the Kalmucks had been so frequent in -the early days of the settlement that Mr. Appleton had had to devise a -plan for minimizing the risk of such outbreaks. The quarters of the two -parties were separated by a neutral zone nearly a hundred yards in -breadth, which they were strictly forbidden to cross. They used it in -common only when going to and from their work, and then at different -times, the Pathans leaving first and returning last. If a Pathan wished -to go down the river, he had to climb the hillside and come down to the -track beyond the Kalmuck camp. If a Kalmuck wished to go up the river, -he had to make a similar circuit. The stables were placed in the -neutral zone. - -When the attack on Muhammad was discovered, and the Pathans rushed to -the drawbridge, the Kalmucks were aroused by the din, and flocked to the -fence marking the boundary line. But they were unaware of what had -happened until their turn came to cross the bridge and they heard the -story from the Sikh on duty. A few minutes afterwards, however, it was -discovered that neither Nurla Bai nor his dwarf henchman was among their -party. No sooner was this reported than the head stableman rushed -excitedly across the bridge, to announce that the ponies on which the -two boys had ridden to the mine had disappeared. These successive -discoveries threw the whole community into a state of seething -agitation. Instead of going to their work, the men gathered in groups, -discussing the strange thing that had happened to their foreman. -Already the Pathans were shouting accusations of Nurla Bai across their -fence, and Gur Buksh with his armed squad stood ready to intervene if -the wild passions of the miners led from recrimination to blows. - -Mr. Appleton did not allow these events to interrupt his ministrations -to the injured Pathan. When Muhammad, with his wound well dressed, had -recovered consciousness, and was laid in one of the outhouses belonging -to the domestic staff, Mr. Appleton and the boys returned to their rooms -to finish dressing and breakfast. - -"It's all as plain as a pikestaff now," said the elder man. "Nurla has -got all he wanted; he must have guessed that he was suspected, and very -wisely decamped. And he paid off his old grudge against Muhammad before -he left. He's got your ponies too. That's what they call robbery with -violence, I think." - -"What shall you do, Uncle?" asked Lawrence. - -"Go after him, of course. I couldn't otherwise hold the Pathans for an -hour. They know I'm just, and as good as my word. If I tell them that -Nurla shall be caught and punished they'll believe me and remain as -quiet as Gur Buksh can keep them. Otherwise they'd desert in a body and -hunt the hills themselves." - -"Nurla's got a good start: it won't be easy to catch him," said -Lawrence. - -"You forget Bob's aeroplane, my boy," said Mr. Appleton. - - - - - CHAPTER THE SEVENTH - - NURLA AT BAY - - -If Mr. Appleton had wished to atone for the coldness of his former -attitude to airmanship, he could scarcely have shown more eagerness to -make use of the aeroplane in hunting down the fugitive malefactor. He -was blind to the difficulties. To guard against a disappointment, Bob -ventured to point out the disadvantages under which the pursuit would be -conducted--the few landing-places and fewer starting-places which the -rugged country offered; the ease with which the men, even if discovered, -might conceal themselves in some woody ravine or some inaccessible cleft -in the mountain side: the likelihood of their escaping notice -altogether. There was every chance indeed that they would be espied, if -at all, upon some tract of country where to make a descent would be -impossible; and before the pursuers could reach a suitable spot, there -would be plenty of time for the men to alter their direction and elude -the most careful search. The one point in favour of the pursuit was -that Nurla was accompanied by Black Jack: it would not be so easy for -two as for one to escape notice. - -Mr. Appleton ignored all Bob's well-meant hints of failure, and was only -anxious to be off. He summoned the Pathans and explained to them what he -was about to do, warning them against misbehaviour in his absence. He -gave instructions to Gur Buksh to maintain strict discipline, and -flattered the Kalmucks into good temper by assuring them of his belief -in their loyalty. Then, having arranged that a small party of Pathans -should ride northwards down the track, he hurried after the boys, who -had already gone to prepare the aeroplane for flight. - -He had no doubt that Nurla had fled northward, in the direction of his -own people. For at least forty miles the fugitives would be obliged to -keep pretty closely to the valley, for, as far as Mr. Appleton and any -of his people knew, there was no practicable way over the hills for -horses. After that the country began to open out: the river broadened -and was fordable in several places, and the fugitives would have the -choice of several routes, either to the right or the left. It was -therefore necessary to overtake them and hold them up while they were -still in this forty-mile stretch of rugged river valley. Mr. Appleton's -idea was to fly ahead of them as soon as they had been sighted, land at -the first convenient spot, and hold them in check until the mounted -party had had time to come up. It was impossible to tell how many hours' -start the men had had; but even if they had left the settlement soon -after dark their progress along the rough and dangerous track must have -been slow, and it seemed hardly likely that they could reach the open -country before the swift-flying aeroplane overtook them. - -The boys rapidly overhauled the engine and tested the steering and -controlling gear. Bob felt a trifle anxious when he noticed how rapidly -the clouds were racing before the wind, which blew from the west. -Flying in the valley, the aeroplane would be protected from the full -lateral force of the wind by the high mountain barrier on each side. -But there was considerable danger of encountering gusts and eddies -sweeping through clefts and gorges here and there, and it was impossible -to calculate at what precise angle the aeroplane might be struck by a -sudden blast. However, the conditions were no worse than they had -already been in some of his practice trips, and he only felt a little -additional nervousness because Mr. Appleton had never yet accompanied -him except in absolutely calm weather. - -Just as they were preparing to start it occurred to Mr. Appleton that -some unforeseen contingency might prolong their absence from the mine. - -"Run back," he said to Lawrence, "and tell some of the men to bring over -enough food for a couple of days and two or three skins of water, in -case we don't get a chance to draw some from the river. You had better -tell the Pathans, too, to take food in their saddle-bags. It's just as -well to be prepared for emergencies." - -All arrangements having been made, they took their places. Chunda Beg -and the Babu were among the men who had walked to the ledge to witness -and assist in the start. - -"I wish good luck and safe return," said the Babu impressively. "As for -that villain of deepest dye, I approve of strongest measures. There is -varied choice of punishments--pistol, rope, et cetera: the best, in my -humble opinion, is to let him dangle from rope until death comes as -merciless release." - -"If you don't skip, Babu," said Bob, "you'll be caught by our wings, and -either be carried up to the heavens or dashed over the edge into the -river." - -Ditta Lal instantly picked up his skirts and fled, not halting until he -reached a safe distance. There he watched the ascent of the aeroplane -until it disappeared round a bend in the gorge. Then he returned to the -compound, following Chunda Beg, to whose back he discoursed on the -velocity of the wind, the native iniquity of the Kalmuck race, and the -various tortures to which Nurla Bai might conscientiously be put when he -was captured. - -Bob steered the machine along the middle of the valley, keeping low in -order to avoid the wind. On either side rose the lofty mountain barrier, -here overhanging the river, there receding; at some spots an almost -perpendicular wall, at others broken into peaks and parapets, with deep -hollows in which a scanty vegetation struggled for existence on a thin -soil. Now the valley narrowed so that there seemed barely space for the -aeroplane to pass: now it widened into a series of rocky terraces, -seamed by fissures in every direction. The track on the right bank -followed the winding course of the river for many miles, then dipped to -a ford and reappeared on the left. Some miles farther on it recrossed -the river by a crazy bridge of rope, and continued along the right bank -past the foothills and out into an extensive plateau. - -Bob as usual acted as pilot. By flying pretty close upon the river he -not only avoided danger from gusts, but enabled his companions to keep a -sharp observation upon the ground. Here and there, where this wound -behind the rocks between the bank and the hillside, he left the river, -planed a little higher, and steered a course exactly over the track. -The recent invention of planes which could be lengthened or shortened at -will rendered it possible to travel at more varied speed than had -formerly been the case, and when he was several miles from the mine he -reduced speed to the minimum. Even then, however, the aeroplane moved -so swiftly that there was some danger of the watchers passing their -quarry without perceiving them. This was not likely where the track was -closely hemmed in between river and hillside. The risk was greatest -where the latter receded from the course of the stream, leaving large -areas of rough country, sometimes covered with bush, in which the -fugitives could without much difficulty hide out of sight of any one not -passing immediately above them. - -The ford at which the track crossed the river was about twenty miles -from the mine. Coming to that point without having seen the fugitives, -Bob followed the track along the left bank. Here the open spaces became -more frequent, and it would have been impossible to examine the ground -thoroughly without circling. For the present Bob hesitated to do this, -feeling that it was more important to keep to the track for so long a -distance as the fugitives might have covered had they started at the -earliest likely moment, twelve hours before. Another twelve miles -brought him to the rope bridge, where he again crossed the river, and so -continued until, ten miles farther, the foothills were reached, and the -country began to open out. - -It was obvious to all three occupants of the aeroplane that the only -means of thoroughly searching the comparatively open country at which -they had now arrived was to rise to a greater height and sail about in -widening circles. Bob therefore adjusted his elevator; and as the -machine swept round, the other two peered over on opposite sides, using -their glasses to scan the ground beneath. The fugitives being -presumably mounted on the stolen ponies could hardly be otherwise than -conspicuous; and when, after more than half an hour's careful -observation, nothing had been seen of them, the pursuers came to the -conclusion that the men could not yet have quitted the valley. This was -a very reasonable inference, considering that they had covered in less -than an hour a distance of nearly fifty miles, which the fugitives, even -on horseback, must take many hours to traverse. The natural conclusion -was that the horsemen, warned by the whirring of the propeller, if not -by the actual sight of the aeroplane, had taken shelter in one of the -more rugged or more thickly wooded places until the pursuers had passed. -There was nothing for it but to turn back and hunt up the valley again. - -The aeroplane was crossing the plateau obliquely towards the opening of -the gorge when Lawrence suddenly caught sight of a number of round -objects resembling bee-hives, clustered in a secluded dell. He pointed -them out to Mr. Appleton, who examined them through his glass. - -"They are akois," he said: "the portable huts used by the nomad tribes -in these parts, made of a circular wooden framework covered with felt. -But I've never before seen so many in a group." - -As they looked, the intervals between the akois became filled with a -dense crowd of men, who stood gazing up in astonishment at the strange -machine flying high above their heads. The airmen had no particular -interest in wheeling about to make a careful inspection of the camp, for -it was inconceivable that Nurla and his man had come so far and joined -their compatriots, if such these people were. They had soon left it far -behind, and descending gradually as they neared the gorge, they -re-entered this at an altitude of not more than a hundred feet above the -river to renew their search. - -Bob found it by no means easy to follow a course that would enable his -passengers to obtain a clear view of the more rugged portions of the -valley. Here and there, at the wider parts, he was able to wheel round -and cover wide areas; but in the narrow stretches he was forced to fly -straight ahead without the possibility of turning, unless he should rise -to a great height. This would involve a loss of time which could be ill -afforded. Once or twice, in attempting to circle, he almost shaved the -rocky sides; and deciding that such attempts were too dangerous, he -concluded that he had better leave certain parts imperfectly explored -rather than risk injury to the aeroplane. He compromised matters by -steering a serpentine course, thus covering as much as possible of the -ground on both sides of the river. - -The aeroplane was approaching the rope bridge when Mr. Appleton suddenly -called out that he saw two men on horseback on the track beyond. In -another moment he recognized them through his glass as the men of whom -they were in pursuit. They were nearly a mile distant, entering a -stretch of the gorge that was particularly rugged, and no doubt afforded -plenty of cover. It had been prearranged that as soon as the men were -sighted Bob should make a descent as near as possible ahead of -them--that is, down-stream--but it was no surprise to Bob--indeed, it -was only according to the ill-luck that seems to rule on such -occasions--that no suitable landing place offered itself. - -He remembered, however, that in flying downstream he had noticed, two or -three miles above the bridge, a place where the valley widened -sufficiently to allow the aeroplane to circle. He decided to fly direct -to this spot, turn, follow the men, outstrip them, and land at a spot -some distance down-stream, where a landing had seemed feasible. -Lawrence suggested that he or his uncle should take a flying shot at the -men as they passed above them, but Mr. Appleton would not consent. - -"Punishment before trial won't do," he said. - -By this time the fugitives had disappeared behind a sort of parapet of -rock just above the bridge, which spanned the river at a height of -twenty or thirty feet. On first sighting them, Bob had caused the -aeroplane to descend until it was almost level with the bridge. As they -came to it, Mr. Appleton rose in his seat behind the pilot, to see, if -he could, the precise spot in which the fugitives had concealed -themselves. He had just done so, and was leaning slightly to the right, -when there came in rapid succession the crack, crack of two rifles. And -then Lawrence, in the third seat, was horrified to see his uncle pitch -forward, lose his grip on the stay he was clutching, and fall headlong -into the river. It all happened so instantaneously that the boy had no -time even to reach forward. He sprang up, almost over-balancing himself, -but before he could stretch out his hand Mr. Appleton was whirling in -mid-air. - -At the moment of the accident Bob was made aware that something had -happened by the lurch which the sudden loss of weight caused the -aeroplane to give. A cry from Lawrence apprised him of the nature of -the accident. For a few moments both the boys were dazed by the shock -of their uncle's disappearance, so sudden, so unexpected, so terrifying. -Bob had instinctively moved his controlling lever to counter-act the -lurch. As soon as he knew what had happened, instinct again prompted -him to bring the aeroplane round; but reason coming to his aid, he -corrected the movement just in time to avoid dashing the plane against -the rocky barrier on his left hand. - -"Keep straight ahead!" shouted Lawrence in terror. - -But before the words were out of his mouth the danger of a fatal smash -was avoided. The aeroplane flew at full speed up-stream. In a few -minutes it would reach the wider space where turning was possible. Only -then could the direction of its flight be reversed, and the fate of Mr. -Appleton be ascertained. - -In their anxiety for their uncle, both the boys had now forgotten the -very existence of the Kalmuck miscreants. It did not occur to them that -in repassing the same spot on their flight down-stream they might be in -danger from the same concealed marksmen. As the aeroplane turned, -Lawrence called to his brother to descend still lower, so that they -might the more easily see their uncle's body if he were still floating -in the stream. - -"If I see him, I'll dive in," he said. "You go on, land where you can, -and come back to my help." - -With his eyes fixed on the water below he was unconscious of anything -but the swirling flood, and the intense strain of searching the surface -as the aeroplane flashed by. Neither Bob nor Lawrence noticed the -movements of the two Kalmucks. They, as soon as they had fired their -shots, vaulted into the saddles of the horses that stood beneath a tall -rock, and dashed at headlong speed along the track towards the bridge. -The horses, urged by their riders, and terrified by the increasing sound -of the aeroplane rushing swiftly behind them, took the bits in their -teeth and galloped on, completely beyond control. They wheeled on to -the bridge. At this moment the aeroplane was only about two hundred -yards behind them, and Bob was intending to pass under the bridge. But -the weight of the horses was too much for the frail and clumsy -structure. It broke in the middle, and horses and riders plunged into -the river. Bob had just time to move his elevator and skim over the -confused mass of bridge, horses and men. - -Only for a moment was Lawrence's attention diverted from his quest. -Hitherto he had fixed his eyes from a rapidly diminishing distance upon -the spot where his uncle had fallen, and the river beyond. Now he had -passed the spot itself, and in a few seconds covered the whole distance -down which, even allowing for the speed of the current, the body could -have been carried. There was no sign of it, and Lawrence felt with -horror and despair that the shot had been only too well aimed--that Mr. -Appleton had been killed outright, or so grievously wounded as to be -unable to keep himself afloat. He could not endure the suspense and -uncertainty. - -"I am going in," he cried. "Come back for me." - -To make a clean dive from the narrow seat of an aeroplane flying at the -rate of thirty miles an hour was impossible. It was a dangerous feat to -attempt at all, but Lawrence did not think of that. He fell rather than -plunged, at the imminent risk of striking a half-submerged rock in -mid-stream. The shock of hitting the water after a haphazard fall of -thirty feet was so great that for a time, even after he had risen to the -surface, he was too much dazed to be able to distinguish his -surroundings. With the instinct of a practised swimmer he trod water -until his senses returned to him. Then he saw that he was far below the -ruined bridge, and being rapidly carried down-stream. The aeroplane was -out of sight. Neither man nor beast was visible on either bank. The -Kalmucks must have clambered up the bank and taken to flight. He -realized that if his uncle was still in the river he must have overtaken -him before the dive was made. It was necessary to husband his strength, -and either try to swim against the stream, or make his way to some rock -on one side or the other, whence he could watch the current as it flowed -past him. - -He turned, and for some time breasted the stream until he descried a -rocky shelf at the base of the right bank which would prove at once a -resting place and a convenient watch post. Nearly exhausted, he dragged -himself on to it, and crouched there, intent upon every billow and eddy -of the swollen river. Fed by the mountain snows, it flowed on with -turbulent tide. The water was bitterly cold, and Lawrence shivered as -he waited there minute after minute, hoping, yet dreading, to see his -uncle's form rolling past. - -Presently he heard the hum of the returning aeroplane. Bob shouted as -he sped by, but what he said was indistinguishable. Lawrence felt more -and more despairing until with a gleam of hope he wondered whether his -uncle had swum to one bank or the other and climbed to safety. He -looked at the bank behind him. It was steep, almost perpendicular, but -marked by fissures that promised to give him foothold. With teeth -chattering and limbs trembling with cold he essayed to clamber up. At -another time he would have found the feat easy enough: now he was amazed -at the tax it put upon him. Every now and then he stopped, clung on with -his hands, and turned his head to glance again at the stream. At last, -on gaining the top, he looked along the track in both directions. Nobody -was in sight. The aeroplane had again disappeared from view. -Hesitating a moment he began to walk up the track. A new fear assailed -him: what if the aeroplane had met with an accident! What if the engine -had failed, or the pilot had been too venturesome, and in attempting to -wheel in too narrow a space had crashed against the rock! Shivering as -much from anxiety as from cold, he felt a glow of extravagant delight -when he heard a cheery shout, and Bob came hasting towards him from -round the corner of a jutting rock. - -"Any sign of him?" asked Bob anxiously as he met his brother. - -"No. What can have become of him?" - -"I fear the worst: but even if--if he is drowned he must come up some -time. We had better walk up and down for a bit." - -"Where's the machine?" - -"A few yards above the bridge. It was a risky thing, coming down there, -but I thought I'd venture, and luckily didn't come to grief." - -"Let us get our field-glasses. We can then examine every crevice in the -other bank. We can't get to the other side and examine this. By the -way, how did you get across?" - -"One of the ropes that formed the hand-rails of the bridge is uninjured. -It sags a bit, but it's just taut enough to swing over by." - -For some time they marched up and down, above and below the spot where -their uncle had fallen. Bob stripped to his shirt, and swam along with -the current below the track, searching every cranny into which he -thought the body might have been carried. No discovery rewarded his -care except a primitive fishing net, the meshes of which had caught upon -the jagged edges of a rock. - -"Do you think the Kalmucks got hold of him?" said Lawrence when they -again met. - -"Upon my word, I had almost forgotten them. They may have done so. -It's clear that they got out of the river, and their horses, too. I -didn't see them as I flew up. What more can we do?" - -"I don't know. I'm dead beat. I can't help thinking that the Kalmucks -must have captured him, alive or dead. When we have rested we had -better get our rifles and go and meet the Pathans. They ought to be -near by this time. With them hunting on horseback and ourselves in the -aeroplane we can scour the country. But we must tell our men; it's no -good starting without them." - -"I think you're right. We'll get something to eat, and by the time -you've had a rest, no doubt the men will arrive." - - - - - CHAPTER THE EIGHTH - - THE EDGE OF THE STORM - - -They swung themselves across the river hand over hand on the rope. On -returning to the aeroplane Bob opened a box of sardines and took out of -a biscuit tin some of the flat bread-cakes baked by the Chinese cook. -But neither he nor Lawrence had any appetite. After a few minutes -Lawrence got up. - -"It's no good," he said. "I can't eat, and I can't rest. It would be -different if we knew for certain that the old man was gone; it's the -uncertainty that's so wearing. Do you see anything of the Pathans?" - -Bob took his field-glass and went to the edge of the track, whence he -had a scarcely interrupted view of a mile or more of the valley. - -"No, they're not in sight," he said after a minute or two. "Shall we go -and meet them?" - -"I'm more inclined to go down-stream, on the off-chance that we may find -something." - -"All right. Better take our rifles, perhaps." - -"Why? Nurla has got clean away by this time, whether Uncle is with him -or not. You may be sure he wouldn't wait about." - -"Well, we'll take our revolvers; it's just as well to have something -handy. For all we know he may be resting behind some rock." - -"With a rifle! Revolvers wouldn't be much use against that." - -"Nor would rifles, now you mention it. He'd pot us before we saw him if -he wanted to. All the same, we'll take our revolvers." - -They swarmed across by the rope, gained the farther bank, and walked -slowly down the track, scanning the rocky recesses as narrowly as -before. They had scarcely any hope of finding their uncle's body; but -while it remained undiscovered they were ready to search again and -again. It was now near midday, and the sun beat fiercely upon them. -For a time they were unconscious of the heat in the intentness of their -occupation, and the foreboding anxiety that filled their minds; so that -they had walked much farther than they supposed when they became alive -to the fatigue induced by exertion in such a temperature. Then, wiping -their perspiring brows, they sank down to rest on a flattish boulder -overhanging the stream. - -"We must give it up," said Bob wearily. "Unless Nurla has got him he's -either at the bottom of the river, or else washed down miles by this -time." - -"I don't care about caving in altogether," said Lawrence. "It would be -some satisfaction--a mournful one--to recover his body and give him -decent burial." - -"Poor old man! He wouldn't care a bit about that. What's more to the -point is to hunt down the blackguards who killed him. That's what I -propose to do as soon as our men come up. Some of them are sure to know -the country, and with them on horseback and ourselves in the aeroplane, -I'd take long odds that we find Nurla in time." - -As they talked, they kept their eyes on the river, more from the habit -engendered during the previous few hours than with any strong hope of -their search being rewarded. Presently Lawrence, following with his -eyes the foaming ripples as they swirled down-stream, caught sight of -something that caused him to spring to his feet with a sudden -ejaculation and lift the field-glass to his eyes. - -"What is it?" asked Bob, rising also. - -Lawrence handed him the glass. Far away he saw, rounding a bend in the -track, a party of horsemen marching slowly in single file towards them. -Their costume proclaimed them as Kalmucks, and though they were too far -distant for their features to be distinguished, the shape of the -foremost seemed to be that of the dwarf, Black Jack. - -The watchers suddenly remembered the encampment over which they had -flown earlier in the day. The same thought flashed simultaneously -through their minds: the stealthy proceedings of Nurla in the mine and -his subsequent disappearance had not, then, been prompted by an -indefinite hope of gain; they had been deliberately planned, either in -the knowledge of the proximity of a body of his fellow countrymen, or -even in concert with them. There could hardly be a doubt that, as once -before, an attempt was to be made to dispossess Mr. Appleton of his -mine. - -The boys stood watching only for a moment or two; then they dropped -down, feeling instinctively that it behoved them to keep out of sight. -But brief though their gaze had been, it was long enough to assure them -that the approaching party was a numerous one. They counted a dozen -men; others were coming round the bend, and they were strung out along -the track. Every man had a fire-arm of some sort, a carbine, or a -rifle, or a long musket like the Afghan jazail. - -For the moment even the fate of their uncle was obliterated from the -boys' minds by this astonishing discovery. They realized that their own -lives and the safety of the mine were in danger. Hitherto their anxious -thoughts had been fixed on one object alone; now they saw themselves -faced with a much more complicated problem. - -"We must get back," said Bob, insensibly lowering his tone of voice. -"We can do nothing at present for Uncle. We must at least return to the -aeroplane and wait to see what happens. I'm pretty sure I'm right: those -fellows are being led by the dwarf--and Nurla too, I suspect--to the -mine. Luckily we've plenty of time to fly back in the aeroplane and -give warning." - -"What then? If all those men we saw in the encampment are coming along, -we haven't half enough men to prevent anything they like to do." - -"I don't care about that. Uncle beat off an attack once, and if those -fellows want the mine, by Jove! they shall have a fight for it." - -"You're talking through your hat," said Lawrence, whose tastes and -temperament were quite unmilitary, and who did not know his brother, -perhaps, as well as might have been expected. - -"Well, we'll get back, at any rate," rejoined Bob, ignoring the -accusation. "And, if possible, without being seen." - -They got up, and set off up-stream at a run, keeping as near as possible -to the left-hand side of the track in order to escape observation. Only -now did they discover how far they had come. The bridge was quite out -of sight. They had not timed their walk, and had no means of knowing -how many yards or even miles they had to cover before they should reach -the aeroplane. The distance was in fact more than two miles, and the -Kalmucks were only three-quarters of a mile behind them. The roughness -of the track lessened the horsemen's advantage in being mounted; but the -boys feared that, if they had been seen, the Kalmucks, pressing on the -small, hardy ponies, accustomed to rough country, might overtake them -before they had time to make good their escape across the river. - -They were not long left in doubt whether they had been seen and were -being pursued. They had been bounding along a straight stretch of the -track, perhaps half a mile in length. Before they gained the farther -end of it they heard the shrill shouts of the Kalmucks rising above the -droning bass of the river. As they turned the corner, and passed out of -sight, the sharp crack of rifles followed them; but the pursuers had not -dismounted to take aim and had fired a thought too late. The only -effect of the shots was to make the boys increase their speed, for they -knew that the ponies must rapidly gain on them over the straight and -fairly level portion of the track which they had just left. They pushed -on gamely, hugging the cliffside as closely as possible, but being -forced sometimes to diverge towards the river by the nature of the path. -They looked anxiously ahead for a sight of the ruined bridge, and felt -the shock of dismay, when, catching a partial glimpse of it at last, -they found that they had still at least a mile to go. - -The pursuers began to close in upon them. A scattered volley proved that -they had again been seen. The Kalmucks were firing and loading as they -rode--a mere waste of ammunition, as it might have seemed, but for an -instant proof that these warriors of the steppes were no mean marksmen, -even in full career. Bob's cap was struck from his head, and he -discovered only by the blood trickling down his neck that he had been -wounded. Lawrence, glancing over his shoulder, saw that it would be -quite impossible to reach the bridge before the pursuers came up with -them. - -"We can't do it!" he gasped. - -Bob said nothing. His mouth hardened, and he looked intently ahead. At -a few yards' distance a jutting rock encroached upon the track, -rendering it only just wide enough for a horseman to pass. On rounding -it he halted. - -"Down on the ground!" he panted. "Out with your revolver! There's -nothing else for it." - -They threw themselves down with their faces to the enemy, and covering -themselves as well as they could with the corner of the rock, they held -their revolvers ready to fire at the foremost of their pursuers. - -"Wait till they are within a few yards of us," said Bob. "No good -wasting shots at long range. They are bound to go slow." - -They waited in breathless excitement. Lawrence the pacific was now as -warlike as Bob himself. The enemy drew nearer. The narrowing of the -track caused them to reduce their pace from a gallop to a trot, then to -a walk. In the ardour of the chase their order had been changed; Black -Jack was no longer in front. - -The boys had just had time to pull themselves together when the first -man came within range. - -"Now!" said Bob, springing to his feet. - -Showing themselves on the narrow path between the rock and the brink of -the river they emptied four barrels rapidly, almost pointblank at the -horsemen. The first two men dropped; the others, taken utterly aback, -reined up, but were thrown into a huddled mass by the men pressing on -behind. There was a moment's pause--a pause emphasized by cries of pain -and fear, and the shrill screams of horses. Then the confused throng -began to wheel about. - -"Hold your fire!" whispered Bob, at the same moment emptying his two -remaining barrels into the medley. Another man fell. It was enough. -Reckless of everything but his own safety, each man urged his steed back -along the track, and in a few moments all had passed out of sight. - -"We win the first trick," said Bob, glancing at his brother. "Why, -you're as pale as a ghost!" - -"So are you," returned Lawrence. - -"Well, it's our first experience of war, so I'm not surprised. But we -must cut it. For one thing, my revolver's empty, and I've no more -cartridges here. For another, those fellows will come back as soon as -they've got over their surprise, and even if they funk a frontal attack, -I dare say they can manage to clamber round somehow and turn our flank. -Our only chance is to make a break for the bridge and get over if we can -before they're fit to come on." - -[Illustration: A CHECK IN THE PURSUIT] - -They started at once, and ran up the track, taking much comfort from the -knowledge that the projecting rock would for some distance conceal them -from the enemy. But after a few hundred yards the track both ascended -and wound slightly to the right, bringing them once more into full view. -They had no sooner reached this point than loud shouts behind them -announced that the pursuit had been resumed. They glanced back, then -ahead, measuring with their eyes the gaps that separated them from -safety on the one hand, and capture on the other. A couple of bullets -whistled over their heads, but the firing ceased, and they guessed that -the enemy were confident of being able to overtake them. Such assurance -was misplaced. The track in this part of the ravine, the scene of the -morning's disaster, was particularly rugged, and gave no advantage to -the mounted men. Moreover, there were at intervals isolated rocks -behind which the boys could have posted themselves as they had already -done, and the Kalmucks approached these heedfully, reining up until -assured that they had no similar ambuscade to fear. - -"Lucky they don't know we've only two shots between us," said Bob as he -sprinted along by his brother's side. "A good spurt and we're home." - -They were both good runners, though their want of training showed itself -in a certain shortness of wind. They gained the bridge, saw at a glance -that the pursuers were still several hundred yards away, and seizing the -rope began to swing themselves hand over hand across the stream. At -their previous crossings they had exercised some little caution, in case -the rope should break under their weight. Now, however, they put -everything to the hazard, realizing that to fall into the stream would -be no worse than to be caught. - -The Kalmucks had been informed by Nurla of the destruction of the -bridge, and had anticipated an easy capture. When they saw the boys -swinging themselves across they gave utterance to renewed shouts; some -flung themselves from their horses and ran forward to swarm over in the -same way: others reined up and once more began to fire. The fugitives -were still some few feet from the farther side, and momentarily expected -to be hit, when there was a sudden diversion in their favour. They -heard shouts in the opposite direction, from beyond the rocks on the -other side of the clear space on which the aeroplane rested. -Immediately afterwards several rifle shots rang out. For a second they -halted in their progress, in the fear that they were the targets of -another hostile band. But next instant it flashed into Bob's mind that -the volley must have been fired by their own Pathans, whose arrival they -had long expected. - -"Come on, Law," he cried. "We're all right now." - -With three more heaves he was upon the bank. He turned to assist his -brother; then both scurried across the open space, past the aeroplane, -and dashed into safety behind the screen of rocks, where they were -received with shouts of delight by the five stalwart Pathans who lay -there in a line with their rifles at their shoulders. - -For the moment they were not aware of the effect of the volley. It had -brought the Kalmucks to a sudden check. One of those who were -scrambling across the rope dropped into the river; the rest swung -themselves round and struggled frantically in the opposite direction. -Two or three of those who had halted on the track were wounded; and -their comrades, realizing that they were helpless against marksmen under -cover, wheeled round and made a hurried flight down the river, not -drawing rein until they had passed the intervening rocks and were -themselves protected. Those who had followed the boys sprang to their -saddles and galloped away; but one of them was winged before he had -ridden many yards. He fell from his pony, which dashed on in pursuit of -the rest and was soon lost to sight, the man rising and limping after. - -The Pathans chuckled as they rose to their feet. - -"That was well done," said one of them, named Fyz Ali. "But where is -the huzur?" - -He turned to the boys, who, feeling thoroughly exhausted by the stress -and strain of this eventful morning, had flung themselves down, and lay -at full length with their heads resting on their arms. - -At the man's words Lawrence looked up. He had learnt enough of the -Pathan patois to understand and to make himself understood, though he -could not yet sustain a lengthy conversation. In a few words, -haltingly, he explained what had happened to his uncle. The Pathans -threw up their hands in consternation, invoking the name of Allah and -pouring out a torrent of curses upon Nurla Bai and the Kalmucks. Mr. -Appleton was very popular among them, and the news of his loss, and of -the escape of the assassin, filled them with dismay and rage. - -"Beyond doubt the huzur is dead," said Fyz Ali, pulling at his beard. -"Allah is great! The huzur could not live, falling wounded into the -swift water. He sank like a stone, and lies at the bottom. We shall -cast dust upon our heads for our father." - -"You were just in time to save us," said Lawrence. - -"Allah be praised! We were riding down, and came to the wonderful -machine, and when we saw that the bridge was broken we knew that we must -wait until the huzur returned. Therefore we got off our horses and were -resting and eating when we heard shots afar off, and believed the huzur -was doing justice upon Nurla Bai. But looking down the stream we -perceived the sahibs running, and the accursed Kalmucks after them, and -I said we must hide behind the rocks and fire when the time came. And -by the mercy of Allah we were able to save the sahibs, and our hearts -are glad; but our joy is turned to grief by this heavy news. Our light -is become darkness, and we are as little children." - -Lawrence then told in detail, as well as he could, the events of the -morning. When he spoke of the encampment on the plateau, Fyz Ali at -once agreed that Nurla Bai must have known of the proximity of his -fellow countrymen, and that an attack upon the mine was clearly -intended. - -"What are we to do, sahib?" he asked. - -Before Lawrence could reply, the air was rent by the crackle of rifles, -and a shower of bullets hissed overhead, some pattering upon the rocks. -Some of the Pathans had incautiously shown themselves, and the enemy had -opened fire from their position down the river. They instantly ducked -under cover, and gathered in a group about their young masters, to -consult on their course of action. - -"How many Kalmucks did you see?" asked Lawrence. - -"We did not count them, sahib," said Fyz Ali, "but there must have been -nearly thirty. There are not so many now," he added with a grim -chuckle. - -"And we number seven all told!" said Lawrence. "Look after the men -while I talk to my brother." - -"We're in a hole," said Bob. "The fellows aren't great marksmen, but we -can't move the aeroplane while they command the space in front. They're -only about a quarter of a mile away, and with a score of rifles they -couldn't help hitting us." - -"What was your idea?" - -"To get aloft and fly down-stream to reconnoitre. I should like to know -whether the rest of them are coming up from the camp. But that's out of -the question." - -"We're safe for the present, anyhow. They can't cross while we command -the bridge." - -"That's true. I wonder whether they can climb the hills, and get at us -from above. You might ask Fyz Ali whether he knows of a path." - -The Pathan consulted with his companions. One of them said that he knew -of a rough path a mile lower down the river, which led by a tortuous and -difficult course over the hills; but it involved a round of nearly ten -miles, and the march would take at least five hours. - -"By that time it will be dark," said Bob. "It's something to know that -we are safe till then, and it gives us time to think out a plan. The one -thing that's clear at present is that we must get back to the mine." - -"And Uncle?" - -"We can do absolutely nothing more. In spite of what Fyz Ali said, I -can't help thinking that he may be still alive. If he were drowned, his -body must have come up." - -"And the Kalmucks would kill him if they found him." - -"I'm not so sure. He'd be a valuable hostage. They might bring him up -to the mine, and make our surrender a condition of his release." - -"With all my heart I hope it is so. But suppose they haven't got him?" - -"We must get back to the mine and do our best to hold it. That's what -he'd wish us to do. But look here, old chap, we've eaten next to -nothing. It's no good letting ourselves down. Ask Fyz Ali to give us -some of his tommy; we can't get our own; and when we've had a feed we'll -decide what's to be done." - - - - - CHAPTER THE NINTH - - A FLIGHT BY NIGHT - - -The afternoon wore away. For some time there was complete silence -except for the gurgling hum of the river, and the low tones of the -Pathans as they talked gloomily among themselves. It occurred to Bob -that the enemy, finding themselves so completely at a check, might have -retreated, to advance again when they should guess that want of food had -driven the Englishmen's party back to the mine. But on putting it to -the test he found that he was mistaken. He practised the old device of -drawing the enemy's fire by means of dummy targets. Two of the Pathans -hoisted their turbans on their rifles until they showed just above the -rocks. The instant result was a volley from downstream, and one of the -turbans on being lowered was found to have several holes drilled in it. - -"They don't mean to let us off," said Bob. "I've made up my mind what we -must do. When it's dark we'll creep out, you and I, and start the -engine. We'll toss who shall fly back to the mine----" - -"No, that's your job," said Lawrence. "You can manage the machine -better than I." - -"Just as you please. Well, I'll go then, and have a talk with old Gur -Buksh. You'll stay here and keep watch on the enemy. By their sticking -on it looks as if they might try to rush the position in the night: but -as they can't get across except as we did, by the rope, you ought to be -able to spoil that little game. I'll tell the havildar all about it, -and get him to make quiet preparations for an attack. Then I'll fly -back. I'll go on down-stream and take a good look at things. The enemy -may have sheered off by the morning: in that case we can have another -look for Uncle, and then return to the mine. If they've been reinforced -from the camp, and look as if they are coming on, we can get back all -the same. They'll have to repair the bridge before they can bring their -horses over, and the Pathans will be miles towards home before that can -be done." - -"Don't you think it would be better to bring down some more men and -prevent them from repairing the bridge? We could then stave off an -attack on the mine--perhaps prevent it altogether." - -"Too far from our base, my boy. There's that path over the hills the -men know of. We mustn't run the risk of having our rear turned. But -I'll send down some reinforcements. Of course without the bridge the -enemy can't possibly cross until they reach the ford miles up-stream; -but they may be good at mountain climbing, and judging by their -pertinacity so far they won't shirk the journey. They've got time on -their side: there's no hurry: they know that we're boxed at the mine, -and when they get there they've only got to sit tight and intercept our -regular convoys of provisions to starve us out in a month or so. Things -look pretty black, and our only chance is to strengthen our position and -give them so hot a reception that they'll get tired of it." - -"There's one thing Uncle ought to have done. He ought to have rigged up -a wireless installation, so that we could summon help in an emergency -like this." - -"My dear chap, what would be the good? We could only get help from -India, and they wouldn't send an expedition out on behalf of an -obstinate crack-brained adventurer, as they regard him, who's no -business here at all. Poor old Uncle, when he settled here, knew very -well that he'd taken his life in his hands, and had only himself to rely -on. We've got to do everything ourselves." - -"Couldn't you fly southward, and see if Major Endicott is within reach?" - -"He's back in Rawal Pindi long ago. No, we can't expect any help. By -George! I thought I'd lost all chance of seeing some fighting; but it -looks now as if I'm to get a good deal more than I should have got if -I'd come out with a commission." - -"You seem quite cheerful at the prospect. You're a born soldier, Bob." - -"And we'll make you one before we've done with you, old man. It's all -clear, isn't it?" - -"So far as I'm concerned. But there's one thing you don't appear to -have thought of: how are you going to alight on our ledge in the dark?" - -"Is there no moon to-night?" - -"Not till very late, I think; and in any case we get more shadow than -shine in the valley, unless the moon happens to be sailing directly -above." - -"You're right. I hadn't given it a thought. It will be a ticklish job. -Owing to that bend the lights in the compound will be invisible from -beyond the ledge. But it's got to be done somehow; I'm glad you -mentioned it, because I don't think it would have occurred to me, and -now I can try to meet the difficulty." - -"You won't start back till daylight, I suppose." - -"No. If I find the coast clear when I've had a look down the river I -shall come back and drop here. If there are only a few of them we'll -wait for our reinforcements and then see if we can't drive them off: -that will give us another chance of searching for Uncle. On the other -hand, supposing a lot more have come up from the encampment--too many -for us to tackle--I'll show a red flag, and that'll be the signal for -making tracks at once. There's one thing I'd recommend. Get the -Pathans to take their horses a little further up-stream out of range. We -don't want them to be hit. It's a pity there's no herbage for the -beasts to feed on, their bags will be empty by the morning. Still, -they'll be back at the mine by midday to-morrow, all being well." - -Dusk fell early upon the river. It was gloomy below even while the -mountain tops were still glistening in the glow of sunset, and the sky -was bright. At last, when the keenest-sighted of the little party could -see scarcely two hundred yards down the track on the opposite bank of -the stream, Bob decided that it was time to move. He ordered three of -the Pathans to creep cautiously out to the end of the bridge, and lie -down behind some flat rocks there, keeping a sharp look-out for the -appearance of the enemy. They gained their post without attracting -attention. - -"By the way," said Bob, as he prepared to walk with Lawrence into the -open space on which the aeroplane lay, "you'll have to set a guard at -the bridge end all night. Let the men take it in turns, two at a time. -They're not used to doing sentry-go: I'm afraid you'll have to be with -them yourself. If I'd thought of it before you might have got some -sleep this afternoon. You mustn't let the enemy rush you." - -"All right, I'll manage to keep awake. Hadn't we better try to clear -some of these stones away? Otherwise you won't get a very good run off." - -"Yes, but we can't wait to clear the ground properly. Every minute -increases the risk of not getting away safely." - -With the remaining two Pathans the boys moved quickly into the open -space, and carefully lifted the larger fragments of rock from a straight -stretch of about fifty yards. They were still engaged in this when the -Pathans at the bridge end opened fire. Their comrades instantly joined -them, and for some minutes the five men fired briskly across the river. -The sentries had discovered a number of the enemy creeping stealthily -along the track. Their fire was immediately answered, and bullets began -to whistle around, striking the rocks with a dull thud. In the gloom -both sides were firing almost at random. The Pathans, crouching behind -the rocks, escaped injury, and it was unlikely that they themselves had -done much damage among the enemy; but their fire had checked the -advance, and by the time that the Englishmen had sufficiently cleared -the course for the aeroplane the firing ceased. - -"I hope you won't be bothered with them any more," said Bob as he got -into his seat. - -He took his bearings. The aeroplane was facing down-stream. He would -have to rise many hundreds of feet before it would be safe to turn. - -"They may fire at you and hit you before you're out of range," said -Lawrence. - -"I must take my chance. Of course they'll see me against the sky if -they look up; but it will take them a few seconds at any rate to collect -themselves, and I shall be going so fast that I fancy they won't hit me -if they try. Here: take your rifle and cartridges. You'll keep strict -watch? Look for me in the morning. So long!" - -He started the engine: Lawrence stood clear, and the aeroplane darted -forward obliquely towards the river. In a second or two it was -completely lost to sight, so dense had the darkness become. But in a -few seconds more it could be seen like a shadow against the sky, a -quarter of a mile down the river and several hundred feet above. There -were faint shouts in the distance. The enemy's attention must have been -attracted, first by the hum, then by the sight of the strange machine as -it soared higher and higher. But there was no sound of firing, and -Lawrence breathed freely when he knew that his brother had escaped this -first danger. A few minutes later he saw the aeroplane at a great -height, sailing rapidly towards the mine. - -On running off, Bob adjusted his elevator for the steepest possible -ascent in a direct line; the gorge was too narrow to allow of a spiral -ascent. He felt that he was starting on a race with the darkness. He -had never attempted a flight by night in these regions, and he hoped by -rising high to use the last radiance of sunset in shaping his course. -Within about half an hour he should arrive at the mine. But he was a -good deal more concerned than he had allowed Lawrence to see, at the -problem which would face him at the end of his flight. The situation of -the mine would be revealed by the camp fires of the labourers on the -right bank, and the lights about the various outhouses on the left. But -there were no lights on the landing platform beyond, and this, together -with all the lower part of the gorge, was already blotted out by the -darkness. It would be impossible, however gently he should glide down, -to hit the exact position of the platform; and to attempt a landing at -random would be madness. - -Bob felt much worried as he flew on in the fading light, with an immense -black abyss beneath him. The approach of the aeroplane would certainly -be heard at the mine, but probably no one would be quick-witted enough -to understand his difficulty. It might never occur to them that the -darkness would render a landing impossible. Bob suspected that not even -Ditta Lal, B.A. of Calcutta University though he was, would be alive to -the position. Puzzle as he might, he could not hit upon any solution of -the problem, and at length ceased to think about it, hoping that chance -or some lucky inspiration, some circumstance that he had not taken into -account, would point the way in due time. - -The night was calm and windless, and the engine worked well, so that his -mind was not harassed by any anxiety about the aeroplane. His body was -less comfortable. The air was bitterly cold; he had put on his thick -wadded coat and gloves, but his hands were numbed, and more than once he -rubbed his nose to prevent it from freezing. He was glad to think that -his journey was to be a short one. A little more than half an hour -after he started, he discerned the lights of the settlement far away -twinkling like glowworms at the bottom of a ditch. He waited a few -minutes to make sure of his bearings, then began a gradual descent, -looking about him warily as he sank lower in order to avoid grazing a -jutting crag where the gorge narrowed. The lights became more distinct: -he was able to separate those on his left, in the miners' quarters, from -those on the right, in the dwelling houses and the quarters of the -garrison. Presently he could just distinguish, in the diffused glow, -the river flowing between, and he steered directly for this, so as to -pass over the drawbridge. Having shut off the engine for the descent, -his approach had probably escaped notice hitherto; but he started it -again as soon as he came within thirty or forty feet of the bridge; the -sound was immediately heard, and within a minute the whole settlement -was aroused. The miners poured from their huts; all the Sikhs of the -garrison turned out; the servants left their outhouses, talking shrilly; -and even the Babu, who, as he often did, had retired to rest at sundown, -was wakened by the noise, and rolling out of bed, threw on a warm -dressing-gown of European cut, and toddled out to welcome his master and -tender any advice that the occasion seemed to call for. - -Meanwhile Bob had flown past, utterly bewildered, and not a little -alarmed. He knew the gorge well, but never having before made a trip -through it by night, he was in a state of nervous terror lest he should -lose his bearings and come to grief. The darkness was intense, redeemed -from solid black only by a very faint reflection from the water. It was -quite impossible to see the landing platform as he sped past, but when -he arrived at the first spot at which turning was possible, he had a dim -hope that, flying in the opposite direction, he might be able to see the -platform in the diffused light of the camp-fires, in spite of the bend -of the gorge. But in this he was disappointed. Not only were most of -the lights intercepted by the bulging cliff, but all of them, being -below its level, gave no illumination at all for the surface on which -the descent must be made. - -Bob flew back again, over the bridge, and into the blackness beyond. -The men cheered enthusiastically as he passed; even the Kalmucks, though -they supposed that Nurla Bai had been caught, were moved to a certain -admiration. Bob got no comfort from the cheers. His hands were so numb -that he could scarcely control his levers, and he had the frightful -feeling that he must continue to sail up and down indefinitely, like a -swallow that has strayed into a church, and flies swiftly back and forth -until it becomes dizzy and dashes itself against the wall. He had to go -nearly seven miles before he durst turn again. On coming to the bridge, -he shouted at the top of his voice, asking that some one would take a -light to the platform. But his words were unheard amid the din, and the -crowd on the banks, taking his cry for a greeting, responded with even -louder cheers. - -Again he flew on up-stream, a second time he came to the wheeling place, -and was nerving himself to attempt a landing without guidance in the -dark when, as the machine came round, he saw a sudden burst of flame in -the distance at a spot where no light had been before. It brightened -moment by moment, and he thrilled with relief as he discerned, to the -left of the blaze, the dim outlines of the shed in which he was -accustomed to keep his tools and other accessories. Some one, perhaps -the Babu, he thought, had had the presence of mind to guess at his -dilemma. He steered straight for the light, which he now distinguished -as a large fire kindled on the rocky buttress projecting into the -stream. It illuminated the whole of the landing place, and he knew that -by once more passing down and up, and ascending to a sufficient height, -he could time his downward glide so as to come gently to rest at the -desired spot. Twenty minutes later he tottered from his seat on to the -platform, almost to fall into the arms of little Fazl, the Gurkha. - -"Salaam, sahib," said the man. "I knew the trouble. The sahib is very -tired." - -"Dead beat, and half frozen," said Bob. "You must help me back to the -compound; my legs are stiff." - -Fazl assisted him along the cantilever pathway, midway in which they met -several of the garrison who were coming, somewhat late, to assist in the -landing. At the end of the pathway, in the compound, there was a group -consisting of Ditta Lal, Chunda Beg, Gur Buksh and one or two more, who -stepped forward to welcome Bob; but when they noticed his worn features -and stiff movements, and the absence of Mr. Appleton and Lawrence, the -words of congratulation died on their lips. - -"Where is the huzur?" asked one. - -"Is all well, sahib?" said Chunda Beg. - -"Sir, has fortune proved unkind?" murmured the Babu. - -"Go to the house; I will tell you all there," said Bob. "Havildar, -silence those noisy ruffians on the other side. Tell them nothing. -Chunda Beg, get me some brandy: I am half dead. All of you, don't talk. -I want Gur Buksh, and you, Ditta Lal, to come to the house in a quarter -of an hour. I shall be all right then, and I've a great deal to say to -you. You, Fazl, go back to the aeroplane, give it a thorough cleaning, -and fill the tanks. Thanks for your thoughtfulness in lighting the -fire." - -"Ah, sir, he stole a march on me," said the Babu. "If I had not been -lapped in slumber, inspiration would have made me busy. But Fazl did -very well--very well, that is, for a man without a degree, hall-mark of -acumen, sir." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TENTH - - A FATEFUL DISCOVERY - - -It was an oddly assorted conclave that met in Mr. Appleton's dining-room -a little later. Bob had had a hot bath and a large bowl of coffee, -which, Chunda Beg--not partial to stimulants--assured him, would do him -more good than brandy. He sat now muffled in his dressing-gown in an -armchair before the stove, his legs and feet swathed in blankets. On -one side stood the tall dignified old Sikh Gur Buksh, straight as a -dart, his face grave, his hands clasped upon the hilt of his sword, -whose point was on the floor. Between Bob and the havildar sat Ditta -Lal, who had requested permission to seat himself, on the ground that he -was one of those "who fardels bear." - -"In other words, sir," he said, "I turn scale at eighteen stone, and too -much standing on pins is one of many causes of varicosity according to -little homoeopathic vade-mecum." - -Bob was apt to be impulsive, but he had determined to give no -information on his side until he had learnt how things had gone at the -mine during the day. He asked Gur Buksh to report. - -"I have done what the huzur said, sahib," declared the havildar in deep -measured tones. "No work has been done to-day. We have kept the Pathans -and the Kalmucks apart. They have reviled each other; blood has been -hot, and I feared they would use their guns upon each other; but some of -my men have patrolled the ground between them, and kept the peace." - -"You have done well," said Bob; "though if the men had been kept at work -they could not have got into mischief." - -Gur Buksh pointed out, however, that it would not have been safe to -allow the miners to cross the bridge. They would certainly have come -into collision, and with guns, picks and hammers in their possession -they could have overwhelmed the little garrison if it had come to -fighting at close quarters. - -"Very well," said Bob. "Now I have grave news for you. We overtook -Nurla Bai and his man nearly fifty miles down the river. As we flew -over them one of them fired and hit the Burra Sahib, who fell into the -stream." - -"Hai! hai!" ejaculated the Babu. Gur Buksh was mute. - -"We wheeled round as soon as we could, to look for the Burra Sahib. We -could not find him. Either he was mortally wounded and sank to the -bottom" (the Babu groaned), "or he was washed down and fell into the -hands of the enemy, for the two ruffians had joined a band of Kalmucks -who had come up from an encampment we had previously seen on the plateau -some miles farther on. We came down and landed the aeroplane just above -the bridge, and walked a long way down the track. We saw no sign of the -Burra Sahib, and were chased by the Kalmucks on horseback, and only -escaped because the Pathans had arrived in our absence, and opened fire -from an ambush behind the rocks. They could not cross, because the -bridge was broken by Nurla Bai and Tchigin galloping across it; my -brother and I had to swing ourselves over the river by the single rope -that was left uninjured." - -"Hai! Wonders will never cease!" murmured the Babu. - -Bob related the incidents of the afternoon, and explained the -impossibility of removing the aeroplane until nightfall, and the -arrangements he had made with Lawrence. - -"We cannot help believing that the Kalmucks intend to attack the mine," -he said in conclusion. "To-morrow morning I shall fly back, and send all -the Pathans to join their mates. If I should find that the enemy have -gone, we shall renew the search for the Burra Sahib. If they are a band -we can tackle, we shall drive them off, or at any rate hold our ground -there. But if, as I fear, they are but an advanced guard of the larger -force we saw at the encampment, we can do nothing but return here and -defend ourselves." - -There was silence. Ditta Lal had for some time ceased to make any -sound; if Bob had not been so much preoccupied with his thoughts he -would have noticed that the Babu was looking exceedingly uneasy. Gur -Buksh stood like a statue. - -"Now what are we to do, havildar?" said Bob. "Can we defend the mine?" - -"We can but try, sahib." - -"As soon as it is light I want you to do all you can to strengthen the -position. The northern wall must be fortified. There are plenty of -empty provision bags in your stores, I believe, Babu?" - -Ditta Lal started, and looked at his questioner vacantly. - -"Pardon, sir, my mind was busy with great problems, and I did not catch -what fell from your lips." - -"I asked if you had plenty of empty bags in your storehouse." - -"Heaps; a regular lot of them, sir." - -"You must fill them with earth, havildar, and pile them against the -wall. Make an embrasure in the middle for the machine gun." - -"What, sir?" said the Babu, surprised. - -"I forgot: you did not know about it. In the little chamber behind the -house there is a machine gun, with plenty of ammunition. We will get it -out in the morning." - -"It is good, sahib," said the havildar. - -"You knew about it?" said Bob, catching a curious expression on the -Sikh's countenance. - -"I knew about it, sahib. I saw the parts unpacked." - -"And locked your knowledge in your silent bosom," said the Babu, with an -aggrieved look. "That was cruelty to animals, sir. With knowledge of so -ingenious a weapon of defence we should all have slept more securely in -our beds." - -"All this must be done as quietly as possible," continued Bob, ignoring -the Babu's indignant protest. "We must try not to let the Kalmucks on -the other side know that anything out of the ordinary is going on." - -"That will not be easy, sahib," said the havildar. - -"Perhaps not, but you must do the best you can. I said just now that I -would send all the Pathans down the river, but you will want some of -them to work. Will they be loyal?" - -"The huzur is their father, sahib. They will fight for him and for you. -To them the Kalmucks are sons of pigs." - -"How is Muhammad, by the way?" - -"His wound is healing; he will be well to-morrow--well enough to fight -the Kalmucks." - -"I will see him in the morning. I am rather troubled as to what to do -with the Kalmuck miners. They will side with their countrymen if they -come up in force, and every man extra will add to our difficulties." - -"The sahib should send them away," said Gur Buksh. - -"But we can't send them down-stream until my brother comes back, and -that's their natural way. They won't go without their arms, and -Lawrence Sahib and the Pathans might be attacked then on both sides; and -they would certainly refuse to go in the opposite direction, away from -their homes." - -"Permit me to interpose, sir," said Ditta Lal, who had for some time -taken no part in the discussion. "I have suggestion for cutting Gordian -knot. Many years ago, sir, my uncle, member of celebrated Hunza Nagar -expeditionary force, made proposal which, if taken at the flood, would -have led to fortune. British force would have triumphed over dastardly -foes, and many valuable lives would have been saved to honour and glory -of king and country." - -"Cut it short, Babu," said Bob. "What is your proposal?" - -"Perpend, sir. Our friend and comrade Gur Buksh will cross bridge--or -better Shan Tai--gather Kalmucks about him, and offer to beguile tedium -of inaction by great feast, Chinese delicacies, stews and all that, -regular blow out. While he engages Kalmucks in this artless -conversation, make mouths water galore, one of noble garrison steals -behind their backs into huts, inserts dynamite and fuse into walls, and -retires with careful slowness, as if nothing was up, and he were merely -strolling for constitutional. Then in midst of jollification huts all -blow up like one o'clock, and scoundrels wallow in their gore." - -"That was your uncle's suggestion, was it?" said Bob. - -"That was it, sir, and my respected uncle was hurt in inmost soul when -advice was contumeliously rejected. Such was his military ardour that -he had made profound study of all books extant on art of war and duty of -soldiers, and he assured me with tears welling out of dove-like eyes -that nowhere did he find regulation forbidding adoption of artful -dodge." - -"Well, you'd better follow his example--only weep quietly." - -"My word is this, sahib," said Gur Buksh. "Wait until Lawrence Sahib is -back; then send the Kalmucks away. They will join their friends; who -can resist Fate? we must fight them all. And I say too, sahib, send -some of the Pathans this night to join Lawrence Sahib. They will go -with great gladness of heart." - -"That's a good idea. They will get to him before I start in the -morning. But how can we get them off without making the Kalmucks -suspicious? Some one would have to cross the bridge to give them -orders. The bridge can't be let down without a good deal of noise, and -that would certainly bring them out to see what was going on." - -The havildar thought for a minute, then suggested that Bob in his -company should pay a visit of inspection to each of the camps. Mr. -Appleton had several times done this at night, and if Bob were to make -his inspection as formal in appearance as possible, nothing would be so -likely to lull their suspicions. To this proposal Bob agreed. He -dressed quickly, and in a few minutes left the house, with the havildar -marching behind. - -They visited the Kalmuck camp first, going from hut to hut, in which the -men were engaged in various games. Some of them looked up in stolid -silence as the sahib glanced round, uttered a word or two, and passed -on. Others were sufficiently curious to ask what was happening down the -river, and why the huzur had not returned. Bob fenced with their -questions, and when he left them felt that he had only heightened their -curiosity, even though he had given no sign that anything was amiss. -Then, to keep up the pretence, he went to the stables, finally crossing -to the Pathan camp, where he found a still more eager curiosity. -Calling out the man who was next in authority to the wounded Muhammad, -he told him quietly what he wished him to do, without informing him of -the disappearance of Mr. Appleton. The man was delighted with the -opportunity of leading a night march against the hated Kalmucks. A -sudden and secret raid is the breath of life to a Pathan. He selected a -dozen men to accompany him. Gur Buksh, without attracting attention, -supplied them with arms, better than their own, from the mine armoury; -and before nine o'clock they left their camp stealthily, making their -way in single file up the hill path that skirted the Kalmuck quarters. - -Bob and the havildar returned to their own side of the gorge and waited -anxiously to assure themselves that the movement was not detected by the -Kalmucks. The place at which the Pathans must descend to join the track -was something less than two hundred yards north of the Kalmuck camp, and -if one of them chanced to set a stone rolling, or struck his rifle -against the rock, the sound would almost certainly be heard below. But -not a click disturbed the stillness; no sound was added to the rustle of -the river; and after waiting at the end of the drawbridge for about half -an hour, Bob concluded that the men had reached the track safely, and -returned with the havildar to the house. - -There they remained for an hour discussing the measures which the -havildar was to take next day. Ditta Lal had retired to his own -quarters, to pass, it is to be feared, a very uneasy night: he was bold -only when the odds were heavily on his side. Presently Fazl came to the -house to report that he had cleaned the engine, replenished the tanks -with petrol and lubricating oil, and examined all the gear. A thought -struck Bob. - -"I shall fly down-stream again as soon as it is light," he said. "Are -you willing to come with me?" - -"The sahib orders," said the man, smiling with pleasure. - -"Then get Shan Tai to give you two or three baskets of food and take -them to the ledge. Meet me there as soon as there's any light in the -sky. Bring your kukuri." - -Fazl smiled again. No Gurkha goes abroad without his national weapon, -half bill-hook, and half falchion. He departed, salaaming cheerfully. - -"He'll be useful in looking after the machine if I'm otherwise engaged," -thought Bob, as he went wearily to his room, to snatch a few hours' rest -before he set off again. "Poor old Lawrie!" he said to himself. "I'm -afraid he's desperately cold." - -In the hurry of departure he had forgotten to hand out the wadded coat -which Lawrence, like himself, wore when flying. Whether the little -party at the bridge were disturbed by the enemy or not, he feared that -his brother must pass a very uncomfortable night. - -Up before daybreak, Bob, after a hurried breakfast, paid the promised -visit to Muhammad, to whom, however, he told nothing. If the man was to -be of any use in the fighting that might be in store, it was necessary -that he should recover his strength, and such recovery would only be -retarded by excitement. Then Bob supplied himself with plenty of -cartridges, borrowed a red handkerchief from Chunda Beg, and made his -way along the path to the aeroplane platform. Fazl was already there: -everything was in order: and as soon as the grey light of dawn began to -creep over the hill-tops, the two men got into their places, and with a -hum and swish the aeroplane set forth on its flight down-stream. - -Bob's experience of the previous night was reversed. Then, the curtain -of shade had rolled up from the valley, ever higher, until sky and earth -were mingled in one blackness. Now, the dark crept gradually downward, -every minute uncovering a few more feet of the barren hill-sides. But -during the brief flight from the mine the depths of the valley were -scarcely penetrated by the feeble rays of morning, and it was not until -the aeroplane came to the neighbourhood of the bridge that the river and -the track upon its bank were distinguishable. Bob knew not what he -might have passed during that forty minutes. Once, when he judged that -about two-thirds of the flight was completed, he thought he heard a -shout from below, and guessed that the Pathans, marching down the track, -had caught the sound of his propeller, and had called to let him know -that all was well. - -The twilight had banished darkness from the bottom of the valley by the -time he came in sight of the bridge. He looked anxiously down for his -brother's party, and was on the point of shifting the elevator so as to -drop a little nearer earth when he saw puffs of smoke just beyond the -bend in the left bank, and immediately afterwards heard the crack of -rifles. Evidently the enemy were still in position. Reversing his -movement, so as to rise instead of falling, and avoid the fate that had -overtaken his uncle, he glanced down at the rocks near the bridge head, -and saw grouped there a number of figures among whom he thought he -recognized Lawrence. At the same moment a vociferous cheer reached him -through the throbbing hum of the engine, and the greeting relieved him -of anxiety about his brother. - -Rising as quickly as possible, he held on his course, and in half a -minute flew directly over the Kalmucks, and came in sight of the reach -of the river beyond the bend. As he searched the banks, running the -gauntlet of a fusillade, he was conscious of a feeling of dismay. For a -full mile the river bank appeared to have been turned into a Kalmuck -encampment. At irregular intervals above and below the winding track, -the hill-side was dotted with tents and akois. Advantage seemed to have -been taken of every square yard of level space to erect these portable -shelters, which could be put up and taken down within a few minutes. It -was clear that he had to reckon, not merely with the small party who had -pursued him up-stream, but with a much larger number who had come up -from the distant encampment during the previous afternoon and night. -Horses were grouped wherever there was standing room for them. On the -track and about the tents men were gathered, all gazing up into the sky, -some taking shots at the aeroplane as it flew over them. It was flying -swiftly, however, and with a vertical as well as a horizontal movement, -so that even a practised sportsman, accustomed to shoot birds on the -wing, could scarcely have hit his mark. Bob heard two or three bullets -whistle past, but none struck the aeroplane or either of its occupants. -Having seen so much, he determined to pursue his reconnaissance down the -valley; it would be worth while to see if the camp on the plateau had -been struck, for he would then be sure that the mine was indeed the -objective of this force, and as he flew back be able, perhaps, to -estimate its size. For the next few miles only a few straggling -horsemen were visible, riding slowly up-stream. Then for a mile or two -the track was bare, and he suspected that the men he had last seen were -the rear of the enemy's force. Still flying on, he came at length to -the place where the valley broadened, and finally to the plateau which -had been the limit of his flight on the day before. Here he swept round -several times in ever widening circles, carefully scanning the ground. -The camp had completely disappeared. Thinking that in so wide an area -the small object which the encampment would present at so great a depth -might escape his notice, he wheeled again and again, until he assured -himself that no trace of it was discoverable. Then he was setting his -course to return to the valley, looking southward to pick up his -bearings, when there was a sudden shout from the Gurkha. He glanced -round: the man was pointing excitedly to the north-west. - -Slowing down a little, but without altering his course, Bob looked in -the same direction. The country was now bathed in sunlight; the air was -clear; but he could perceive nothing to account for his companion's -excitement. He had faith enough in the man's intelligence, however, to -wheel round once more, and steer away from the valley. - -"What is it, Fazl?" he asked. - -"Tents, sahib; many tents, like flowers in a field." - -It was at least a minute before Bob's less keen eyes were able to -confirm the man's strange announcement. Then he recognized that a huge -brown patch, which he might well have mistaken for an outcrop of rock, -or some other natural feature of the landscape, was in reality an -aggregation of nomad tents, similar to those which he had passed on the -hill-side behind. - -If he had felt dismay at the sight of the force assembled in the valley, -his feeling now bordered on stupefaction. His brain was in a whirl. -The misdeeds of Nurla Bai were as a pebble cast into a pond. The -spreading circles had embraced a troop of Kalmuck horsemen, then a -regiment, finally what appeared to be an army. The motive had developed -from the spite and revenge of a single man to the greed of a company, -and now--to what? Surely the inhabitants of this vast array of tents -were not assembled for the puny purpose of snapping up a solitary silver -mine. What design had brought them to this remote and barren tract in a -desolate land? - -[Illustration: RECONNOITRING IN THE AEROPLANE] - -These were questions to which Bob was utterly unable to guess at the -answers. His surprise and alarm did but increase as he approached the -scene. Around a point where a small tributary joined the river from the -south-east, extended a large bare space several miles in area. Of this -open tract a portion that must have been at least a square mile in area, -bounded on one side by the left bank of the tributary and on the other -by the right bank of the river, was dotted with a series of encampments, -arranged in regular order, and looking in the distance not unlike a kind -of chess-board. Counting them as he drew nearer, Bob found that there -were twenty of these separate camps. As he approached the nearest, he -tried to number the rows of tents, and the individual tents in each row. -But his pace was too swift and his mind too bewildered to allow of an -exact reckoning. His impression was that there were twenty rows of -tents about ten deep. The tents were apparently small; if he were not -deceived by the distance, none of them could harbour more than five or -six men. But as his eye ranged over the whole encampment, and he made a -rapid calculation, he came to the staggering conclusion that the total -force there on the ground beneath him could not be far short of twenty -thousand men. - - - - - CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH - - THE FIGHT AT THE BRIDGE - - -In the first moments of this amazing discovery, Bob's mind was confused -by the multiplicity of his sensations and imaginings. There were -several problems all clamouring at once for solution: his uncle's fate, -the plight of Lawrence, the future of the mine. But he soon realized -that no good result would come of aimless conjectures; "One thing at a -time, and concentrate your attention" had been the motto dinned into him -by one of his schoolmasters. The one insistent thing now was to learn -all that he could about this encampment--too large to be a fortuitous -gathering of nomads, too regular to be other than military in its -organization. - -Bob flew straight for the camp, and when he came above its centre he -began to circle round and round with the object of getting a clear and -orderly idea of its nature. Observation from the great height to which -he had risen was not easy, and the necessity of keeping part of his -attention upon the aeroplane was a drawback. Naturally he could not -entrust the machine to Fazl, who was making his first flight. On the -other hand the Gurkha, who was wholly without nervousness, could devote -himself entirely to the task of observing. Thus, combining what Fazl -reported with what he was himself able to see, Bob obtained in the -course of twenty minutes a pretty good notion of the disposition of the -camp and the various movements that were going on. - -To the north, a large body of horsemen, who were exercising when he -first caught sight of them, came to a halt, and were evidently intent on -watching the flying machine. Still farther northward, long trains of -primitive ox wagons were lumbering towards the camp, with a caravan of -camels here and there. Attached to the body of cavalry on the plain -there were no fewer than six batteries of field artillery. There was no -regular road into or out of this solitary region, but from the -appearance of the ground it was clear that the army had reached its -present position from the north-west. There was a narrower and fainter -track leading from the camp in the direction of the valley--no doubt the -route followed by the men now posted on the river bank. - -It was inevitable that the sight of the aeroplane, wheeling over the -encampment in regular circles, should arouse lively curiosity and -excitement among the throngs of men below. Its appearance was greeted -at first with shouts either of surprise or alarm. Bob had twice made -the circuit before any action was taken: apparently the spectators had -not made up their minds as to the nature of this strange visitor, or -were waiting for orders. But as he began to circle for the third time a -change came over the scene. His systematic movements forced upon the -men the notion that he was scouting, spying upon them; and as soon as -this was realized they came to the conclusion that he was an enemy who -must be dealt with. At first there were a few scattered shots; then -regular volleys; at last an almost continuous crackle of musketry. By -this time Bob had discovered all that was possible from his altitude, -and feeling that nothing was to be gained by running risks, he decided -to swing round and head for the valley. - -The marksmanship of the enemy's riflemen had not been such as to alarm -him hitherto; but it was a different matter when, soon after he turned, -the aeroplane became the target of one of the field batteries. Hearing -the deeper crack of two of the guns, he instantly steered to the left, -to gain a minute's grace while the guns were being trained in the new -direction. No third shot was fired; the gunners evidently recognized -that the odds were all against their hitting him. At the same time a -troop of horse who had started at a gallop in pursuit reined up; since -the guns were ineffectual it was not worth while chasing him on the -chance of a sudden mishap bringing him to the ground. - -Another five minutes brought him to the entrance of the valley. He -still maintained a great height until he had passed over the encampment -on the lull-side; then, instructing Fazl to wave the red handkerchief as -they flew over the bridge, he executed a steep vol plane down to the -neighbourhood of the rocks held by Lawrence and the Pathans. It went -altogether against the grain to skim over the open space without -landing; but he knew that he could not have done so without becoming the -mark for hundreds of bullets. No other course was open to him than to -adhere to the plan already arranged with Lawrence, and sweep on up the -gorge towards the mine. - -Another cheer greeted him from the little party below. All, then, was -still well with them. Accepting the signal of the red flag, Lawrence -would now withdraw his men, and hasten up the track as swiftly as -possible. No doubt he would get a mount behind one of the Pathans. -That pursuit by the enemy would be doubly difficult Bob recognized when -he noticed--what had escaped his observation as he flew -down-stream--that the handrail of the bridge had now disappeared. There -was no means of crossing the river at this point. He supposed that -Lawrence, during the night, had taken the precaution to cut the rope. -This was reassuring; it seemed to show that Lawrence, though without -military training and, as he himself had said, without military -instincts, yet was possessed of readiness and common sense, qualities of -much value both to soldiers and civilians. - -At the same time Bob was rather loth to leave his brother to deal with -the enemy alone, in case they managed in some unimaginable way to cross -the river. He felt tempted to land somewhere within a few miles of the -bridge, and return on foot to take command of the party. But on second -thoughts this seemed to him a short-sighted policy. Though he could not -conceive that this army corps was directed against the Appleton mine, -the situation clearly demanded that he should return and assist in -completing the havildar's arrangements for the defence. The capture of -the mine might be regarded by the enemy as a trifling exploit by the -way. It was particularly important that the large force of Kalmuck -miners should be disposed of. They, if they realized the position, held -the key of the situation. There was little doubt that with a sudden -rush they could scatter the few Pathans now left at the mine, in the -teeth of the Sikh garrison. They would then be able to cut off the -retreat of Lawrence and his party, trapped between the Kalmuck miners -and their countrymen advancing up the valley. It was imperative, then, -that he should get back to the mine as quickly as possible, and his -uneasiness at leaving Lawrence was partially removed when, a dozen miles -from the bridge, he met the party of Pathans whom he had dispatched -overnight. Yet, if he could have foreseen the events of the next few -hours, he would have cast to the winds all questions of policy, and -risked a descent. - -As he flew over the bridge, there had been nothing, except the broken -rope, to indicate that any change had taken place in the situation since -he left the spot on the previous evening. But Lawrence, during the hours -of darkness, had in fact passed through the most exciting experience of -his life. - -When Bob sailed away up the gorge, and as soon as the humming of his -propeller could no longer be heard, Lawrence began to carry out his -instructions for the night. He felt no little anxiety; indeed, it was a -trying position for a lad who found himself, for the first time in his -life, faced with difficulties and dangers for which he had had no -preparation. But after all, it is character that tells. Lawrence was -naturally cool and level-headed; he had been known at school as a -"sticker" at cricket; he could wear out half-a-dozen bowlers. His -school had taught him lessons of self-reliance, and though he had never -been very enthusiastic in the cadet corps, he had won the mark of -efficiency, could shoot straight, and had learnt to think quickly and -act with promptitude. So, in spite of a natural nervousness, he saw -quite clearly what he had to do, and had grit enough to make up his mind -to do it. - -He stationed two men behind the rocks near the bridge head, ordering -them to fire if they saw the least sign of an attempt to cross. They -were to be relieved every two hours. Mindful of Bob's advice, he -determined to keep watch all night himself: there was no one to relieve -him. Very soon, as night settled deep upon the valley, he began to feel -the cold, and thought regretfully of the thick coat lying on his seat in -the aeroplane. After the fatigues and wearing anxieties of the day he -was not in a condition to face the added strain of a long vigil in the -freezing air. He had great difficulty in keeping awake, and when one of -the Pathans lent him a saddle cloth in which to wrap himself, he soon -discarded it, lest the deceitful warmth should overcome his -watchfulness. - -He dared not move about, but sat crouched on the ground beside the -Pathans with his rifle across his knees, listening for any sign of the -approach of the enemy. More than once he had to stir up his companions -when they dozed, until he grew tired of it; he would rely on himself, -and wake them at the first threatening of danger. But he found it -increasingly difficult to resist the soporific influence of the cold, -and of the monotonous lullaby sung by the river as it flowed past at the -foot of the shelving bank beneath him. Every now and then he got up, -stretched himself, and sat down again, not venturing even to slap -himself with his arms for fear of putting the enemy on the alert. He -gazed up into the sky, and tried to count and to identify the stars, -which, in this deep valley, appeared to him, he thought, as they would -appear to an observer at the bottom of a well. From time to time he -exchanged a few whispered words with his companions, until this resource -failed him through their slumberousness. When, at the end of the first -two hours, the men were relieved, the circumstances of the change had -the effect of rousing him a little; but the second pair were even more -sleepy than the first, and he lacked the energy to be continually -prodding them. - -At length, when, in spite of his utmost efforts, he was nodding with -drowsiness, his ear was suddenly caught by a slight sound beneath him. -He pulled himself together, and listened intently. There was no -repetition of the sound. He began to think that he had been mistaken, or -that the sound had been made by some small animal scurrying along the -bank. But a few seconds later he heard it again; it was like that of a -small stone rolling down the rocky shelf. Now fully awake, he nudged -his companions and in a whisper bade them keep quiet and listen. The -Pathan passes from profound sleep to complete wakefulness in an instant. -They sat erect, all their senses on the alert. For a few moments nothing -was heard but the gurgling rush of the river; then with startling -suddenness the three watchers were aware that men were scrambling up the -slope. They sprang up. Dark shapes were dimly outlined beyond the -rocks. The Pathans fired, aiming as it were at shadows. Their shots -did not check the rush. In another moment, clubbing their rifles, -Lawrence and they were raining blows upon a swarm of figures that seemed -to spring out of the black depths beneath them. - -Neither Lawrence nor either of the men could afterwards give a lucid -account of the confused scramble that ensued. All that they were sure -about was that, if they saw a form between them and the river, they hit -out at it. It soon became impossible to distinguish friend from foe. In -spite of their swift and weighty strokes the enemy, whose number seemed -only to increase, pressed ever more closely upon them. - -Lawrence had just brought the butt of his rifle down with a rattling -thud upon what he hoped was a Mongol skull, when the weapon was seized, -and he felt himself jerked forward. He clung to the barrel tenaciously, -but in trying to hold his own in this tug-of-war he lost his footing, -let go the rifle perforce, and found himself rolling, or rather jolting, -down the bank. Grasping at the sharp knobs of rock, he checked his fall -before he came to the water's edge, and lay for an instant to collect -himself. It was perhaps a minute since the tussle had begun. - -Hitherto the enemy had preserved a remarkable silence. The two Pathans, -on the other hand, had raised lusty shouts, calling to their companions -by name. Roused by the shots, and urged on by their comrades' cries, -the Pathans behind the rocks some little distance up-stream came -bounding to the rescue. Lawrence heard scrambling footsteps above him; -he was kicked in the side by a man coming hastily down the bank, and the -sound of splashes near at hand seemed to show that the enemy, in full -retreat, were plunging into the river. Their surprise having failed, -they had lost heart. Climbing the bank on all fours, Lawrence found his -whole party assembled above. Just as he reached them, the newcomers -opened fire upon several figures which they saw swinging themselves over -by the rope. At the first shot these men halted, turned, and began -frantically to work themselves back towards the farther side. Then Fyz -Ali sprang forward on to the tangled debris of the bridge, and with two -sweeping strokes of his knife cut the rope in twain. There was a mighty -splash, a howl of rage, and then silence. - -"What orders, sahib?" said the Pathan. In the short, sharp, confused -struggle, the men were unaware of Lawrence's narrow escape, and were no -more concerned about him than about themselves. Every one of them bore -some mark of the conflict--bruise, abrasion, or knife-cut. Lawrence felt -bruised from top to toe. But in the dark no man could see his fellow's -wounds, and it would have been thought childish to talk of them. - -"We had better stay here for the rest of the night," said Lawrence, in -reply to Fyz Ali's question. "You have quite done for the bridge, and -it's no use to anybody. But those badmashes got over some other way, -and they would do it again if we weren't here to stop them." - -"That is true, sahib--if they like to put their fingers into the fire." - -"How did they get across? They could hardly swim up against the -current." - -"Mashallah! Who can say? But we shall know in the morning, sahib." - -There was no more dozing that night. The whole party sat nursing their -rifles and chatting quietly. Lawrence got the men to relate some of the -experiences of their life, and though he could not understand very much -of what they said, he recognized that there was a rich mine of anecdote -to be drawn upon as soon as he had sufficient command of their language. - -The remaining hours of darkness were undisturbed, and at dawn there was -no renewal of hostilities. The daylight gave a clue to the means by -which the enemy had crossed the river. At the foot of the rocks south of -the bridge, near Lawrence's rifle, lay several inflated water-skins. Fyz -Ali guessed that the men had crept along the opposite bank to some -distance above the bridge, then taken the water, and supporting -themselves on the skins, had steered themselves over. - -Lawrence wondered whether the enemy had evacuated their position beyond -the bend in the track. Attempts to draw their fire were unsuccessful, -and he remained in doubt until the passing of the aeroplane overhead was -saluted with a volley. His doubts being now removed, he waited -anxiously for Bob's return. His uncle's fate, never for long absent from -his mind, made him uneasy as to his brother's chances of escaping -scot-free. As time passed, and there was no sign of the aeroplane, he -grew more and more restless, imagining all sorts of mishaps that might -have occurred. He expected Bob to return within half an hour; it would -not take longer to fly to the plateau and back; and his watch having -stopped through his immersion on the previous day, he could only guess -at the flight of time, with the result that he supposed Bob's absence to -have been longer than it really was. - -His intense relief when at last he saw the aeroplane in the distant sky, -gave way to disquietude again when Bob swooped down towards the bridge -within range of the enemy's fire. The fluttering of the red flag was -welcome to him, even though he understood it as a sign that the enemy -were in considerable force. It was also a signal to retreat to the -mine, and he was glad of the chance of stretching his limbs and of soon -rejoining his brother. He at once gave orders to the men to return to -their horses. They crossed the open space at the double until they -gained the shelter of the screen of rocks. No shots followed them. -There was no horse for Lawrence, but Fyz Ali assured him that his own -mount was capable of bearing a double burden, and he decided to ride -behind him until they had got some distance up the track, and then to -walk. - -He felt that there was no serious risk of pursuit at present. Although -the enemy had shown that they could cross the river with the aid of -water-skins, they would have great difficulty in bringing their horses -over. So he reckoned on getting a long enough start to meet the -reinforcements that Bob had promised to send down. Then the combined -party, taking advantage of the many defensive positions which the broken -ground afforded, could make good their retreat to the mine even against -a more numerous enemy in pursuit. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWELFTH - - A SKIRMISH ON THE BANK - - -Lawrence, riding behind Fyz Ali, reflected with rueful amusement on the -fate which had made him a sort of soldier in his own despite. "I'm not -cut out for this kind of job," he thought. "Bob would be elated at -having shivered through a night watch, and beaten off an attack. I -don't feel particularly jolly; in fact, I feel thoroughly rotten; and -there's more to come, worse luck." - -It is said that the greatest commanders have felt depressed rather than -exalted after a victory; so that, remembering the hardships and -anxieties of the past twenty-four hours, one can sympathize with -Lawrence Appleton. It did not occur to him that he had come through his -recent ordeal with much credit, and he was quite unaware that the -Pathans ahead were discussing him as they rode, summing him up, and -deciding that the chota sahib was a first-rate fighting man. - -After riding at a trot for about half a mile, Lawrence said: - -"Now I'll get off and walk, Fyz Ali. The pony's lagging." - -"Not so, sahib," replied the man. "I will walk; the sahib is used to a -softer life." - -"The more reason why I should harden myself." - -"That is true, sahib; but it is foolishness to yoke a calf to an -ox-wagon." - -By which Lawrence understood that this stalwart man regarded him as -still an ungrown boy. He made no more objection; Fyz Ali dismounted, -and kept pace with him over the rugged ground to which they had now -come. - -Thus the little party marched for another mile. They went for the most -part in single file, the track only rarely widening so much as to give -them room to ride abreast. It was at one of such broader stretches that -a sudden demand was made upon Lawrence's quickness and resource. He was -riding in front with two of the Pathans; the other two mounted men were -a few yards behind, with Fyz Ali on foot between them. Quite suddenly, -about two hundred yards ahead, there came into view from round a high -rock a band of at least a score of men, marching towards them. Lawrence -had been expecting to meet the Pathan reinforcements from the mine, and -he might at the first moment have mistaken the strangers but for a -savage yell from the men at his side. Then he recognized in a flash -that they were Kalmucks. - -Both parties had momentarily halted; each was as much surprised as the -other. Then, as Lawrence saw some of the Kalmucks lifting rifles to -their shoulders, he became instantly alive to the situation. Without a -moment's hesitation he dug his heels into the flanks of his pony, and, -shouting to his men to come on, he rode straight at the enemy. It was -the psychological moment. The Kalmucks were apparently without a leader; -or their leader, if they had one, was a shade less quick-witted than the -Englishman. With a spirited captain the warlike Pathans will go -anywhere and do anything. Responding to his call with a true -mountaineer's yell the men urged their steeds to a gallop, and swooped -down upon the still hesitating enemy. - -Lawrence could not have decided better if all the circumstances had been -known to him. Some of the Kalmucks, after the failure of their night -attack, had crossed the river some distance below the bridge, and -marching on foot for long hours in the darkness over the difficult and -tortuous path through the hills, had turned back along the track to take -the defenders in the rear. They were weary: they had no regular leader; -and being accustomed to fight on horseback they were demoralized at the -sight of mounted Pathans, few as they were, galloping straight at them. -With a well-directed volley they might have annihilated the little band; -but they let the opportunity slip. A few stood their ground and fired; -the rest took flight, and while some scurried up the hill-side, seeking -cover in the broken ground, where horses could not well follow them, -others turned tail and bolted straight back along the track. - -The few shots thus wildly fired missed all the Pathans save one, and he -was only scratched. Lawrence and his men pressed their advantage. Two of -the Pathans wheeled to the right, and in spite of the steepness of the -hill-side and the many natural obstacles, they dashed up in pursuit of -the fleeing Kalmucks, cutting down several with their terrible tulwars -before they could reach safety. Lawrence rode straight at the men who -had fired. He overturned one by the impact of his horse, struck another -down with his clubbed rifle, and then led his men after the others, who -were running, some up, some down the bank. Two or three Kalmucks sprang -into the river; within ten minutes the whole body was completely -scattered. Only at the last did one who had climbed to an inaccessible -crag on the hill-side and recovered from his panic, take good aim and -roll a Pathan from his horse with a mortal wound. - -The charge was over; the victory was complete; and Lawrence reined up -his panting pony. Not till then did he remember that Fyz Ali was not -mounted, and must have been left far behind. What had become of him? -Lawrence turned and looked back along the track. He was not in sight. - -"Stay here," he said to the Pathans; "I'll go back and look for Fyz -Ali." - -"Hai, sahib!" said one of the men, "it is foolishness. See, Ayoub is -dead. Some of the dogs of Kalmucks are hiding behind the rocks above; -they will shoot you even as they shot Ayoub." - -"Nonsense: I'm riding Fyz Ali's horse: I can't leave him in the lurch." - -He rode back along the track, and after a moment's hesitation one of the -Pathans followed him. Warned by the fate of Ayoub they proceeded with -caution, scanning the hill-side for signs of the enemy. For half a mile -or more they saw neither foe nor friend, except the bodies of those who -had fallen in the fray. Then they came in view of a strange procession. -At this point the hill-side to the left of the track rose so steeply as -to be unscalable. It was here that the Kalmucks, hard pressed, had -flung themselves into the river. A few hundred yards ahead they saw two -men approaching them, walking slowly backward. One of them was Fyz Ali, -the other a Kalmuck. Fyz Ali had the man by the middle, holding him so -that he formed a screen against a dozen Kalmucks who were slipping from -rock to rock on the hill-side some distance beyond. Evidently they were -watching for a chance to take a shot at the Pathan, but were baffled by -his ingenious device. By keeping the prisoner constantly between him and -them, he rendered it impossible for them to fire without the risk of -hitting their own man. - -Smiling with appreciation of Fyz Ali's manoeuvre, Lawrence dismounted, -and ordered his man to dismount also. Then leading the ponies behind a -rock, they knelt down, took aim at the distant Kalmucks, and fired. It -was doubtful whether their shots took effect, but they checked the -pursuit, and Fyz Ali seized the opportunity to hasten his retreat. -Hugging the perpendicular wall, he came nearer and nearer, never loosing -his hold of the Kalmuck, nor allowing his own person to be exposed. - -The Kalmucks beyond returned Lawrence's fire, but they made no attempt -to advance. They were not equal to the desperate venture of leaving -their cover among the rocks and running the gauntlet along the open -space which Fyz Ali and his prisoner were now traversing. In another -two minutes the Pathan had joined his master. - -"That was well done," said Lawrence, welcoming him. - -Fyz Ali, breathing hard, set his prisoner against the rock, and holding -him there with his left hand, drew his tulwar. - -"No, no," said Lawrence hastily. - -"Why, sahib? He is a Kalmuck," said Fyz Ali, and his eyes glared as he -looked round. - -"It is not our way," said Lawrence, "to kill prisoners. And he is -unarmed." - -"But I am not!" growled the Pathan. "Would he not kill me? Did not -Nurla Bai try to kill Muhammad, unarmed and sleeping? It will be short, -sahib." - -"No, I can't allow it. Tie his hands together so that he can do no -mischief; then we'll leave him to his friends." - -Fyz Ali muttered between his teeth, but obeyed. He tore off the man's -coat; it was dripping wet; the Kalmuck was one of those who had sprung -into the river, and he had clambered up the bank in the nick of time to -serve the quick-witted Pathan as a screen. With a few strokes of his -tulwar Fyz Ali slit the coat into shreds, with which he bound the -trembling man's hands together. Then, striking him heavily on the -face--the Pathan is not chivalrous towards his enemies--he hauled him to -the top of a rock, and left him there. - -Lawrence and the two Pathans then hastened back to the place where they -had left the others. These had given their dead comrade burial in the -river. Then all resumed their march. They looked back whenever they -reached a spot where they could get a view of the track behind them, but -there was no sign of pursuit. - -"They must have come over the hills in the night," said Lawrence, -walking beside Fyz Ali, whom he had insisted on remounting. "Where does -the hill-path join the track?" - -"I know not, sahib," replied the man. "The Kalmucks know the path: it -is their country." - -"Well, keep your eyes open as we go, and see if you can find it. We may -as well know." - -They scanned the hill-side narrowly, and about twenty minutes later -Lawrence noticed a narrow cleft in the precipice above the track which -might possibly be the lower end of the hill-path. He stopped and -examined the ground at the entrance, but it was so hard that the skin -boots of the Kalmucks could have left no trace on it. Had they been -mounted, the hoof marks would have been easily discoverable. Lawrence -glanced up the winding cleft. It seemed an unlikely enough passage-way; -indeed, at a height of several hundred feet above the track it appeared -to come abruptly to an end. Lawrence deliberated for a few moments -whether to climb and satisfy himself one way or the other; but decided -that he had better not delay. - -Ten minutes later they met the reinforcements from the mine. The men -had heard firing in the distance and hurried on at full speed. On -learning from their comrades of what had happened, they were eager to -push on and annihilate the surviving Kalmucks, and one of them, when -Lawrence refused to go back, muttered under his breath that the -Englishman was afraid. Fyz Ali caught the words, and turned fiercely on -the man. - -"I'll slit your throat if you talk foolishness, Hosein," he said. "The -chota sahib is a man; get that into your silly head. Did he not fight -at the bridge? And when we met those Kalmuck pigs, did he not in a -twinkling see what was to be done, and ride straight at them, cheering -as the sahibs always do? And when I was left behind, he came back for -me, though the dogs were hidden among the rocks and had just killed -Ayoub. He is a man, I tell you; mashallah! what he says is good, and -what he does is better, and I will cut your hand off if you do not swear -to follow wherever he leads." - -"Peace, brother," said the man. "How was I to know? His beard is not -yet grown. Allah is great! All the sahibs are men, even in the -cradle." - - - - - CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH - - THE REVOLT OF THE KALMUCK MINERS - - -While Lawrence was thus making his first essays in an apprenticeship to -soldiering, his brother had found work to do which outran the little -military experience he had gained. - -After giving Lawrence the signals agreed on, Bob steered straight up the -valley. His mind was very busy during the half-hour's flight to the -mine. The management of the aeroplane had become so much a matter of -habit and instinct that he was able to give a good deal of attention to -his thoughts and imaginings. Telling Fazl to keep a good look-out, he -sought to grapple with the strange problems so suddenly thrust upon him. - -First and greatest of them all was the meaning of the concentration of -troops at the mouth of the valley. He dismissed as patently absurd the -idea that their objective was his uncle's mine. The gathering of so -large a force for so trifling an end would be like employing a -steam-hammer to crack a nut. He could not avoid the conclusion that -their presence was quite independent of Nurla Bai, though on the other -hand Nurla Bai's actions had probably been calculated with the knowledge -or suspicion that a body of his countrymen was at hand. - -What then was the explanation of the muster? The direction of their -march, and the fact that they had thrown forward an advanced guard into -the valley itself, seemed to indicate an intention to proceed through -the valley to some further goal. What was that goal? He remembered the -intelligence that had come in at odd times, of a levy _en masse_ of the -Mongols, and his uncle's suspicion that the Mongolian prince was -meditating an attack on Russia. But this was not the way to Russia. -Could it be that Afghanistan was the object of an invasion? Bob's -knowledge of the geography of the region was not very extensive, but he -knew that, if Afghanistan was their objective, this valley was one of -the most toilsome and indirect routes they could have chosen. The -passes of the Hindu Kush to the westward offered few or no obstacles to -an invading force; it was by these passes that the Mongolian hordes had -always made their inroads, from the earliest times. Not only would the -nature of the valley render the advance of a large army extremely -arduous and prolonged; if the invaders should traverse it successfully, -they would find themselves at what was probably the most intricate and -inaccessible portion of the Amir's dominions. It would be like marching -from London to Chester through the Welsh mountains, with every -difficulty monstrously exaggerated. Wellington's passage of the -Pyrenees was a slight operation compared with it. - -What other end could they have in view? The valley ran southward, and -led ultimately of course to India, but an invasion of India by this -route was too ridiculous to be considered seriously. Ambitious as the -Mongol prince was, it was scarcely conceivable that he could entertain -such a notion, unless he had taken leave of his senses. The twenty -thousand men now encamped at the mouth of the valley would need to be -multiplied ten or twenty times before there would be the slightest -chance of success. There might, in truth, be many more such army corps -massed farther northward; but the task of pushing an invading force, -adequate to the undertaking, through the narrow gorges of the valley, -where for long stretches three horsemen could not ride abreast, with the -necessary artillery, ammunition wagons and commissariat, would prove too -much for the most consummate military organizer. It would take so long -that a defending force on the north-west frontier could cut up the more -advanced sections long before the rest could move up to their support. -In short, the whole idea was fantastic, and Bob called himself an ass -for even thinking of it. - -Giving up this question as beyond his conjecture, Bob bent his mind upon -the problem that immediately concerned him. This was a sufficiently -hard nut to crack. The Kalmucks, whatever their ultimate intention -might be, were clearly to be regarded as enemies. On that point their -actions were quite conclusive. Whether he owed their aggressiveness to -Nurla Bai or not, they were a menace to the mine and its owners. Nurla -Bai would certainly take advantage of their proximity to attempt to -capture the settlement, and no doubt could command the assistance of as -many men as he needed. - -It is not surprising that Bob's heart sank with dismay as he reckoned up -the puny force he had to pit against such overwhelming numbers. Of all -his people, only the handful of Sikhs were trained to war. The Pathans -were warriors by nature, but he doubted how far he could rely on their -loyalty. At present, it was true, they were deeply incensed against the -Kalmucks; but whether they, if called upon, would take definite sides -against their racial enemies in face of the enormous odds arrayed -against them, was a matter on which there was room for grave doubt. The -Kalmuck labourers at the mine were a further complication. They would -certainly make common cause with their own countrymen as soon as these -came within striking distance. Alone they out-numbered the Sikhs and -Pathans by two to one. - -The more Bob thought of all this, the more anxious and depressed he -became. He wondered whether it was wise to attempt to stem the human -torrent that would soon be pouring up the valley. Would not the better -course be to come to terms with the Kalmucks, abandon the mine, and set -off with all speed for India? Hitherto, it was true, the enemy had given -him no opportunity for negotiating. They had been the aggressors, -unprovoked; and his determination hardened when he remembered the fate -of Mr. Appleton. But as there was just a possibility that no sort of -concert existed between the Kalmuck army and Nurla Bai, the idea of -making terms with the former was not wholly negligible. - -So far as his immediate duty was concerned, Bob was quite clear in his -mind. It was to secure the retreat of Lawrence and his little party. -In order to reach the mine they would have to pass the quarters of the -Kalmuck miners. The bridge down-stream being broken, Bob could not -suppose that Lawrence would be so hotly pursued as to endanger his -return. But with temper high among the workers at the mine, some care -might be needed to prevent an explosion when the Pathans came up. The -first thing to be done was to devise some means by which Lawrence and -his men could reach the settlement in safety. Allowing for the -difficulties of the track, they could hardly, even though mounted, -arrive until late in the afternoon. He had the whole day in which to -make his preparations. - -Bob did not think out the position as consecutively as his thoughts are -presented here. His busy mind flitted from one point to another doubling -on itself, as it were. And his reflections were suddenly interrupted by -an exclamation from his companion. The Gurkha, having no mental puzzles -to work out, had been able to give undivided attention to his master's -instructions. As before, his keener eye had detected what Bob, even if -less preoccupied, could scarcely have perceived so soon. Far ahead, -over the valley, there lay a long dark streak which in a less clear -atmosphere than that of this highland region might have been taken for a -wisp of cloud. But Fazl made no such mistake. - -"Smoke, sahib!" he cried. - -The words gave Bob a shiver of apprehension. Was it possible that the -mine-buildings were on fire? He felt almost overwhelmed at the thought. -With every succeeding second in his swift flight it became more and more -likely that this was the explanation. While still many miles distant, -he recognized that the smoke must have its origin somewhere at least in -the neighbourhood of the mine. Fast as the aeroplane was flying, he -wished that for a few minutes he could double its speed. But when at -last he opened up the reach of the river bordering the mine, he saw with -joy that the smoke was rising, not from the compounds on the right, but -from the miners' quarters on the opposite bank. - -A slight breeze was blowing from the north-west, carrying the smoke up -the valley. In a few more seconds Bob saw that the conflagration was -confined to the Pathan portion of the camp. As he turned a slight bend -and had a view of the whole settlement, a hasty glance assured him that -there was no sign of injury in the mine compounds. Flying on, he -noticed a number of figures in the compounds below, apparently the Sikhs -on guard. The Kalmuck camp was deserted; between it and the burning -huts of the Pathans, and up the bank of the river, he caught sight of a -number of prostrate forms here and there. Then above the whirr of the -propeller he heard, far in the distance, the sound of firing. It came -from up the river. At that moment Bob felt as a small schoolboy feels -when suddenly plunged into a new subject--say the binomial theorem -before he has mastered quadratic equations. Here was a fresh problem -before the others were solved. But he held on his course, wheeled round -at the usual place, and flying back alighted once more on his platform. - -"Just see to things while I go on," he said to Fazl. - -When he was half-way along the cantilever pathway he caught sight of -Ditta Lal waddling towards him at a pace dangerous to a man of -apoplectic habit. - -"Oh, sir," gasped the Babu as they met, "horrors upon horror's head -accumulate. Pelion is heaped on Ossa. Misfortunes come, not as single -spies, but in battalions." - -"What has happened?" said Bob shortly: he was always impatient of the -Babu's determination that no one should forget he was a Calcutta B.A. - -And then Ditta Lal, driven to brevity by shortness of breath and the -difficulty of keeping pace with Bob's long strides, related the -occurrences of the past hour. - -Very shortly after Bob had left the mine in his aeroplane, when the -domestic staff were at breakfast, and the Sikhs were engaged in carrying -out his instructions, a clamour had suddenly broken out on the other -side of the river. Looking across, they had seen the whole body of -Kalmuck miners rushing tumultuously over the neutral ground into the -Pathans' quarters. Before Gur Buksh could order his men to fire, the -two parties were inextricably mixed. For a few seconds there had been a -wild, fierce conflict; then the Pathans, taken by surprise and -hopelessly outnumbered, fled like deer up the track, pursued by the -Kalmucks. Some of these paused for a little to fire and plunder the -Pathans' huts, then sped after their comrades. By this time Gur Buksh -had lined his men up near the drawbridge and ordered them to fire at the -Kalmucks. Several of them dropped, and there lay with them on the ground -a few of the Pathans who, unable to get away in time, had fallen to -their enemies' knives. - -Gur Buksh had been ordered not to leave the mine with his men, and true -to his military discipline he had obeyed his instructions to the letter. -But Chunda Beg had sent over some of the servants to bring in the -wounded men, among whom were several Kalmucks. The former were now -being tended in the outhouses; the latter were locked up in one of the -sheds. Meanwhile the Pathans and their pursuers had disappeared along -the track. Ever since, sounds of firing had been heard intermittently, -growing fainter and fainter. It was clear that the Pathans were still -in retreat, and also that, in spite of the surprise, some of them at -least had managed to snatch up their arms before they ran. By this time -they must be several miles away. - -"What was the cause of the outbreak?" asked Bob. - -Ditta Lal could only suggest that it was due to sudden madness inspired -by the Furies. Bob left him, to consult the havildar. He was utterly -perplexed. It seemed as though there were electric communication -between the Kalmuck miners and their countrymen down-stream, for they -could not have heard already of what had happened forty miles away. - -It was not merely perplexing, but a staggering blow. Bob had reckoned -on employing the Pathans to garrison the mine if resistance should be -considered possible, or at least on forming a compact body to accompany -his retreat if he should feel it necessary to abandon the place. -Apparently they were now hopelessly dispersed, and he could not help -thinking that such of them as escaped the guns of their pursuers would -hasten up the valley towards their homes. At that moment he almost made -up his mind that his only course was to follow them as quickly as he -could: the defence of the mine seemed utterly impossible. - -Then another element of the situation forced itself upon his tired -brain. The Kalmucks, when they had driven the Pathans away, would -doubtless return. If they were allowed to get past the mine, Lawrence -and his party would be completely cut off. They could scarcely arrive -before nightfall; there was ample time for the Kalmucks to hurry back, -and force their way past, even though the rifles of the Sikhs might -account for some of them. The interception of Lawrence must be -prevented at all costs, and in the necessity of devising some means to -this end Bob had no leisure to acquaint Gur Buksh with his morning's -discovery. - -"We must keep the Kalmucks off till Lawrence Sahib is back," he said. -"How can we do it?" - -"Bring the machine gun to the south wall, sahib," replied the old Sikh. - -"Yes; you'll have to make an embrasure. The gun will command the track -for half a mile along the straight, and they won't face it. There's -another thing, havildar. Send some men over to the other side to bring -in all the food they can collect, and any arms they may find. The -horses too: there are only three or four left, and we must make shift to -keep them on this side. Just set about it at once." - -The havildar saluted and withdrew. - -Bob lighted a cigarette, and paced up and down, thinking hard. If only -Major Endicott or some other experienced soldier were at hand to advise! -He felt weighed down by his responsibilities; yet beneath all his -anxieties, there was a large reserve of courage and resolution. He -watched the Sikhs dragging the machine gun across the compound. -Undoubtedly it would check the Kalmucks as they marched back towards the -mine. But he wondered whether it would be wise to use it. It would -cost many lives; the slaughter of the miners would infuriate their -fellow-countrymen, and destroy any chance there might be of making terms -with them. Yet there seemed no other means of assuring his brother's -safe return. - -Following in imagination the pursuit along the river bank, he thought of -the Pathans and their fate. He listened for rifle-shots; but the sounds -had ceased. By this time, no doubt, the chase had gone beyond hearing. -Perhaps it had ceased; perhaps the Pathans were all slaughtered by their -more numerous foes; perhaps the Kalmucks were content to have driven -them away, and the survivors were trudging a weary march to the borders -of their own land. What would their fate be? They had no food: the -country was barren: they must surely fall a prey to fatigue, exposure -and famine, or to hostile tribes _en route_, long before they could hope -for hospitality. This dismal prospect made Bob very uncomfortable. -After all, these men were the most loyal and law-abiding of his uncle's -workers; it seemed cruel to let them go without lifting a hand to help -them. Yet what could he do? No doubt if he were to lead the Sikhs to -pursue the Kalmucks in their turn, with their military training, few as -they were, they might crush the undisciplined rabble. But he dared not -thus leave the mine ungarrisoned. It would be long, indeed, before the -Kalmucks could arrive from the north unless the unexpected happened; but -so many unexpected and inexplicable things had happened during the last -twenty-four hours that he could not take any action that would involve -risk either to Lawrence or to the non-combatants at the mine. - -As he paced to and fro, watching the Sikhs going quickly about their -work, and the servants returning over the drawbridge, laden with what -they had gathered from the miners' quarters, it occurred to him suddenly -that if only the aeroplane were equipped for war some of his -difficulties would be solved. He had intended to qualify for the aerial -corps in the British army, but that dream was over: flying had been to -him merely a sport. Could he have foreseen the strange circumstances of -the last few days, he would have adapted his machine, not merely for -pleasure trips and observation, but for actual offence. - -One idea leads to another, and next minute Bob was asking himself -whether even now he could not make an attempt to turn the aeroplane to -military uses. A few bombs dropped among or near the Kalmucks would put -an effective check upon their pursuit of the Pathans. He had no bombs; -could he improvise some? There was plenty of dynamite in the little -recess behind the house. And in another moment a plan flashed upon his -mind. Flinging away the end of his cigarette he hurried to Ditta Lal's -store shed. - -"Babu, have you got any small empty tins?" he asked, bursting into the -room. - -Ditta Lal jumped. - -"My nerves are in terrible state, sir," he said. "Tins! Yes, to be -sure: coffee, preserved pears, condensed milk, sardines--or more -correctly, bristlings: tins of all sorts, quite an embarrassment." - -"Get me a dozen or two tins with lids: there are several tobacco tins in -the house. Fill them nearly to the top with small stones, with a few -percussion caps among them: you'll get them from the havildar. Be as -quick as you can." - -"Pardon me, sir, are you intending to lay a mine, floating or -otherwise?" - -Bob had not waited for the conclusion of the question, but hurried to -the little private store behind the house, from which he returned -presently with a quantity of dynamite. The Babu was too slow for him. -He sent Chunda Beg and Shan Tai hunting for tins, and as they were -prepared according to his directions, he carefully filled them up with -dynamite and securely fastened the lids. When he had fifteen ready, he -put them into a basket, and carried them himself along the pathway to -the aeroplane. Fazl had meanwhile got everything ready for another -flight. - -"You know what a bomb is, Fazl?" said Bob. - -The Gurkha grinned. - -"Well, these tins are bombs. Put them just below your seat: take care -not to drop one. We are going up the river: give me the tins one by one -as I ask for them." - -They started. For the first mile or two Bob kept very low over the -river, seeing here and there, at long intervals, traces of the fight -waged between the Pathans and the Kalmucks--figures lying prone and -motionless, others sitting with their backs against the rocks, one or -two limping painfully along. Presently he heard the dull cracks of -rifles, though as yet he could not see the combatants. As the sounds -grew louder, he rose higher: with his explosive cargo on board it was -more than ever necessary that he should keep out of range. Experience -had already shown him that the aeroplane in full flight was a very -difficult object to hit with ordinary weapons; but nothing must be left -to chance now. - - - - - CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH - - RALLYING THE PATHANS - - -Six or seven miles above the mine the gorge contracted, leaving a space -that barely exceeded twice the breadth of the aeroplane. In his first -flights along the river Bob had felt rather nervous in threading this -narrow passage. It was here that he found the two parties of miners. -He reduced the speed of the aeroplane as much as he could, and at the -altitude to which he had now ascended he was able to get a pretty good -general view of the position of affairs as he flew over. It was -impossible to distinguish details. The figures of the men were like dots -on a map. The track and the adjacent ground seemed absolutely flat and -level, though Bob knew that it was really much broken, and of constantly -varying height. But he made rapid inferences from what he saw, and by -the time he had passed over both the parties of combatants he was in no -doubt as to his course of action. - -What he saw was, up-stream, a small group, stationary, in the narrowest -part of the valley: some little distance from them, down-stream, a -larger group, also stationary, and a number of scattered individuals, -moving southward, looking like flies crawling slowly over a dish, but -all in the same direction. The inference he drew from these -observations was that the Pathans, having been kept on the run to this -point, had taken advantage of the nature of the ground to turn at bay, -either in desperation, or to snatch a rest before continuing their -retreat: and that the Kalmucks had separated, one party holding the -track, the other scaling the hill-side above in order to turn the -Pathans' flank. At the moment of his passing over he heard a faint -crackle like the rustling of paper, and saw puffs of smoke among each -band of combatants. The men were firing briskly, no doubt from behind -the shelter of rocks. - -It was obvious that there could be but one end to this fight. The -Kalmucks were much the more numerous. While the Pathans might very -probably repulse a direct attack if their ammunition lasted, they could -have no defence against the men creeping round upon their flank. Within -a short time they would be surrounded, unless, indeed, they perceived -the flanking movement and beat a hasty retreat. Even then they would be -in danger of annihilation, for the Kalmucks could rush the position they -had evacuated, and from behind the rocks sweep the southward track with -their fire. Unless a diversion were almost instantly made, the Pathans -were doomed. - -By the time that Bob had realized this necessity for intervention he was -half a mile south of the position, in a wider stretch of the gorge. He -wheeled round, flew back at full speed through the bottle-neck, then -wheeled again at the northward end. It seemed to him that the crackling -of rifle fire was now more continuous: the Pathans had in fact taken -heart on seeing the machine soaring high above them, and were defending -themselves with renewed vigour. The chota sahib was with them! They -knew not what he could do for them, but his mere presence gave them hope -and courage. - -Bob saw that in order to carry out his plan successfully he must -descend. He had had no practice in bomb dropping. No amount of -theoretical knowledge of the velocity of falling bodies under the action -of gravity, or of the curve made by a body moving under both horizontal -and vertical forces, could avail him now. There was great risk of the -aeroplane or its occupants being hit if the Kalmucks fired at them, but -he felt that he must take his chance. Swooping down, and reducing speed -at the same time, he steered so as to pass, at the height of a few -hundred feet, as exactly as possible over the heads of the party -skirmishing up the hill-side. - -They were in loose order. At closer quarters Bob was now able to see -that they were taking advantage of all the cover furnished by the crags -and protuberances of the rocky slope. Steering with one hand, he called -to Fazl to give him one of the tins, which he poised in his other hand. -He still felt a shrinking from bloodshed, and instead of dropping the -bomb in the midst of the Kalmucks, he waited until he had just passed -the man nearest to the Pathans, then let it fall. In a few seconds it -struck the ground. There was a sharp report, and Fazl, looking back, -cried out that the Kalmucks were almost hidden by an immense cloud of -dust. The sound of rifle fire ceased, and a strange quiet fell upon the -gorge. - -"Have they stopped?" asked Bob. - -"Yes, sahib. One has gone back: they are talking among the rocks." - -"They've got something to talk about," thought Bob. - -He felt that this bolt from the blue, falling upon them at such a -dramatic moment, must have startled the Kalmucks, and would almost -certainly cause them to modify their plans. As miners they would realize -the nature of the bomb dropped within a few yards of them, and the -danger to which they were exposed when dynamite was rained upon them -from the sky. The first bomb might be followed by others, and though it -had done them no hurt, its successors might not so fortunately spare -them. Bob had no doubt that he could count upon an interval of inaction -while they were reckoning up the new situation, and determined to seize -the opportunity of communicating with the Pathans. Accordingly he flew -southward along the gorge until he reached a spot where the track -widened sufficiently to afford a landing-place, and then sank to earth. -It was out of sight from both Pathans and Kalmucks. - -"Come along with me," he said to Fazl. - -He took his revolver and rifle, and hastened back along the track, -followed by Fazl with his kukuri. There was still no resumption of the -firing. As he walked, he scanned the hill-side anxiously, but saw no -sign of the Kalmucks. Slipping along close to the base of the rocky -cliff he presently caught sight of the turbans of two or three of the -Pathans, who were peering over the top of a rock two hundred yards away, -evidently looking for the return of the aeroplane. - -"Can you call to them without letting the Kalmucks hear?" he asked of -Fazl. - -"I can, sahib." - -"Then ask one of them to slip down and meet me." - -The Gurkha made a slight clucking in his throat, at which the Pathans -lifted their heads and looked eagerly along the path. Then Fazl held up -one finger, and beckoned. The heads disappeared, and in a moment two of -the Pathans came round the corner of the rock. - -"Only one," said Bob. - -Fazl made them understand by gestures. One of the men returned, the -other came on. - -"Allah is great, sahib!" he said in his own tongue as he met Bob. "But -why is the sahib on foot? A few more such thunderbolts would send the -dogs to Jehannum: have you no more in the wonderful machine?" - -Bob wished that he had Lawrence's facility in picking up strange -languages. Fortunately Fazl could act as interpreter. He first asked -the man if he could explain the sudden outbreak of the Kalmucks. The -Pathan thought that no explanation was necessary: it was due to their -own vile passions and the presence of Nurla Bai. - -"Nurla Bai!" exclaimed Bob. "Is he among them?" - -"Of a truth he is, sahib, and his black monkey too." - -To Bob this was incomprehensible. Nurla Bai and his man, when last he -heard of them, were forty miles and more down-stream. But he had no -leisure for guessing: the situation demanded all his thoughts. - -"What are you going to do?" he asked. - -"We are going to our homes, sahib," replied the man. "The dogs are too -many for us. We did but stop to take a little rest, and kill a few. We -cannot go back to the mine: the talk is that the huzur is gone; who will -pay us now? We go to our own country, and some day will come back and -deal with these children of Shaitan. Not a man of them shall be left -alive. But now we can do nothing; it is vain to kick against the goad. -If the sahib had more little boxes we might kill them all; but he has -none, or he would not be here." - -Bob felt himself in a difficulty. He wanted to retain the Pathans; but -in their present temper they would not be likely to remain with him if -they knew that a huge army was advancing up-stream. On the other hand -it would not be fair to withhold that information from them, and bring -them back to the mine under false pretences. Reflecting rapidly for a -few moments he determined to make a clean breast of it, but to lead up -to the important point as diplomatically as he could. - -"Have you any food?" he asked. - -"Bismillah, sahib, we are empty as bladders. The dogs fell upon us even -as we were filling our pots for the morning meal. We have eaten -nothing." - -"And what will you do for food on the way home? Is it a smiling -country? Does millet grow on the rocks? Will you find grapes on thorn -bushes?" - -"True, sahib," said the man uneasily: "but there are ibex and other -clean animals for our guns." - -"You have plenty of ammunition then?" - -"Enough to shoot beasts for our food." - -"And to shoot the Kalmucks too? If I cannot stop them, and they pursue -you, you will have no time to shoot ibex, and no bullets to waste. And -you may meet enemies in the hills. You may be caught between two fires, -and, outnumbered as you are already, you will be slaughtered like -sheep." - -The Pathan looked more and more troubled. - -"I will go and talk to my brothers," he said. "With many counsellors -there is wisdom." - -"No, that won't do. You would waste a lot of time, and perhaps wrangle. -You must act as head man, and what you and I decide the others will do." - -"What does the sahib order?" - -"I order nothing. I want you to make up your own mind. Now listen. I -see a way to bring you out of your present awkward position, and take -you safely back to the mine. You do not know that Lawrence Sahib with -Fyz Ali and the rest is in danger." - -"Mashallah, sahib, what is this you tell?" - -"We were attacked yesterday at the bridge down-stream, and beat off the -enemy. Lawrence Sahib had to keep guard all night: he may have been -attacked again, but he is now marching back." - -"And who was the enemy, sahib? Only Nurla Bai and his monkey left the -mine, and they are now among the dogs that have been barking at us -beyond." - -"The enemy are a large force of Kalmucks, a great army, who are coming -up the valley, for what purpose I know not." - -"Hai, sahib, but then there is the more need for us to go!" - -"Yes, if you are willing to be cowards and faithless. Must I believe -that you will sneak off and leave your comrades to face danger alone?" - -The man was silent, plucking his beard. Bob offered him a cigarette, -which the man accepted mechanically, lighting it at the match with which -Bob lit his own. - -"Is it a great army, sahib?" he said at length. - -"A very great one. Very likely we shall find it impossible to save the -mine. It is true that the huzur is gone: Nurla Bai shot him; he fell -from the machine into the river, and I have no hope that he is yet -alive. But his loss only leaves the more for us to do. We must first -save Lawrence Sahib and your friends. When we are all met again, we can -decide what is best. Perhaps we shall have to abandon the mine; but -then, you see, we shall form one large party, with plenty of provisions -and cartridges; and you will have a much better chance of reaching your -homes than if you go as you are, hungry, with no food, and little hope -of defending yourselves if attacked by enemies in the hills." - -The Pathan puffed away gravely. - -"There is truth in what the sahib says. He has a very big mind, and -sees very far. We Pathans are not cowards, as the sahib knows; Fyz Ali -is a good man, and the chota sahib will be a great man when his beard is -grown. But how can we go back? As the sahib says, we are but a handful -against the pack of dogs yonder, and the sahib has no more little -boxes." - -"I didn't say so. As a matter of fact, I have several." - -"Inshallah!" cried the man joyfully. "Why did not the sahib say so -before? If the sahib will go up in his machine, and drop the little -boxes upon the heads of the Kalmucks, we will charge home upon them with -great fury, and there shall not be left one man alive to tell the tale." - -Bob knew that it would be useless to attempt to make the man understand -why he could not consent to this wholesale butchery. He merely pointed -out that, flying swiftly overhead, he could only drop one or perhaps two -bombs that would certainly hit the enemy. The survivors would be goaded -to desperation, and before the aeroplane could return and the manoeuvre -be repeated, there would be a terrible fight, in which the Pathans, even -if successful, would lose heavily. - -"What I want to do is to gather all the loyal men safely at the mine," -he said. "I do not want to lose one of you. I can do this, I believe, -if you obey my orders: otherwise who knows how many of you will be left -alive?" - -"As the sahib commands," said the Pathan. - -"This is what I command. You will remain here with your men while I -drive the Kalmucks away. You will not fire upon them unless you are -yourselves attacked. Impress that upon the men. When the Kalmucks are -out of sight, you may march up towards the mine, but halt if you come in -sight of them again." - -"I will give the sahib's orders to the men," said the Pathan. "I hope -the sahib will drive the dogs away quickly, for we are very hungry." - -He salaamed and returned to his companions, who had been keeping one eye -on the enemy, the other on the curious scene two hundred yards -up-stream. It was indeed a strange position: the two men calmly smoking -and discussing their plans, while at no great distance lurked a -ferocious band ready to leap to the attack at any moment. They too had -been consulting together, but their imagination was not active enough to -lead them to any satisfactory conclusion. The dynamite bomb had been -intended to check them: that was evident; and they decided that it would -be wise to wait patiently for developments. Nurla Bai was very much -annoyed. He had undergone great exertions and endured much fatigue to -achieve his object--the slaughter or dispersal of the Pathans; and it -was exasperating to find himself at a check just when he had them at his -mercy, through the ingenuity of an Englishman and the astounding -swiftness of his flying machine. He began to wish that, instead of -picking up bits of rock in the gallery on that dark night, he had made -his way to the platform and done some vital damage to the aeroplane. -Perhaps a lucky shot would bring it down when it again passed over the -position. But he hoped there would be no more dynamite bombs. - - - - - CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH - - NURLA BAI SLIPS THE NOOSE - - -And now began the strangest game of chevy chase that was ever played. -In a few minutes Bob and the Gurkha were flying northward. As they -approached the area upon which the Kalmucks were assembled, Bob steered -to the right, so as to cross the position obliquely. Some of the men -were in the act of covering the aeroplane with their rifles, when the -sight of a bright red object descending from the sky struck them with a -sort of paralysis. The coffee tin fell almost midway between them and -the Pathans. Dust and splinters of rock flew in all directions, and the -Kalmucks, with one consent, scampered along the track towards the mine. -Bob listened for rifle-shots; he knew that the Pathans' obedience would -be put to a severe test when they saw their enemies in flight. Not a -shot was fired. - -The Kalmucks did not yet perceive the real object which Bob had in view. -After running a short distance, they halted again, unable to decide -whether it was safer to advance or retreat. When they saw the aeroplane -soaring towards them from the northward, they broke apart, each man -striving to find some crevice or nook among the rocks where he might -shelter himself. All believed that the Englishman's purpose was -slaughter. But when another bomb was dropped on their southward side, -not near enough to do them harm, some of them, as they ran, began to -suspect the meaning of the device. For three or four miles they were -thus driven down the track. Wherever the gorge was wide enough, Bob -wheeled backwards and forwards across it in their rear, swooping down -whenever he saw them lagging, with the result that they did not wait for -another bomb, but hurried along like a flock of frightened sheep. Once -or twice they took shots at the aeroplane, but gave it up when it was -patent that their marksmanship was unequal to the feat of hitting the -flying target. And all the time the Pathans marched steadily behind -them, much amused at the sahib's method of shepherding, but a little -chagrined because they were not allowed to assist. - -Meanwhile Bob had been thinking out his further proceedings. He must -not let the Kalmucks draw too close to the mine. Lawrence could not -arrive yet for several hours; it was important that he should come -safely home without a collision with the enemy. When, therefore, they -had arrived within about two miles of the mine, he decided that it was -time to arrest their course. They could no longer be in doubt about the -meaning of his signals hitherto--he would give them another. Flying -ahead, then wheeling round, he dropped a tin, this time in front of -them. At the explosion they halted, and after a brief consultation -began to move on. Another bomb, falling in front again, but now a -little closer, conveyed its warning; like fog signals on a railway-line, -these explosions plainly indicated that the track was not clear. They -halted again, and posted themselves behind rocks, facing up-stream, to -guard against attack by the Pathans. - -How long they would remain stationary Bob could not tell; but he thought -he had them sufficiently well in hand to give him time to fly to the -mine and act on another idea that had occurred to him. On reaching the -house, he ordered Shan Tai to put up in two or three baskets a quantity -of food, then scribbled a note bidding Lawrence push forward at his -utmost speed. This he placed under the lid of a tin weighted with -stones, but free from caps or dynamite. Then telling Gur Buksh to keep -a careful watch on the track southward, and fire if the Kalmucks showed -themselves at the turn half a mile away, he went back to the aeroplane, -carrying the tin, and set off down the river. He was anxious that -Lawrence should arrive before dark. In the daylight the dynamite bombs -might be relied on to bar the road to the Kalmucks; but they might -easily take advantage of the darkness to slip past the mine, if not by -the track, at any rate by the hill-path above, and the bombs would lose -half their terrors. The possibility of a collision between the Kalmucks -and his brother's party filled him with anxiety; for the former, -infuriated by their chevying, would wreak their vengeance upon the -smaller band coming up-stream. - -Bob discovered Lawrence and his men taking a rest about half-way between -the mine and the broken bridge. They greeted him with a cheer. He flew -for some minutes up- and down-stream in the search for a landing-place, -but the track being too narrow here, and the neighbourhood too rugged, -he swooped down, and as he passed over the group, he got Fazl to drop -his tin within a few feet of them. The Gurkha uttered a cry of -incredulous amazement when he heard the order, but Bob hastily explained -that the tin contained only a chit. Too busy himself with steering to -watch the result, Bob asked Fazl what had happened, and he reported that -the tin, rolling down the bank towards the river, had been retrieved by -Lawrence Sahib himself. - -Bob flew straight back to the mine, thence over the Kalmucks, who were -still halted where he had left them, and beyond them to the Pathans. The -country was here much less rugged, but it was some little time before he -found a spot where he could alight without risk, nearly half a mile -south of the party. On landing, he and Fazl between them carried the -baskets of food to the Pathans. - -"The sahib is a light to our eyes," said the head man. "The men were -becoming restless." - -"I dare say. Well, here is some food for them. This will keep up their -courage. I am glad to see that they have obeyed my orders, and before -long I hope we shall all be safe at the mine." - -"Allah be praised!" cried the man. "Food is what we need, and my -brothers will delight in the sahib's care." - -Indeed, Bob could have hit upon no more effective means of attaching the -Pathans to his cause. This evidence of the sahib's thoughtfulness -profoundly impressed the men, and as they made ravenous onslaught on -their rations they were loud in praise of their young master, whom it -was good to serve. - -By this time Bob was very tired of his continual journeys up and down -the river; his petrol, too, was running low, and it was with a feeling -of great relief that he set off on what was to be his last flight for -many a day. When Lawrence had returned, Bob meant to hold a serious -consultation with him as to the possibility of holding the mine. If it -were decided that this was hopeless, he would have to make immediate -arrangements for evacuation. The thought of leaving the aeroplane gave -him a pang. That he must leave it seemed inevitable, for he felt that -his presence would be necessary as leader of the march. He might, -indeed, fly miles ahead, alight, and wait for his little force to reach -him; but it seemed more important to share his brother's difficulties -than to secure the safety of the aeroplane. - -After replacing the machine in its shed, he returned to the house and -called for dinner. For several hours there was nothing to be done. When -he had finished his meal, he lit his pipe and settled himself in an easy -chair to think over the position. It was the first opportunity of rest -and quiet meditation since Nurla Bai's defection had so fatally -disturbed the peaceful life of the settlement. Of his uncle he could -now think only as of one irrevocably lost. It was the end of mining in -the Hindu Kush. Whatever the immediate future might bring forth, it was -clear that Lawrence and he must seek some other career. And when he -reckoned up the chances, he felt more and more doubtful whether either -of them would escape from this valley of tragedy with their lives. - -Yet Fate had been kind to them, even through the instrumentality of -Nurla Bai. But for that man's villainy, there would have been no -pursuit down the river, no discovery of the army encamped forty miles -away. They would have had no warning of the approach of this great -host, and defence and flight would have been equally impossible. Such -chances as they had of weathering the storm were due to Nurla Bai. - -Bob's thoughts centred on that wily Kalmuck. His presence among the men -halted half a mile off was puzzling. Bob did not guess that Nurla Bai -and his henchman had been among a band who had crossed the river in the -night, and attacked Lawrence and his Pathans. These two men alone of -the party had not recrossed when the rest were beaten back. They had -slipped up the bank under cover of the darkness, and marched all night -along the track. Warned by the sound of horses' hoofs they had hidden -until the Pathan reinforcements had passed, then hurried on to the mine. -Arriving there at dawn, they had instigated the attack on the Pathans, -of whom Nurla Bai had led the pursuit. - -The knowledge that the Kalmuck was within half a mile of him suggested -to Bob the possibility of capturing him and bringing him to justice. -The punishment of the offender would do more than anything else to -tighten the bonds between himself and the Pathans. Remembering the -Kalmuck prisoners whom Gur Buksh had taken, Bob hit on a plan for -getting Nurla Bai into his power. He would send one of them as a herald -to the miners, promising to allow them to depart northwards if they -would deliver up their arms and hand over Nurla Bai and Black Jack. -With the Sikhs on one side of them, and on the other the Pathans, eager -for an opportunity to wipe off old scores, they must recognize their -helplessness, and probably would be willing to purchase the safety of -the whole band at so cheap a price. - -About two o'clock in the afternoon, therefore, Bob sent for one of the -prisoners, and with Fazl as interpreter, gave him his instructions. If -the terms offered were accepted, Nurla Bai and his man were to come to -the mine under escort of not more than four of the party, unarmed. The -drawbridge was lowered, and raised again after the man had departed on -his errand. - -Bob waited patiently for the result of this mission. Lawrence ought to -arrive about four o'clock, by hard marching. By that time the Kalmucks -should have made up their minds. Of course, under Nurla Bai's influence, -they might reject his terms, preferring to wait for darkness to give -them an opportunity of creeping past without surrendering either their -leader or their arms. In either case Lawrence would then be safe, and -the doings of the Kalmucks need give him no further concern. Nurla Bai -would escape his deserts, but that could not be helped. - -Less than an hour after the envoy's departure, a group of six men were -seen approaching the mine from the Kalmucks' encampment. In a few -minutes Bob was able to recognize among them Nurla Bai and Black Jack. -Somewhat surprised, after all, at their compliance, he congratulated -himself on the satisfactory working of his plan. It was not long, -however, before he saw that his jubilation was premature. The men were -apparently unarmed, but calling Gur Buksh to his side, Bob ordered him -as a precautionary measure to place the Sikhs at the inner end of the -bridge, and cover the Kalmucks with their rifles, so as to guard against -treachery. The whole staff of domestic servants and the few Pathans left -at the mine assembled in the compound to watch the proceedings. Bob -ordered the Pathans to lay aside their rifles, for their rage against -Nurla Bai was such that he could not trust them to refrain from firing -on their foe, even though he was unarmed. - -The Kalmucks came opposite the bridge. At Bob's command Fazl shouted -his instructions across the river. When the drawbridge was lowered, -Nurla Bai and his man were to cross. The escort were to return to their -companions, and explain that later on, at a signal given by rifle-shots, -they were to come forward ten at a time, hand their weapons to the Sikhs -stationed at the bridge end to receive them, and pass down the track. -The miners made no response, but stood motionless on the farther bank. - -At a word from Bob, the bridge-man turned his windlass, and the bridge, -with much creaking, began slowly to descend. The end had almost reached -the platform on which it rested when, with a suddenness that took -everybody by surprise, Nurla Bai and Black Jack dived off the bank into -the river, sheltered by the descending bridge. Next moment several -rifle-shots rang out; the Sikhs had fired, rather because they felt that -they must do something than because there was any real chance of hitting -the fugitives. Then they ran along by the wall, to watch for the two -men to reappear. - -Bob followed them; the crowd of servants and Pathans, shouting with -excitement, rushed in the same direction. Ditta Lal waddled breathless -in the rear. - -At this, the narrowest part of the valley for many miles, the current -rushed through the gorge like a mill-race. Nurla Bai had chosen his -moment well, reckoning on the rapidity of the stream to bear him out of -harm's way. Some seconds passed before a black head was seen bobbing on -the surface of the swirling flood a hundred and fifty yards away. - -"Don't fire!" shouted Bob. - -He was only in the nick of time, for the Sikhs already had their rifles -at the shoulder, pointed at the black object in the water. With -soldierly obedience they kept their fingers from the trigger, though -they were amazed at the order. Bob was astonished at himself. His -command had been almost involuntary; only after he had spoken was he -conscious of the motive impelling him. It was a sportsman's admiration -for pluck and resourcefulness. Of course the Kalmucks had tricked him, -but he was young enough to admire their courage more than he resented -their trickery. - -In another moment the head had disappeared. It was now too late to -change his mind, even if he had wished it. - -"They are gone!" screamed the Babu. "Sir, you have allowed them to -bunk. Why this fatal hesitation? Why this neglect of precious -opportunity? You cast pearls before swine, sir--and by pearls I mean -mercy and ruth and all that. They will turn again and rend you. Sir, I -repeat----" - -Here Bob cut in. As a rule he was disposed to humour the Babu, whom he -found amusing at times, and whom he believed to be well-intentioned. -Now, however, he had neither time nor patience to argue, even if any -amount of argument could have made the Bengali understand his point of -view. - -"Get back to your stores," he said sternly, and Ditta Lal, who was -always abashed and rendered speechless by a rebuff, shuffled off -disconsolately. - -Bob was not disposed to let the two Kalmucks escape altogether. No -amount of pluck or cleverness could wipe out his recollection of their -crimes. To bring them to justice was a duty he owed himself and the -Pathans. Less than a minute after they had disappeared he ordered two -of the Sikhs to cross the bridge and pursue them along the track. - -"Don't shoot them: march them back to the mine," he said. "There I will -deal with them." - -The men set off to do his bidding. Meanwhile the four miners of Nurla -Bai's escort had remained where they stood when their leader took his -plunge. They fell back when they saw the Sikhs approaching them, crying -out that they had been ignorant of Nurla's intention. Bob saw no reason -to doubt them, but as he sent them back to rejoin their fellows up the -river he reflected that he had done wisely in arranging to let only a -few men pass at a time. - -He had little doubt that the two fugitives would be caught. For a -distance the stream ran too swiftly for runners on the bank to keep up -with it, but farther north, with the widening of the channel, the rate -of the current diminished. Then, whether the men continued swimming or -climbed up to the track, they would be equally at the mercy of their -pursuers. The threat to shoot them could hardly fail to bring about -their surrender; while if they trusted to their speed along the track, -they would fall into the hands of Lawrence and his party, who must now -be very near. He therefore dismissed the crowd, ordered Gur Buksh to -keep good watch both up- and down-stream, and returned to the house to -snatch a brief nap until his brother arrived. - -It was a few minutes before five when Chunda Beg woke him, and told him -that the chota sahib was at hand. He ran down to the bridge, and saw -with great thankfulness that Lawrence and all his party were safe. But -he was disappointed to notice that, though the two Sikhs were among -them, they were without Nurla Bai. - -There was great shouting and handshaking among the crowd when the weary -men rode over into the compound. - -"Jolly glad to see you, old chap," said Bob to his brother. "You look -awfully biffed. Chunda Beg has got a good meal ready for you; just cut -into the house and have a rest while I dispose of a little matter in -hand--then I'll come and tell you what has been going on." - -Lawrence was only too glad to rest. He had never in his life felt so -utterly tired. The Pathans, too, hardy and capable of long endurance as -they were, showed signs of the fatigue of their double march and the -fight _en route_. They took their horses into their own section of the -mine, and, throwing themselves on the ground, were soon asleep. - -Meanwhile Bob was arranging for the passage of the Kalmucks down-stream. -He posted half of the Sikhs at the wall, ordering them, without reserve, -to fire on the miners if there was any sign of mutiny among them. Then -he sent Gur Buksh with the rest to the farther end of the bridge to -receive the men's arms as they came up. Just before half-past five the -rifle-shot was fired as a signal to the first batch of ten men to -approach. Very soon they were seen marching sullenly towards the mine. -They had been without food during the day, and hunger is a famous -reducing agent. At the bridge they handed over their weapons without -demur to the havildar and his Sikhs, and passed on. - -Within an hour the whole party had been thus disarmed and sent on their -way. When the last of them had disappeared, Bob sent a Sikh to bring in -the Pathans who had been waiting with such patience up-stream. Dusk had -already fallen over the depths of the valley, and it was dark before the -men marched over the bridge amid uproarious greetings from their -friends. - -Bob felt that he had reason to be satisfied with his day's work. His -brother was back; he was surrounded by Pathans of whose loyalty and -devotion he was now assured, and he had got rid peacefully of the -malcontents whose presence would have been a continual menace. Only one -thing disappointed him: the failure of his men to capture Nurla Bai and -Black Jack. The Sikhs had pressed rapidly along the track until they -met Lawrence and his party; but neither on land nor water had they -caught a glimpse of the fugitives. The Kalmucks had already shown -surprising resourcefulness; there could be no doubt that they had -discovered some hiding-place in the bank or on the hill-side above the -track. As a sportsman, Bob gave them ungrudging admiration: as a -soldier he was chagrined, for Nurla Bai not only ought to have received -his punishment, but he might have proved a useful hostage in the future. - - - - - CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH - - NO THOROUGHFARE - - -"We seem to have lived an age during the last two days," said Bob on -greeting Lawrence again in the dining-room. "'One crowded hour of -glorious life,' begad! But why aren't you asleep, young man?" - -"I can hardly keep my eyes open, but I shan't sleep till I know where we -are. What did your flag mean?" - -"Of course, you don't know. It seems stale news to me. There's a whole -army corps encamped ten miles beyond the bridge--twenty thousand men at -a guess, with field-guns, all complete. I saw hundreds of -transport-wagons rolling up, camel caravans too. It's a big thing." - -"But what's the game? They don't need an army corps to bag this mine." - -"Hanged if I know. It seems clear they intend to march up the valley; -it was probably an advanced outpost that we came into conflict with. So -far as I know the valley leads only to Afghanistan and--India." - -"Those Mongols we have heard about, then, are going to have a slap at -Afghanistan?" - -"Or India!" - -"That's tosh. Twenty thousand men are no good for invading India, and -they wouldn't come this way in any case." - -"That's just what I said to myself. Of course Afghanistan is much -nearer, and they might catch the Amir napping by choosing this unusual -road. But after all, what concerns us is our position here." - -"Yes. What have you been doing all day?" - -"Flying up and down like a swallow--or wasn't it an eagle that dropped -something on a Johnny's bald skull--in the classics. I haven't done -that exactly, but I've had a little practice in bomb dropping." - -He related the manoeuvres by which he had checked the pursuit of the -Pathans and driven the Kalmucks down-stream, and the subsequent -adventurous flight of Nurla Bai. - -"Would you have let them shoot at him?" he asked. "The Babu was mad -with me." - -"I don't think I would. It wouldn't be cricket, do you think? The Babu -wouldn't learn that sort of thing at Calcutta University!" - -"Have you had any trouble?" - -"Quite enough, I can assure you. In the small hours they tried to cross -at the bridge, some of them floating themselves on water-skins. We beat -them off at the cost of a few knocks. But some must have got past us -over the hills--a mighty big round. We met a crowd of them on foot. -Luckily it was all very sudden, and a charge scattered them. We lost -one man, but we polished off a lot of them; the Pathans are perfect -demons at fighting." - -"Well done, old chap! Charging was the very thing. These beggars can't -face it. I remember that in the Mutiny our men never charged without -success. But what about the future? We've two courses open: to pack up -and cut our sticks before the Mongols arrive, or to hang on and make the -best defence we can. Candidly, I don't see how we can hold the place -with our little lot against such a host." - -"What about Thermopylae and Leonidas?" - -"Yes, but Xerxes hadn't any artillery. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, -Leonidas and his three hundred were cut up, to a man." - -"Only because a traitor showed the Persians a way round to their rear. -Still, you know best." - -"I'll send for old Gur Buksh. He's seen a lot of service, and has a -cool head. We're better placed than Leonidas in one respect: traitor or -no traitor, we can't be got at from the rear." - -When the havildar arrived, Bob put the position to him exactly, omitting -no detail, and glossing over none of the difficulties. - -"Now, havildar," he said in conclusion, "shall we run, or shall we -fight? We ought to have plenty of time to get away. The enemy can't -advance in force until they have repaired the bridge, and they'll have -to do that thoroughly if they wish to bring their artillery across. It -will take them at least a day, probably longer. We can reckon on -twenty-four hours' start." - -The havildar, a fine soldierly figure, stood in silence before the two -lads, pondering deeply. - -"The men are very weary, sahib," he said at length. "They could not -start before morning. There are not horses for all: the march would be -slow, and the journey would be long. We should not be safe for a -hundred miles, and if the enemy is so numerous, they would pursue us not -only along the track, but over the hills, and outstrip us, and we should -not escape." - -"And what if we remain here?" - -"Who can tell? If we die, we die. But we are safer here, sahib. The -enemy cannot haul their guns up the heights opposite. The gorge is -narrow; with our gun and our rifles we could prevent them from passing -the bend northward--so long as our ammunition lasts." - -"And how long will that be? And what provisions have we?" - -"There are plenty of cartridges, sahib, and we have those the Kalmucks -left behind in their huts. Our provisions would have lasted three weeks -for us all; now that the Kalmucks are gone, they will last longer." - -"I say, Bob," said Lawrence, "why not block up the track? With a good -charge of dynamite we could bring down tons of rock on it, and though -that wouldn't block the way for ever against twenty thousand men, it -would give them a few days' work to clear it." - -"The chota sahib speaks words of wisdom," said Gur Buksh. "The track is -narrow where it bends a little to the north--that is the place to do -what the sahib says." - -"A jolly good notion," said Bob. "We'll set about it to-morrow. Also, -havildar, we will strengthen the wall. You have already, I see, lined -it with bags of earth, as I ordered. You must throw up behind them a -mound of the tailings from the mine. Cover that with earth, and beat it -down hard, and we shall have a triple fortification. It won't be very -scientific, Lawrie, but it ought to be of some use. Can you think of -anything else, havildar?" - -"That is all, sahib. Has the sahib told the Pathans what he has told -me?" - -"Oh yes. The men who were chased by the Kalmucks intended to go home, -but I told them everything, and I'm sure they will stick to us. You -have arranged the sentries for the night?" - -"That is done, sahib." - -"Then we'll get to bed, Lawrie. We both want a good sound sleep. Wake -us if anything happens, havildar." - -But Gur Buksh had not been gone five minutes, and Bob had not yet taken -off his boots, when he was struck with a sudden uneasiness. - -"I say, Lawrie," he exclaimed, "what if the beggars came up during the -night? We couldn't use either the machine-gun or our rifles with any -effect in the darkness, and they might easily slip past; not without -some loss, of course, but not enough to stagger them." - -"But you said yourself just now that it would take them a whole day to -repair the bridge. They couldn't get here before morning." - -"It would certainly take them a day or longer to make the bridge strong -enough to bear their artillery. But we've only the advanced guard to -deal with, not the main army, and in two or three hours they could rig -up a bridge good enough for themselves and their ponies. They may be -only a few hours' march away. I wish we had a searchlight. We could -then light up the track at the bend yonder, and give them such a dose -that they wouldn't try it again." - -"Why not try a bonfire? Light a big one just on this side of the bend. -That would give us enough light." - -"A good idea! We'll do it, and to make perfectly sure, we'd better -blast the rock at once, and not leave it till the morning. I'll see to -it, however; you have a good sleep." - -"Not a bit of it. I should fall asleep in two ticks if I had nothing to -do, but I'm not going to leave you to bear the brunt of everything. We -share and share alike." - -"Thanks, old chap. You see to the dynamite and get a wire spliced for -the current while I get the bonfire started." - -[Illustration: GUR BUKSH DEFENDS THE MINE] - -In a few minutes a large fire was blazing on a ledge of rock a few feet -south of the bend, and a number of Pathans were drilling holes in the -cliff. An hour's work by experienced miners would suffice, Bob thought, -to prepare for the charge of dynamite. Meanwhile, in the compound, -under Lawrence's direction, other men were splicing together several -lengths of the wire used for conveying the current from the small -electric battery to the mine galleries. A number of boxes were broken -up to provide fuel for the bonfire, which, however, it would be hardly -necessary to keep alight when once the track had been blocked up by the -fallen rocks. - -These operations were all in progress when there was a sudden commotion -among the men drilling the rock. After a moment's hesitation, they -dropped their tools and scampered at the top of their speed towards the -mine. They had barely crossed the bridge, and this had only been raised -a few feet from its platform, when there came swiftly round the bend a -string of horsemen, galloping two abreast. Gur Buksh was at his post by -the machine-gun. In a few moments it was rattling its shot in a rapid -stream towards the enemy, and at the same time the Sikhs opened fire -with their rifles. A number of the enemy were seen to fall, either upon -the track or over the brink into the river, and the horses of the men -immediately behind them stumbled over the prone bodies and in one or two -cases threw their riders. There were a few moments of confusion. The -quiet of the night was broken by cries and groans and the rattle and -hiss of shots. Then the stream of horsemen suddenly stopped. Shouts -were heard from beyond the bend, but no more of the enemy appearing, Bob -ordered his men to cease fire. - -Everybody in the mine compound had been so intent on what was happening -within the area illuminated by the bonfire that only Bob himself and one -or two more had noticed that several of the enemy had got past the -critical point before fire was opened. They were now in darkness, but -the clatter of their horses' hoofs could be heard on the track just -beyond the quarters lately occupied by the Pathans. At this sound Bob -had much difficulty in preventing his men from blazing away at random at -the cliff opposite. To allow it would be merely to waste ammunition, for -the enemy were quite invisible; so he peremptorily ordered them to -desist after two or three shots had been fired. When quietness was -restored, he heard the horsemen retreating up the valley, and soon the -sound of their movements died away. - -"Lucky we didn't go to bed after all," said Bob to Lawrence. "Is that -wire ready?" - -"Yes, but the rock isn't drilled yet, is it?" - -"We'll soon finish that. The track must be blocked at once, or we may -have this going on all night." - -He called the miners up, and ordered them to go back to their work. - -"Mashallah, sahib, but it is not safe, we shall all be killed," one of -them ventured to say. - -"Nonsense. They won't come on again." - -"But some have got past, sahib. They will come back and shoot us." - -"They won't venture within the light of the bonfire, and if they do the -Sikhs will shoot them down. Come on: I'll go with you. Give me the -dynamite, Lawrence. Fazl, you take the end of the wire. Now then, a -few minutes' more work, and we'll tumble a mountain of rock on to the -track, and be able to sleep soundly for the rest of the night." - -His confident bearing, and the example of his personal leadership, -inspired the men with courage. The bridge was again lowered; Bob passed -over with Fazl and the miners; Lawrence, Gur Buksh and the Sikhs posted -themselves between the bridge head and the southern extremity of the -compound to guard against any attack on the part of the men who had gone -up the track. They could not number more than a dozen or so at the most, -and Bob felt sure that after what had occurred they would not be very -ready to approach the spot that had proved so fatal to their comrades. - -He ordered the men to move very quietly. On reaching the place where -they had flung down their tools, he bade them wait a little. From round -the bend came the sound of voices, apparently some distance away. The -enemy had not withdrawn altogether: would they have the courage to come -on again? The machine-gun was no protection to the working-party, for -it could not fire without great risk of hitting them. Bob sent one of -the men back to fetch three of the Sikhs; their rifles might at any rate -suffice to check a rush long enough for the miners to retreat to the -bridge. - -As soon as the Sikhs arrived, he ordered the men to resume their -drilling, for which the bonfire gave sufficient light. The first sounds -attracted the attention of the enemy. They raised their voices, and -Bob, grasping his revolver, told the Sikhs to level their rifles and -fire if he gave the word. All were concealed from the enemy by the -shoulder of the cliff. The work went on without interference from the -enemy beyond, but presently shots began to patter on the rocks from the -rifles of those who had passed up the valley. The bonfire was now an -inconvenience, and the danger was greater to Bob and the Sikhs, who -stood erect, than to the miners stretched on the ground. But it was a -risk that must be endured, and Bob spoke a cheery word to the men at his -side, and urged the miners to hurry on with their work. Unknown to him, -at the first shot Lawrence had led the other Sikhs across the bridge and -posted them on the track, to repel the Kalmucks if they should venture -nearer to get a better aim. - -In a quarter of an hour the drilling was finished. Bob sent the miners -back, and himself laid the charge of dynamite. Then he inserted the -wire, and retreated with Fazl and the Sikhs. - -"Good man!" he said to Lawrence when he reached the bridge. "It's all -done. We've only to make the contact." - -"Nobody hit?" asked Lawrence anxiously. - -"Never a man. I think we'd have done better. Now let's get back. In -five minutes we'll have a little earthquake." - -They crossed into the compound, the bridge was raised, and Bob sent Fazl -into the shed where the battery was kept, to complete the electric -circuit. The firing had ceased. Nothing was to be heard but the -rushing water. In a few minutes there was a dull, sullen rumble; the -ground quivered, and immediately afterwards a terrific crash which -echoed and re-echoed along the valley. The bonfire was suddenly -obliterated as by an extinguisher. - -"Another trick to us!" said Bob gleefully. "And now I think we can go to -sleep with an easy mind. They won't get past till they've moved a -thousand cartloads of rubbish." - -"What about those fellows who got past?" - -"We can leave Gur Buksh to deal with them. They can't get into the -compound; if they did they'd never get out again. I shouldn't wonder if -they're wishing they hadn't been in quite such a hurry. Now, my boy, -bed: neither you nor I will need any rocking to-night. It's barely -eight o'clock: we ought to get a good twelve hours, and I can do with it -all." - -They felt a strange pang as they passed through their uncle's room. It -was the first time they had entered it since the fatal morning when they -set out so cheerfully with him in pursuit of Nurla Bai. Neither spoke of -him; his loss touched them now with a poignancy of feeling that would -not endure expression. Bob closed the door quietly, as if a sleeper lay -within; and both undressed in silence. - - - - - CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH - - A CRY IN THE NIGHT - - -"What say you, friend?--how will this matter end?" - -Chunda Beg seated himself on the wall, against which the havildar was -leaning, peering out into the darkness. His rifle lay across his arms. - -"Hai, Chunda, is that you?" replied Gur Buksh, in a low tone. "I -thought you were snoring on your charpoy. 'Tis a chill night." - -"I slept indeed a little--forty winks, as the sahibs say; then I rose -and came out to seek wisdom of thee, O experienced one. How will this -matter end, I ask?" - -"Who can tell!" said the havildar with a shrug. "The gods know; I know -not." - -"You do not know; of course I did not suppose you a soothsayer, a man of -double sight, though there are such; I have seen them, and heard them -foretell things that most certainly came to pass. But they were fakirs, -haggard of cheek and eye, and dirty--mashallah! how dirty! What I meant, -friend, was that you, being a man of war, and wise in many things, -should enlighten my simplicity, and say what is the blossom and fruit of -your meditations on these strange happenings." - -Gur Buksh did not turn his head, but gazed steadily out across the -stream. On each side one of his men was patrolling the wall; the rest -of the Sikhs were sleeping under blankets on the ground a few yards -away, ready to spring up at a whisper. - -"The Bengali says we shall all be cut into little pieces," Chunda Beg -went on. "He will make good carving, being very plump." - -"The Bengali is the son and grandson of asses," grunted Gur Buksh. "He -reads books!" - -"The sahibs read books too," suggested the khansaman. - -"That is different. They read the wisdom of their own people; the -Bengali reads, and imagines he becomes one of them, and talks -foolishness." - -"That is true. Yet in this case perhaps it is not foolishness. There -are many hungry beasts lurking down the track yonder." - -"Hyenas!" - -"Twenty thousand of them, says Fazl." - -"Flat-nosed Kafirs; what are they to us?" - -"That is true; they are of very little account. Still, there is a great -number of them, and--correct me if I am wrong, havildar--a hundred -hyenas are perhaps a match for one lion." - -"Look you, khansaman, we have to make every man here believe that he is -a lion. I do not deny that we are in a strait place, but what is that? -I have been in strait places before. Hai! was I not one of the thirty -with a young sahib in the hills, and did we not defend a post against a -monstrous rabble of Khels, and drive them off, and strike such fear into -the dogs that they slunk away and troubled us no more?" - -The havildar's eyes gleamed as he recalled that fight. - -"And are our young sahibs even as that one?" said the khansaman. "The -huzur--may he sleep well!--was a good man, but these two striplings are -very young." - -"Hai! but they have red blood in their veins. They are of the race of -the Sirkar: they will never yield. Think you of what they have done in -these last days. Are they not quick and ready? Are not their eyes keen -and their minds swift? They fear nothing, and overlook nothing. Fyz -Ali told me how the chota sahib rode back to help him when he was alone -and beset by the Kalmucks, and the chota sahib is no man of war. Of a -truth, the sahibs know not what fear is. And Bob Sahib carried food to -the Pathans up the river; he thinks of their welfare, and they love him. -What is to come we know not, but be sure there will be very great doings -here." - -"Hark, havildar! What is that?" - -Chunda Beg sprang off the wall, and bent over it with the havildar, -straining his eyes into the darkness. A faint cry reached them from the -other side of the ravine. They listened in silence, waiting for a -repetition of the sound. In a few seconds they heard it again. - -"A trick of the Kalmucks maybe!" murmured Gur Buksh. "Get you swiftly -to the house, khansaman, and rouse the sahib. Say nothing but that I -wish to speak with him." - -The khansaman hurried away. Passing noiselessly into the boys' bedroom, -he touched Bob on the shoulder and gave his message. Bob was awake in an -instant. - -"Tell him I'm coming," he said. - -He slipped on his dressing-gown and boots quietly, so as not to disturb -Lawrence, and followed the man across the compound. As he reached the -havildar's side, the cry was repeated again. - -"What are the sahib's orders?" said Gur Buksh. - -"Did you hear what he said?" asked Bob. - -"No, sahib; it was like the cry of a man for help." - -"Are the Kalmucks playing a trick on us? Have you heard anything of -them?" - -"Nothing, sahib." - -"Let down the bridge. We had better see." - -"The sahib will without doubt take lamps?" - -"Yes, and your men." - -The Sikhs had already been awakened. In a few minutes four of them -accompanied Bob across the bridge, the first carrying a candle lamp. - -The far side of the bridge rested on a platform constructed on a rock in -mid-stream. The rock was connected with the farther bank by a short -bridge supported on timbers and resembling a rough wooden jetty. Gur -Buksh had said that the cry seemed to have come from the end of the -bridge, and Bob searched for some time up and down the track for a few -yards in each direction, listening again for the sound. It was not -repeated. He proceeded to range the space once occupied by the Pathans' -huts, but made no discovery. Puzzled, and still half suspecting that -the cry had been a ruse to decoy him from the mine, he returned to the -bridge, and was about to cross, when the man who held the lamp uttered a -sudden exclamation. - -"Behold, sahib; here he is!" - -He pointed to a man lying across one of the girders sustaining the -platform. Only his head could be seen. Bob knelt down and stooped -over, asking the Sikh to lower the lamp. He saw a bearded, turbaned man -in uniform, with arms and legs twined about the girder. - -"He is unconscious," he said. "Lift him up and bring him into the -compound." - -The Sikhs had some difficulty in raising the man, who, in spite of his -unconsciousness, clung tenaciously to the beam. But they got him up at -last, and carried him across the bridge and up to the house. Bob waited -to see the bridge lowered again, then hurried back. - -"Cold water, khansaman," he said as he entered. - -The man brought a mug of water, which he set down on the table. Bob -wondered why he did not himself hold it to the stranger's lips, until he -guessed that caste was probably the obstacle. He himself gave the man -drink, and looked at him with curiosity, which became recognition as he -opened his eyes. It was Ganda Singh, the dafadar of the sowars who had -accompanied Major Endicott on his mission months before. - -"Salaam, sahib," said the man faintly, when he saw that Bob had -recognized him. - -"Feel better now?" said Bob. - -Ganda Singh had closed his eyes again. Bob noticed that he was very pale -and haggard, as one exhausted after a long march. - -"Just get one of the Sikhs to prepare him some food, khansaman," he -said. "I suppose you won't do it yourself?" - -"He is a Sikh, sahib." - -"Well, cut away to one of his own race, then. He's fit for nothing at -present." - -He considered whether he should wake Lawrence, but decided to let him -sleep on until the man was able to explain his presence. He himself was -absolutely unconscious of any feeling of fatigue. Ganda Singh's -surprising appearance filled him with overmastering excitement. - -Reviving after some hot lentil soup had been poured between his lips, -the dafadar raised himself slightly from the couch on which he had been -laid. Bob noticed a twinge of pain as he moved his arm. - -"Wounded?" he said. - -"A shot in the shoulder, sahib--very little." - -"As you came down the track?" - -"No, sahib; before." - -He fumbled in his belt, and produced a small piece of paper, folded. -This he handed to Bob, who opened it, and read, scrawled on a leaf torn -from a pocket-book, the following lines-- - -"_Get back to India at once. Whole country ablaze.--H. Endicott._" - -"Where is Endicott Sahib?" he asked quickly. - -"In the hills towards the Afghan country, sahib." - -"Near where we left him? He has not been there all this time?" - -"No, sahib; Endicott Sahib went back to Rawal Pindi, and came again." - -"And he is well?" - -"In body, sahib, wherein I rejoice; but very sick in mind." - -"Tell me all about it; slowly, don't distress yourself. Here, let me -strip off your coat, gently, and see what's wrong. Wait a little, -though; I must fetch Lawrence Sahib." - -Loth as he was to disturb his brother's rest, he felt instinctively that -the news brought by Ganda Singh was to affect their destinies vitally. - -"Wake up, old chap," he said to Lawrence, prodding him. "Slip on your -dressing-gown and come into the dining-room." - -"Are they attacking?" asked Lawrence sleepily. - -"No. Major Endicott has sent Ganda Singh with a message, telling us to -clear out. I'm afraid things are looking very serious. Come on!" - -Lawrence waited only to plunge his head into a basin of cold water, then -followed his brother into the dining-room. - -"Salaam, sahib," said Ganda Singh with a smile of friendliness. Like -everybody else he had a warm feeling towards the chota sahib. - -"Now, dafadar, tell us all about it; take your time." - -He bathed and bound up the wounded arm while Ganda Singh talked. - -The story told by him filled the boys' cup of anxiety and dismay. He -related how Major Endicott, after pacifying the unruly tribe to which -Nagdu belonged, had returned slowly to headquarters, visiting on the way -several other tribes within his allotted portion of the borderlands. -But he had soon been called away again by news of another outbreak, -among the very people whom he had just reduced to quietness. Once more -he set off, attended as before by his official escort of twelve -troopers. This time he had woefully failed to repress their turbulence, -which, indeed, swelled into active hostility. One day, attacked by -overwhelming numbers, he had been forced to flee for his life. Before -the little party got away, it had lost several in killed and wounded, -and the Major, refusing to leave the wounded to the tender mercies of -the enemy, had lost his chance of making good his escape. He was headed -off, and galloped for refuge to a half-ruined hill-tower some little -distance west of his route, where he had been since besieged by the -tribesmen. - -On the second day of the investment he had scribbled the chit in his -pocket-book, torn out the leaf, and given it to the dafadar with orders -to leave the tower by night and make all speed to Mr. Appleton's mine. -Ganda Singh had crept out and stolen away to the rear, but his movements -were detected, and he had run the gauntlet of a fusillade. One shot had -taken effect, but the wound was slight, and he had pressed on, eluded -the enemy's pickets, and after a long round gained the road that led -ultimately to the mine. He had carried very little food with him, and -was almost exhausted, rather by fatigue than by loss of blood, when, -about two miles from the mine, he stumbled upon a small bivouac of ten -or a dozen men. Luckily he had heard their horses stamping and champing -their bits while still at some distance from them, and was careful to -approach them warily. Having no means of telling whether they were -friends or foes, he decided to slip past them quietly in the darkness. -He could barely drag himself over the last mile, and on reaching the -platform, being thoroughly worn out, he stumbled, and only saved himself -from falling into the river by clutching at the girder as he fell. - -"How long have you been marching?" asked Bob. - -"Three days, sahib." - -"And how far have you come?" - -"Thirty kos,[#] sahib. It was bad marching, but I came as fast as I -could." - - -[#] About forty-five miles. - - -"It was good of Endicott Sahib to send you, but why? We are far away -from the disturbances on the Afghan border." - -"Ah yes, sahib, but there is talk of great doings towards the -north-west. They say in the bazaars that the Mongols have made friends -with the Afghans, and offered to share the plunder with them when they -make their raid into the Punjab. It is foolishness, as Endicott Sahib -said: but the badmashes will do much evil, and the sahib said that -Appleton Sahib ought to know, so that he might escape to India while -there is yet time." - -"And what about the sahib himself? He will break through, of course?" - -"Hai! The sahib will not leave the wounded." - -"He can hold out?" - -"Who shall say? The sahib has little food, and the water of the well in -the tower is foul. The sahib will assuredly fight as long as he has one -cartridge left in his revolver; then.... It is written, sahib; but the -huzurs know how to die." - -"Good heavens!" ejaculated Lawrence. "Can't he send for help?" - -"The nearest post is a hundred miles away, sahib. There would not be -time. In one day more, or perhaps two, all the food will be gone. No -help could come to him for a week--no force strong enough to drive away -the dogs that beset him." - -"Why did he think we could escape, then?" - -"Because the road is still open, sahib. The tribes are not yet moving -towards the frontier, and the hill-tower is far to the west of the road. -If the sahibs start at once there is just a chance that they may save -themselves--as one leaves a house before the flood comes up and washes -it away." - -The boys felt overwhelmed by this climax to their embarrassments. There -was no certainty that they could reach the nearest British post before -the tide of invasion had begun to flow. The way might already be blocked -by hordes of tribesmen gathering strength for their swoop upon the -Punjab--an adventure which, utterly absurd as it seemed, and foredoomed -to disaster, would work havoc on the frontier until it was crushed by -the might of the Imperial power. They saw themselves shut up as in a -trap between the 20,000 men on the north, and the innumerable host which -the scent of plunder would attract to the Afghans' banner. - -"We shall have to stick it now, in any case," said Bob to Lawrence. -"Khansaman, take Ganda Singh to Gur Buksh: he will find him quarters. -Then go to bed. I will ring for you if I want you." - -When the two men were gone, Bob threw himself into a chair. - -"Light up," he said. "There'll be no more sleep for us to-night." - -"What a brick the Major is!" said Lawrence. "Poor old chap! He won't -cave in without giving those blackguards something to remember, but if -things are as bad as Ganda Singh says it's all up with him. Nothing on -earth will induce him to leave his men, or he might make a bolt for it. -I wonder if it was too late for him to send for help?" - -"There's not much doubt of it. A man couldn't get away quietly enough -on horseback with the tower surrounded, and it would take him four or -five days to foot it. Then they'd have to get together an expeditionary -force, and if they've got wind of what's on, they would hesitate to send -out a small light-marching force that might be smothered. These -political officers are always taking their lives in their hands. The -Major's a good sort. I wish to goodness something could be done for -him." - -"I say! I've a notion. What about the aeroplane?" - -"How do you mean?" - -"Fly to help him. A few of those bombs of yours would work wonders." - -"That's all very well, I dare say a little dynamite would set the -besiegers flying in panic; but to bring the Major away is quite another -matter. He's in a hill-tower, and if it's like those we saw -occasionally as we came north it'll be perched in the worst possible -place for the machine to alight." - -"We can find that out from Ganda Singh." - -"But there's another thing. Suppose it is possible to come down, will -there be time to get the Major out and take him on board before the -enemy come back? Their panic won't last long when they find they can -only be hit from the air." - -"It will take some time to discover that, but I foresee the worst -difficulty. That's the sowars. As I said, he won't leave them, -especially as some are wounded. And the biggest cowards in -creation--and the Afghans are not cowards--would recover their courage -and their wits long before you could fly to and fro with the sowars as -passengers." - -"And they'd smash the machine too. It would be an easy target most of -the time. I'm afraid it's no go." - -They smoked on in silence, gloomily watching the rings and clouds -eddying out into the dark through the open window. - -"Look here!" exclaimed Bob suddenly. - -"I say!" cried Lawrence at the same moment. - -"I'm going to try it," Bob continued. - -"That's what I was going to say." - -"But----" - -"Hold hard! Just listen while I put the case with my usual sweet -reasonableness. You're about fed up with patrolling the valley, I -should think." - -"But----" - -"Let me have my say out: your turn by and by. You're a soldier; I'm -not. You're the chap to defend this place, and, as you said, we've got -to defend it now. You've a head for strategy and all that sort of -thing: I'm a fool at it. If one of us has got to go, I can be best -spared." - -"You're talking perfect----" - -"I know, but I haven't done yet. I haven't had quite as much practice -in the aeroplane as you, but I've had quite enough for this job. And as -for shying dynamite bombs, any ass could do that." - -"I back you wouldn't find it easy to hit a mark," Bob got in. - -"Perhaps not, but when the mark is a crowd of three or four hundred -Afghans I ought to be kicked if I couldn't score at least an outer. -Seriously, old man, this is my job. I'm not such a fool as to think -it'll be pure fun; it's a desperately tough proposition, as the Yanks -say; and of course you'd do it better than I could; but we can't both -go, and I'm sure you're the right man to stay here. Now have your -fling." - -"Well, you've put me in a hole with your beastly logic," grumbled Bob. -"I can't admit you're right without sort of making myself out to be a -sprouting commander-in-chief! My word! It would be a fine thing to get -the Major here! He'd take command, and I'd play second fiddle with the -greatest pleasure in life. All right: you go, then." - -"Thanks, old man. Just ring for Chunda, will you? I must have a talk -with Ganda Singh." - -"You'll do nothing of the sort. You'll go straight back to bed. You'll -want all your nerve to-morrow, and after what you've gone through you'll -be a limp rag in the morning unless you sleep. Go to bed. I'll arrange -everything. You'll find everything ready for you in the morning. I -think you had better take Fazl with you: in fact, you must, for you'll -have quite enough to do with managing the machine without dropping -bombs. Cut off!" - -"All right. There's only one thing." - -"What's that?" - -"I hope to goodness the wind won't be blowing a hurricane in the -morning." - - - - - CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH - - THE TOWER IN THE HILLS - - -There was between four and five hours for making the necessary -arrangements. Bob soon had different sets of men working at different -jobs. Some he ordered to prepare baskets of food and to fill several -water-skins--the want of good water was perhaps Major Endicott's -greatest peril. Others he instructed to fill more tins with stones and -caps, in readiness for the final charge of dynamite, which he would -himself place. While all this was in hand, he had a long talk with Gur -Buksh and Ganda Singh, who turned out to be old comrades in arms. They -both agreed that if the chota sahib should succeed in dispersing the -tribesmen now besieging the tower, and in conveying food and water to -the defenders, Endicott Sahib might be trusted to extricate himself and -his men from their awkward position. That the dispersal was possible -Bob had never doubted; no body of men could hold together under the -staggering effect of bombs exploding in their midst. And after his talk -with the Sikhs he felt reassured as to the further success of the -scheme. Major Endicott was a cool-headed veteran, who would take things -into his own hands on Lawrence's arrival, so that the plan would not -miscarry through Lawrence's lack of military experience. - -On leaving the Sikhs, Bob went along the pathway to the aeroplane -platform. He could not trust any one but himself to prepare the machine -for the morrow's flight. He spent a couple of hours in thoroughly -overhauling it: cleaning the engine, examining every inch of the -framework and the stays, oiling all the moving parts. Satisfied that -all was in good order, he returned to the house. At this hour it was -hardly worth while to go to bed, so he bathed, shaved, and dressed, and -then sent for Fazl, to give him instructions. - -Lawrence joined him at dawn. They went together to the hut where Ganda -Singh lay, and the wounded man, refreshed with food and sleep, was able -to explain more clearly now the whereabouts of Major Endicott and the -operations of his besiegers. - -"You'll tell him, of course, how we are situated here," said Bob, as -they walked away together. "All being well I shall expect to see him in -two or three days. You'll fly back in advance and tell me?" - -"I dare say, but I shan't come until I see him safe on the march. I -only hope I shan't be too late." - -"I don't think you will be. I gather from what Ganda Singh said that -starvation is the greatest danger, but they've got their horses in the -last resort. There's no wind luckily; you couldn't have a finer day. -By the way, keep a look-out for the Kalmucks who got by last night. -Don't drop within range of them." - -Rumours of what was afoot had run round the camp. Miners and servants -were gathering in the compound to witness the departure of the -aeroplane. As the boys walked towards the pathway Ditta Lal joined -them. He wore his wonted air of cheerfulness. - -"On behalf of establishment, sir, I bid you good luck and au revoir," he -said. "Clouds have silver lining, sir. If report is true, we shall -soon have felicity to see famous warrior in person; with due respect, -and no derogation to present company, full-fledged British officer, when -he takes command, will put rosy complexion on deplorable situation." - -"Paint everything red, you mean?" said Bob gravely. - -"Ruddy hue of health, sir," said the Babu, missing the point. -"Representative of august king-emperor, British flag, standard of -freedom and all that----" - -"Good-bye," said Lawrence, cutting him short. "Don't trouble to come any -farther." - -Bob went with him to the aeroplane platform. - -"Good luck, old chap," he said, gripping Lawrence hard by the hand. He -waited until the aeroplane had run off and soared out of sight, then -returned in mingled hope and fear to the mine. - -About a dozen miles up the valley Fazl caught sight of a number of men -scuttling to cover among the rocks above the track. There was little -doubt that these were the Kalmucks, who, finding themselves effectually -cut off from their friends to the north, were probably hastening -southward in search of provisions. Except for a few wild animals, the -neighbourhood of the valley furnished no means of subsistence. There -was a small hill-village about thirty miles from the mine, lying back -some distance from the right bank. Perhaps the Kalmucks might find -hospitality there. - -Lawrence hoped that in the course of forty minutes he would come in -sight of the hill-tower in which Major Endicott was besieged. From -Ganda Singh's description he thought it must be identical with a tower -which he had seen in the distance on one of his early trips with Bob up -the river. It was a conspicuous object in the hilly landscape, and he -had no fear of missing it, considering the immense expanse of country -which lay open to observation from the aeroplane. - -In spite of the particulars given by Ganda Singh, Lawrence felt that in -approaching the tower his first care must be to reconnoitre the position -thoroughly. Everything depended on his finding a convenient spot for -landing, and this might be very difficult in such hilly country. The -appearance of the aeroplane would of course put the enemy on their -guard; but they would not know what to expect, and would probably be -rather alarmed and mystified than informed. At the same time it would be -a herald of hope to Major Endicott, and prepare him to take instant -advantage of any diversion which it might effect in his favour. - -When Lawrence had been flying for about twenty minutes he became -somewhat uneasy at a sudden freshening of the wind, which blew in -uncertain gusts from the mountains on his right. Since passing the -Kalmucks he had kept fairly close to the river, but when the machine -began to rock under these invisible eddies he thought it the safer -course to rise to a considerable height. The morning air was so -exhilarating, and the view of endless snow-capped heights and pine-clad -ravines so superb, that only the intense cold, of which he was now -conscious in spite of the summer sun, checked his ascension. On the left -stretched the Pamirs, backed by peak after peak of some of the loftiest -and most majestic mountains in the world. In front and on the right the -Himalaya range merged into the Hindu Kush. Huge masses of cloud rolled -up and down the rugged faces of the mountains, causing moment by moment -wonderful changes in their aspect. Some of the peaks seemed to have -covered themselves with an umbrella of fleecy billowy wool as a shield -against the kindling sunbeams. - -The enormous scale of this panorama defied perspective and gave a false -idea of distance. Lawrence knew that peaks which, clearly limned against -the sky, might be thought to be ten or fifteen miles away, were in -reality more than a hundred. But for the urgency of his mission, he -felt that he would have liked to sail on and on in this empyrean height, -exploring regions never trodden by the foot of man. - -All the time, Fazl kept a keen eye on the track and the river, winding -along hundreds, even thousands, of feet below. The hill-tower lay -somewhat to the west of the road which the Appletons had travelled with -Major Endicott several months before, and from this road the track -leading to the mine branched. The Gurkha knew the country pretty well. -Fast as the aeroplane flew, he distinguished without hesitation the -junction of the roads, and at his word Lawrence altered his course and, -leaving the valley, steered over the hills on his right hand. - -Very soon Fazl was able to descry the hill-tower in the far distance. -The aeroplane was flying at the rate of at least a mile a minute; but -minute after minute passed, and yet the tower seemed little nearer. -When at last Lawrence had come close enough to it to be able to -distinguish its general features, he saw that it was a single -square-built tower of the usual Afghan type, perched on a small hill -that rose sharply from the surrounding country. The side nearest him -overhung an almost perpendicular declivity. Though solidly constructed -in appearance, it was little more than a ruin. The top had partially -fallen away, and in the wall facing him there was a long jagged fissure. - -While still at some distance, Lawrence heard rifle-shots, though neither -he nor Fazl could as yet see any signs of the enemy. He felt his heart -thumping. He was still in time, then; for if all was over the firing -would have ceased. Planing down in a long glide, he passed over the -tower, still at a considerable altitude, and then suddenly caught sight -of an encampment in a nullah on the farther side. In the brief moment -of his crossing he was not able to get more than a glimpse of it; the -nullah was so deep, and the encampment encompassed so closely by shrubs, -dwarf pines, and other trees, that he might have missed it altogether -but for a thin column of smoke arising from a fire in the bottom. But -his rapid glance was enough for reassurance; the camp would have been -struck if the tower was captured; it was clear that the Major was still -holding out. - -Dropping still lower, he began to sweep round in a circle. Before he -reached the nullah again Fazl pointed out to him a number of isolated -dots on the rugged surface below, spread over an extensive patch of -ground. Some were small, others larger, and as he flew by Fazl -explained that they were groups of the enemy, who had posted themselves -wherever the nature of the ground gave them cover from the fire of the -occupants of the tower. They were disposed in a rough semicircle about -the western wall, in which there was a door. The approach on this side -was by a steep slope; on the other side the tower was apparently -inaccessible. - -Between the wall and this semicircle of besiegers were scattered at -irregular intervals a number of dark forms. - -"Dead!" ejaculated Fazl. - -They were evidently the bodies of men who had fallen in attempting to -rush the place. Ganda Singh had mentioned that on the day he left the -Afghans had made a vigorous assault, but were beaten back with heavy -loss. - -Bringing the aeroplane round so as to pass again over the encampment, -Lawrence noticed a number of horses picketed near the rough huts. The -Gurkha cried excitedly that the animals were kicking and straining at -their ropes, and men were rushing to hold them. The noise of the engine -had thrown them into a state of blind terror. Two or three broke away, -and galloped madly up the nullah. - -Several shots were fired at the aeroplane. Lawrence was somewhat -surprised that the men were not struck with panic, like their horses, at -the appearance of this strange booming monster of the air. It did not -occur to him until afterwards that rumours of it must have been carried -far and wide through the country for months past. Men who had seen it -in its flights had described it to their neighbours or to wanderers whom -they met in the hills; and although few, perhaps, of these tribesmen now -present had actually seen it before, doubtless many of them had heard -more or less veracious accounts of it. The frantic terror of the ponies -suggested to Lawrence an idea on which he acted immediately. He -abandoned his original purpose of making a preliminary reconnaissance of -the whole position and then retiring to a distance to work out a plan. -To a mounted force there is nothing so demoralizing as the loss of their -horses. Lawrence knew this, and in a flash saw also that the Major, if -he should escape from the tower, would have little to fear from an enemy -pursuing on foot. He resolved therefore to attempt to stampede all the -horses, and take advantage of the resulting confusion. - -By the time he had come to this determination he was some distance past -the nullah. Telling Fazl to drop a bomb among the horses when he again -crossed it, he rose rapidly to a height of about a thousand feet, -wheeled round, and swooped down in a long incline towards the camp. He -scarcely realized that he was taking his life in his hands as he flew -almost within point-blank range. Nor had he calculated on the possible -effect of the coming explosion on the aeroplane. When he arrested his -downward flight he was so near the ground that the bursting of the bomb -set the machine rocking violently, and for a few moments he could -scarcely control it. Cool-headed marksmen could then have taken fatal -aim at him; but the Afghans were fascinated and paralysed by his -headlong descent, and while they were still wondering and dreading what -it might portend, the explosion of the bomb within a few yards of them -struck them with terror. - -Lawrence swept round to observe the effect of this bolt from the blue. -A great troop of horses was galloping wildly along the nullah to the -west. He caught sight of their forms, black, brown and grey, wherever -there were breaks among the trees. Farther up the nullah, where the -sides were less steep, the frantic animals were dashing across the -country in all directions. Beneath, a few lay motionless on the ground. -Loth as he was to destroy or maim the unoffending beasts, he felt that -this was not an occasion for half measures: there was too much at stake. -In their panic flight it was inevitable that many of the horses must -dash themselves to pieces in the ravines and fissures with which the -country was seamed. To prevent the rallying of the rest, he set off in -pursuit. Sweeping the ground like a shepherd's dog after a flock of -sheep, he flew backwards and forwards and from side to side at the heels -of the terrified animals. No more bombs were necessary. The whirr of -the propeller behind them drove them on at the same mad rush, and in a -quarter of an hour there was not a living horse within several miles of -the encampment. - -On returning towards the tower, Lawrence was surprised to see that the -groups of Afghans had disappeared from around it. But as he crossed the -nullah there were bursts of smoke from among the trees and the -undergrowth, and above the hum of the propeller he heard the -characteristic whistle of bullets. Later he discovered that several -holes had been drilled in the planes. The firing ceased as suddenly as -it had begun. Crossing the nullah almost at right angles, the aeroplane -was visible for only a few seconds to the men hidden in the bottom. - -From an embrasure high up in the tower a white handkerchief was -fluttering in the breeze. Lawrence wished that he had some means of -communicating instantly with the Major; but the attack from which he had -just escaped proved that he could not venture to alight, nor could he be -of any further service to the little garrison until the nullah had been -cleared. It was necessary to drive the men up the ravine in the same -direction as he had already driven the horses. There might be more -difficulty in this, for the enemy were completely concealed by the trees -and undergrowth, so that he could not tell exactly where they were. The -only plan that promised complete success was to fly some distance down -the ravine, and then work up it, dropping bombs when he approached the -spot where the firing had broken out. - -In a few brief sentences he explained his purpose to Fazl. Making a -wide sweep he came back to the nullah half a mile to the east; then, -reducing speed to the minimum, but keeping at a good altitude, he -followed the winding course of the gully. The enemy played into his -hands. Another burst of smoke revealed their whereabouts. Fazl -instantly dropped a bomb, and turning to watch the effect, cried out -that a dense cloud of smoke and dust had arisen from the scene of the -explosion. Lawrence wheeled round again, described a wide semicircle, -passing immediately above the tower, and, regaining the nullah, repeated -the manoeuvre. - -This time Fazl reported that he saw men among the trees, running up the -ravine. The enemy could scarcely have chosen a less secure shelter. -The explosion of a bomb in so constricted a space must be many times -more destructive than in the open. But Lawrence had no inclination -towards needless slaughter. His object would be achieved if he drove the -men away as he had driven the horses. Knowing that they were on the -run, he dropped another bomb to speed their flight; then swept round -again, and pursued the same tactics as had already proved so effectual. -When the enemy reached the less wooded part of the nullah, he found it -easy to hover about their rear, and, without the further use of bombs, -to impel them to the most desperate exertions by the mere harrying -pursuit of the aeroplane. - -He was not content until he had driven them many miles up the nullah. -Whenever they showed a disposition to break away into the open country -to right or left, a swoop of the aeroplane in that direction was -sufficient to send them scurrying back. In their haste and panic they -did not halt to fire again, and Lawrence was at length satisfied that -even if they should recover their nerve and courage, they were too far -away to trouble the garrison of the tower for at least a couple of -hours. - -On nearing the tower, he saw that several figures had emerged from the -door at the foot. He glided down to within a few yards of it, and -shouted a greeting to Major Endicott, who waved his hand in response. -Then he sought for a landing-place. The ground in the immediate -vicinity was too broken to allow of a safe descent; but after circling -round once or twice, he discovered a space sufficiently flat and open -for his purpose about a quarter of a mile away. Alighting there, he -left the aeroplane in Fazl's charge, and, feeling very shaky on his legs -after the exhausting and nervous work of the past two hours, he walked -back to meet the British officer. - - - - - CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH - - STALKED - - -"Masterly cattle-driving," were Major Endicott's first words as Lawrence -joined him. - -No one would have supposed from the simple words and the natural -hand-shake that the meeting marked the end of a tense and perilous -situation. Five sowars grouped at the door saluted and gave a shout of -welcome. - -"I'm jolly glad I'm in time," said Lawrence. - -"Jolly good of you to come at all--wholly unexpected. I had quite -forgotten that you had brought an aeroplane out." - -"I say, are you hungry?" - -"We are on our second horse. We had to use our own food for the -animals. We are desperately thirsty, though. The well water is -putrid." - -"I've got plenty of food and water in the aeroplane." - -"That's more than I hoped. I'll send the men for it. Horse-flesh isn't -bad, but it lacks variety; and thirst is torture." - -Having dispatched three of the sowars to fetch the provisions, he said-- - -"I sent the dafadar on the chance of his finding you. Is all well at -the mine?" - -"We're in the deuce of a fix, Major. There's a regular army of Kalmucks -forty miles north of us." - -"Kalmucks! An army of them!" said the Major in surprise. - -"Yes. Bob estimates the number at twenty thousand." - -The Major knit his brows. The news evidently disturbed him. - -"Encamped, you say? Any signs of a movement?" - -"They intend marching up the valley. We have had two or three brushes -with advanced parties." - -"That's very serious." He reflected silently for a little; then, as if -rousing himself from a reverie, continued-- - -"You didn't need my warning, then. Your uncle was already preparing to -decamp?" - -"Uncle's gone!" - -"Not left you young-- Why, my dear fellow--you don't mean that -he's----" - -Lawrence nodded. - -"One of our miners shot him," he said briefly. - -"Poor old Harry! That's a good fellow gone. I'm awfully sorry for you -young fellows. Is your brother getting ready to come away?" - -"Bob is still at the mine. It's in a narrow gorge, and we've blocked up -the only path, so they can't get at us for some little time. But what -are we to do, Major? You and your men will march for the mine, won't -you?" - -The Major sank again into a brown study. Lawrence watched his grave face -anxiously. - -"It's a pity, but I haven't time," he said at length. "I must get south -as rapidly as possible. What you tell me confirms the rumours that have -been flying about. When I started from Rawal Pindi there was talk of -risings in different parts of the country, and as I came north I heard -about large movements in Central Asia. I thought they were directed -against Russia, but it seems pretty clear that the imbeciles are going -to break their heads against us. This flanking movement will give us -trouble. I must get back to the nearest post and wire the news to -headquarters, and they'll want me; I've made an egregious failure here, -but I may still be able to do something among the tribes farther south." - -"But it's war now, isn't it? Ganda said you had only a few men. You -could hardly fight your way back if the enemy were across the road." - -"I've those five men you see there, and two of them are wounded. I -started with twelve; six were killed. And I almost wish you hadn't -stampeded the enemy's horses quite so thoroughly. The enemy collared all -but three of ours. We killed two for food. On foot we are at a -terrible disadvantage. The only thing for me to do is to ride off -alone, and trust to luck. One man might get through safely where a -party would fail. I know the ground thoroughly. The one thing that -bothers me is my wounded. I was going to suggest that my men should -make tracks for your mine; they might be of use to you; but the two -wounded fellows can't stand the march." - -"I see a way out of that," said Lawrence at once. "I can take them in -the aeroplane and be back in a couple of hours or so. I should have to -leave my Gurkha, but he would come along with your men." - -"The country's clear between here and the mine, I suppose?" - -"Practically; a few Kalmucks got past before we blocked up the path--we -blasted the rocks with dynamite. There aren't more than a dozen, -certainly." - -"Armed?" - -"Yes, but I fancy they're without food, and in no condition to tackle -your men if they meet. Besides, when I get back I can cover their march: -I've several bombs left." - -"Dynamite again, as I saw. Your mine is rather useful. I'll remain -here, then, until you get back, and then leave my men to you." - -"But, Major, I don't like to think of you riding alone over ninety or a -hundred miles of country that may be overrun by the enemy." - -"It wouldn't be the first time one of us has tried it and got through -safely. Anyway, I see nothing else for it. This news must be got -through to Simla, and while I'm alive I mustn't be out of the way." - -"I've an idea. Why not march with the men to the mine? Then Bob or I -would carry you across country in the aeroplane. You'd lose a day or -two to begin with, but after all you'd get to the post quite as soon as -on horseback--without any of the dangers." - -"Aeroplane _perfectly_ safe then?" he said with a quizzical smile. - -"Well, we've had no trouble with it yet, and Bob would take you, I dare -say; he's better at it than I am." - -"It's uncommonly good of you to suggest it. How far is your mine from -here?" - -"Something over forty miles." - -"That means two days' march at least, in such rugged country and on -foot. Well, I'll close with you. I should like to take stock of the -position at your mine. I might make a suggestion, perhaps; and if you -or your brother will be good enough to carry me across country, I shall -be grateful, and it'll be useful to Government. How far did you drive -those Afghans, by the by?" - -"Quite six miles, I should think, so you'll have a good start. Even if -they buck up and catch their horses, they won't get back here before me, -and I don't believe they'll come back at all. They were pretty -thoroughly scared by the bombs." - -"Very well, then, we shall have to carry my wounded to the aeroplane. -They'll be horribly nervous. Can you strap them in?" - -"With their own belts. They'll get over their nervousness in a few -minutes; it's easier travelling than by railway." - -"I'm glad of that. I was afraid I should be squeamish myself. The rest -of us will start as soon as you are off." - -The sowars had now returned with the baskets of food, and the whole -party sat on the ground, with their rifles across their knees, to what -was a sumptuous feast after their recent privations. When they had -finished the meal, the two wounded men were carried by their comrades to -the aeroplane. Fazl quietly obeyed Lawrence's order to give up his -seat, though he was clearly disappointed; and the two passengers having -been securely strapped in, Bob started, with a cheery "So long!" to the -Major. - -"Hai, sahib!" said one of the men, who were overawed by these strange -proceedings: "that is a terrible thing." - -"A godsend to us," said the Major. He then explained to them his -purpose. One of them brought his horse from the tower, and ten minutes -after Lawrence's departure the little party started, the three sowars -having strapped on their backs the water-skins and the baskets, with -what was left of the provisions. They made their way down the ravine, -to avoid observation from any of the Afghans who might be still lurking -in the neighbourhood, the Major's intention being to strike across -country to the river as soon as they were out of sight of the -surroundings of the tower. - -Lawrence's mind was so busily occupied with this latest turn of -Fortune's wheel that he forgot, on his flight back to the mine, to keep -a look-out for the Kalmucks. He would scarcely have seen them, for they -heard the hum of the machine from a considerable distance, and, mindful -of former happenings, they concealed themselves behind rocks or among -bushes without making any attempt to check its flight with their rifles. - -About ten miles from the mine Lawrence had a momentary fright. The -engine, which had worked with perfect accuracy ever since the first -experiments, now suddenly missed fire. Before he had time to think of -what he should do if it failed, however, it recovered itself, and gave -him no further anxiety. On coming within sight of the platform, he saw -with relief that Bob was there to meet him; it was clear that all was -well at present. When he alighted he explained the situation of Major -Endicott in a few rapid sentences. Bob walked a few yards along the -pathway, round the curve, and hallooed to Gur Buksh to send some of the -men to him. These carried the wounded sowars to the compound, and -presently returned with more baskets of food, which Bob had ordered to -be prepared for the Major's party on the march. - -"I say, Bob," said Lawrence during the men's absence, "there was a -miss-fire a few miles back." - -"Whew! it's beginning to play tricks then. We've been very lucky so far. -Need you go back?" - -"Oh yes! I told the Major I'd return to cover his march." - -"Let me have a look at it." - -He opened up the engine, examined all its parts, started it. - -"It seems to be working all right. I don't see any grit; if there was -any it's been got rid of. If it should happen again you had better plane -down and wait till the Major reaches you; but I don't think you'll have -any trouble." - -As Lawrence got into his place, he recollected the bombs that lay -beneath the seat that Fazl had occupied. - -"Shift those, Bob, will you?" he said. "It will be rather awkward -without Fazl if I have to use them. Put them as closely within reach as -you can. I shall have to steer with one hand and drop them with the -other." - -"Probably you won't have to use them at all. The Major and four men will -be more than a match for those Kalmuck fellows, who must be getting -famished by this time." - -"The Afghans may be in pursuit, though." - -"But the mere sight of the aeroplane might be enough for them after what -has happened. Still, it's just as well to be prepared. Bluffing -sometimes doesn't come off, and the aeroplane is useless for offensive -action without the bombs. If you do find the Major fighting a rear-guard -action don't be too tender. Strike hard if you strike at all." - -"Well, I'll do what I must. Don't expect us before to-morrow night at -the earliest. I shall have to come down at times, or the petrol won't -last out; and when the Major is within a few miles I'll fly back ahead -of him if all's safe. So long!" - -Bob watched him out of sight. He felt a little anxious; he would have -been alarmed had he known that within five miles of the mine the engine -began to give trouble again. Lawrence was in two minds whether to -return and have it thoroughly overhauled, or to continue on his course. -But he felt that delay might be serious to the Major, and, as before, -the engine might soon right itself. He kept straight on. His hopes -were flattered when, after a minute or two of fitful explosions, the -engine worked normally again. - -But he had only flown about half-way to the tower, as he guessed, when -the trouble recommenced. Hoping against hope, he continued his flight -for a minute or so, until he became convinced that the engine was on the -point of breaking down utterly. He had been preparing himself for the -possibility, but found himself in a serious difficulty now that the -problem actually faced him. The valley at the point which he had -reached was broader than at the mine, and not so rocky or broken up as -it was in many other parts. But it offered few spots where even the -most intrepid and experienced airman would care to risk a descent. The -banks of the river were covered with thick scrub and bushes; here and -there on the hill-side there were patches of brushwood and small clumps -of trees; everywhere the ground was broken. But it was no time for -picking and choosing. If he had not begun to plane down by the time the -engine finally failed, the chances were that he would be smashed to -pieces. - -Casting an anxious look on the ground, he decided to make for an open -space between two belts of woodland. He could not tell whether it was -as level as it seemed; all that he was sure of was that it allowed room -for alighting and was free from considerable obstructions. - -The problem of descent had so fully occupied him that not until he had -actually begun the vol plane did he remember with a thrill of -consternation the dynamite bombs at his feet. For a moment his brain -seemed paralysed; then, as he realized the full measure of his peril, he -braced himself to deal with it. If the ground proved to be less smooth -than it seemed, the shock of alighting might well be severe enough to -explode the dynamite. Then, instead of a broken chassis or a wrenched -stay, and a few bruises--the slight mishaps that had befallen many an -airman--the result would be the complete shattering of the aeroplane and -himself. The only way of safety was to jettison the bombs, and he -instantly stooped to pick them up one by one and cast them over the -side. There followed a series of detonations like pistol-shots much -magnified, each louder than the one before. The bombs fell behind the -aeroplane as it descended in a gliding swoop, and Lawrence was now beset -by a new anxiety: whether, maintaining his control of the machine, he -could get rid of the bombs fast enough to escape risk of damage by the -explosions as he neared the ground. There would have been little or no -danger if he had been flying at speed; but his downward course being at -a rather large angle, the closer he came to the ground, the nearer he -would be to the scene of the last explosion. - -A spectator would have had a poor opinion of the airmanship of the pilot -whose machine was descending so unsteadily. To control planes, -elevator, and rudder; to keep an eye on the ground; and at the same time -to cast the bombs overboard: all these simultaneous tasks put a severe -strain upon his nerve, agility, and judgment. He got rid of the last -bomb within about thirty feet of the ground, and immediately shifted the -elevator to avoid a too sudden landing. It was fortunate that he -checked the descent when he did; but he was too near the ground to -escape altogether. The force of the explosion set the aeroplane rocking -as in a gale of wind. He was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and dust and -fragments of rock. For a moment or two he lost control of the machine, -and instead of alighting evenly, one side hit the ground first, and it -toppled over. Lawrence was flung out. As he rose dizzily to his feet, -he thought himself lucky to have escaped with a few bruises and a pain -in his left ankle, which had apparently been turned over as he fell. - -When he regained his scattered wits he limped to the aeroplane, and -looked at it ruefully. At first sight it appeared to be wrecked, but on -examining it more closely he was relieved to find that the damage was -such as could be repaired with a little care. The left side of the -chassis was twisted; some of the stays were broken, and the left-hand -plane was badly ripped. - -"A narrow squeak," he said to himself. "And now what on earth is to be -done?" - -He sat down and felt his sprained ankle. It was very tender to the -touch, and he realized that he could not set off on foot to meet the -Major, but must remain until he arrived. At a guess he had come about -twenty-five miles from the mine. The Major could not be nearer than ten -miles. He could not expect to see him for three hours at least. The -whole prospect was gloomy. The aeroplane could only be repaired at the -mine, and it was quite impossible for the three sowars and Fazl to -transport it over twenty-five miles of a narrow and difficult track. It -seemed as if the machine must be left where it lay until men could be -fetched from the mine to take it to pieces, and that would need Bob's -superintendence. The proposed flight to the British post was out of the -question, and he knew the Major well enough to be sure that he would -revert to his original intention of making the journey on horseback, -alone. Altogether it was a desperately vexatious plight. - -And then he remembered the Kalmucks, whom for the time he had forgotten. -He had seen nothing of them either going or coming, but unless they had -struck across the hills, which was unlikely, they must be very near to -where he now was. They could not fail to have heard the successive -explosions of the bombs, so that they would be on the alert. They might -have seen the descent of the aeroplane from their lurking places among -the rocks, and if they should guess that he had come to grief, they -would have him at their mercy. As soon as his thoughts took this -direction Lawrence got up and unstrapped his rifle from the aeroplane. -He took his revolver from his pocket; it was uninjured. Then lifting -his field-glass he swept the surrounding country for signs of the enemy. - -He had to admit to himself that his position could scarcely be worse. -The spot on which he had landed was fairly open, but it was surrounded -by broken ground that would give ample cover to an enemy. On two sides, -up- and down-stream, the clumps of woodland approached to within a -hundred yards. Below him, not far away, was the river, lined on both -banks with a thick fringe of brushwood and rushes. Above, the hill rose -gently for a great distance, but it was very rugged, broken by contorted -fissures, through some of which rivulets zigzagged swiftly down to the -river. He swept the country again and again with his glass, and took -some comfort from the absence of any sign of man; but there were so many -places where the Kalmucks might be in hiding that he thought it wise to -seek some secluded spot himself, where he would be better able than on -the open ground to guard against surprise. - -He rose and limped up the slope of the hill. After a little search, he -discovered a hollow about forty yards above the aeroplane, from which he -could take a bird's-eye view of the ground, and where he had a certain -amount of shelter. Thither he carried his rifle, a basket of food and a -flask of water, and lay down to wait with what patience he might for the -coming of Major Endicott. - -It was now midday, and the sun was very hot. For some time he kept a -sharp look-out, examining the country every few minutes through his -field-glass, and creeping from side to side of the hollow so as to -extend and change his view. Presently, however, the great heat and his -failure to discover any trace of the enemy caused him to relax his -vigilance. He was very tired; whenever he moved, his ankle gave him -much pain; and, as at the bridge during his night watch, an oppressive -drowsiness stole upon him, which he found it impossible to shake off. -He would nod, recover himself, vow that it should not happen again, and -in another minute his head would fall forward, and he opened his eyes -bedazed and scarcely realizing where he was. Then once more he raised -the glass to his eyes, and gazed around almost mechanically, only to go -through the same series of nods and starts again. - -Recovering himself after a more prolonged fit of dozing, he rubbed his -eyes, pinched himself, and threw a glance around. His sluggish -faculties were quickened by the sight of something moving in the thin -brushwood at the edge of the northern clump. He quickly lifted his -glass and directed it at the spot, but saw nothing suspicious, and -supposed that either he had been mistaken, or that the moving object had -been some animal which he need not trouble about. But the momentary -suspicion banished his drowsiness; now wide awake, he sat with his back -against the rock, fixing his eyes on the scene in front of him. - -Presently he started. Beyond doubt a figure had run from tree to tree -on the hill-side to the right, a little above him. By the time he had -levelled his glass on the spot the figure had disappeared. He reached -for his rifle, and crouched low in the hollow, peering over its edge. -Next moment his attention was again caught by a movement in the clump of -wood where he had first noticed it. This time he could see, even with -the naked eye, the form of a man bending low. Almost immediately -afterwards another half-perceived movement caused him to look towards a -spot midway between the wood and the place on the hill-side where he had -seen the first form. The top of a skin hat was projecting above a knob -of rock there. - -"Stalking, by George!" he said to himself. - -His first instinct was to seize his rifle; his second to look around for -some way of escape. It was possible that the Kalmucks had not yet -discovered him, though the aeroplane was full in their view; and if he -could only creep among the shrubs into some deep fissure he might yet -elude them. He might even make a dash for it, gain the clump of trees -to the south, and push on to meet Major Endicott. The enemy would -probably waste some time in searching for him--enough to give him a good -start. But he saw at a glance that he could not reach the trees without -crossing the open ground in sight of the enemy, and partially crippled -as he was he could not hope to outstrip them, even if they did not use -in the pursuit the horses which they had had when they slipped past the -mine. His only course was to stay where he was, hoping with good luck to -remain undiscovered. In the last resort he could do some execution -among them with his weapons, though the odds of numbers against him -precluded any idea of his being able to keep them off permanently. - -At that moment he was more concerned about the fate of the aeroplane -than about his own. It would be of no use to the enemy; they would -probably destroy it, and that prospect enraged him. For the first time -he felt a real desire to fight and slay, and wondered whether, when the -enemy came into the open, he might not pick them off one by one. After -all, he thought, his position in the hollow gave him some advantage. -They could not take good aim at him, whereas if they attempted to rush -him across the open space, he could mark them down almost at his -leisure. - -His reflections were suddenly cut short by a rifle-shot. A bullet -struck the ground unpleasantly near him, and sent up a spurt of earth, -some of which struck him. He crouched still lower in the hollow. -Escape was now out of the question: he must simply wait and take what -opening of defending himself offered. - -The shot had been fired from the clump of wood. Immediately afterwards -the man on the hill-side stood erect in the attitude of taking aim. -Lawrence hastily levelled his rifle and took a rough shot at him, with -what effect he could not tell, for his attention was at once called off -by a rush of the man in the wood, who dashed forward over several yards -towards a patch of bush nearer to the hollow. Lawrence felt that his -position was even worse than he had supposed. The enemy had scattered -with a definite plan. They meant to work their way gradually towards -him under cover, distracting him by firing in turn, until they thought -it possible to overwhelm him with a final rush from several sides. He -wished he had acted on his first impulse to sprint towards the wood on -the south. Was it possible even now to do it? A sudden twinge in his -ankle gave him the answer. They had him in a trap. - -[Illustration: THE KALMUCKS MAKE A PRISONER] - -And then he saw something flickering by a tree up the hill-side. It -seemed to be a piece of cloth. Was it a flag of truce? While he was -watching it there was a patter of feet behind him. Three men had risen -as it were out of the earth southwards of the hollow. Before he could -rise they flung themselves upon him. He was dashed to the ground. He -made desperate efforts to free himself, writhing, kicking, trying to -free one of his hands to use his revolver. But they pinned him down: one -snatched his revolver from him, the others held him firmly by the neck -and feet, and when his hopeless struggles ceased they whipped off their -leather girdles and tied him up so that he was unable to move. Then -they turned him on his back, uttering guttural grunts of satisfaction, -and he looked up into the malicious faces of Nurla Bai and Black Jack. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH - - A FRIEND IN NEED - - -Even a philosopher, we know, cannot bear the toothache patiently. Every -one has at one time or another recognized in himself the unphilosophic -tendency to feel irritation at some trivial thing--a speck of mud on -one's clean collar, a hair in one's soup. We have all been much more -deeply annoyed by a slight blemish or mishap than troubled at a really -grave misfortune. - -The plight in which Lawrence now found himself was serious enough to -justify an access of rage or despair. But it was not his capture or his -bonds that inflicted the severest pang upon his self-esteem. It was the -sight of Nurla Bai and his dwarfish henchman making free with the -sardine sandwiches which Shan Tai had put up for his especial -delectation. - -When they had bound him, the three Kalmucks glanced around, spied the -basket a few feet away, and rushed at it with cries of delight. -Lawrence looked on in disgust as they wolfed the eatables--too delicate -for their untutored palates, too unsubstantial to appease their ravenous -appetite. He felt a thrill of joy when, on the remainder of the party -coming up, until there were nine altogether, the new arrivals clamoured -for a share, and began to push and snatch just as he had seen a flock of -greedy sparrows pecking at one another over a single crust. But though -these thieves were falling out, there was no chance of the honest man -coming by his own. - -The contents of the basket soon disappeared, and the men looked round -wolfishly for more. At sight of the aeroplane hope flashed upon them, -and with one consent they ran to realize it. Lawrence could no longer -see them over the edge of the hollow, but he heard their shouts of glee, -the creaking of basket lids, and then the steady smacking of eighteen -busy lips as they fell upon the viands provided for Major Endicott and -his men. He was very angry. He felt not a touch of sympathy for them -in their famishment. To him they were merely gluttons, not starving -fellow-creatures. - -During their absence he tried to wriggle out of his bonds, but the work -had been well done, and he lay still, wondering what was to become of -him. They had not killed him: he was suddenly aware of that agreeable -fact, though his pleasure in it was damped when he foresaw a possible -long captivity. While they gulped and gloated his thoughts ran round a -ring. Would they carry him on with them, going southward? Then they -would meet Major Endicott, and there would be a fight. If they, -fortified by his own food, should get the upper hand, he would still be -their helpless prisoner. If they were beaten, it would be consistent -with Nurla Bai's ferocious temper to kill him before taking to flight. -Either way, his case would be deplorable. - -Presently the men came back to him, still munching and smacking their -lips. A villainous crew they looked. Besides Nurla Bai and Black Jack, -there were two other miners; the rest, differently and more martially -clad, were evidently part of the advancing force. They sat down at the -edge of the hollow, chewing the cud of excellent victuals and of sweet -exaltation of mind. Lawrence writhed as he realized how completely -these ruffians had outwitted him. The men in front of him a while ago -had been simply holding his attention, while the others crept upon him -from behind. It was humiliating--one more proof, he thought, that he -was certainly not cut out for a soldier. - -At first the men did nothing but grunt, like pigs that have gorged -themselves. Their little eyes rested on their prisoner indolently, as -though he were an object of no importance. By and by they began to talk -to one another, and then to throw taunting and insolent remarks at him. -His knowledge of the niceties of abuse of which their tongue was capable -was limited, but he understood enough to make his blood boil. But he -discreetly held his peace: he would not flatter them by bandying abuse. - -When they had thus enjoyed themselves for a while, Nurla Bai rose, and -planted himself within a few feet of Lawrence. - -"What is the good of the great hummingbird now?" he said with a sneer. -"Those that hunt partridges ought not to make a noise." - -It flashed upon Lawrence that the man supposed that the aeroplane had -been in pursuit of him. Evidently he was unaware that a party was -marching down the track towards the mine. It was just as well to -flatter his error. Lawrence made no reply. - -"The little tins missed their mark," Nurla Bai went on. "Too much haste -spoils the hunt. The hawk has broken its wing, I perceive. Perhaps it -can be mended?" - -Lawrence reflected that by telling the truth he might gain a little time -and save the aeroplane from destruction. - -"Yes; it can be mended," he said, "but not here. The damage is slight, -but the machine is quite useless as it is." - -The Kalmuck sat looking at him, apparently following out a train of -thought. - -"How long might it take a man to learn how to use the wings?" he said at -length. - -Lawrence caught the drift of the question. - -"Perhaps six months, perhaps a year," he said. "It depends on the man." - -Nurla Bai looked disappointed; clearly he had hoped to appropriate the -machine, get it mended, and then make instant use of it. He considered -for a little, and then said-- - -"The hunter is caught in his own toils. You are now as my servant, to -do whatsoever I command. It is a change. Give me the mine: I give you -the machine." - -"That is foolishness. Bob Sahib will never give up the mine." - -"We shall see," said the man with a leer. "When he beholds you in my -hands, and knows that if he refuses you will be shot, and the machine -broken up, I think he will be wise." - -At this Lawrence saw a ray of hope in the situation. If they took him -back to the mine as a hostage, Major Endicott would discover the -abandoned aeroplane and push on with all speed. But he soon discovered -that his captors had no intention of abandoning the aeroplane. Nurla Bai -no doubt reckoned on the sight of it in his hands having a very potent -effect on the other sahib at the mine. After a consultation among -themselves, the men went into the wood, and began to fell some of the -smaller trees, and to lop branches from the larger. In a short time -they had collected a considerable quantity. They carried these down to -the river, and set about binding them into a raft with rushes and rods -of osier. When this was done, they hauled the aeroplane to it, placed -it in the middle, and proceeded to weave a long grass rope, which they -attached to the rear of the raft. Then one of the men, carrying a -straight sapling, mounted behind the aeroplane, and the whole -contrivance was pushed into the stream. - -The Kalmucks gave a shout of satisfaction on seeing the raft float down -with the current. Two men held the rope to check its speed in the more -rapid reaches of the river. The man upon it used his pole to fend it -off rocks and snags. The others fetched their horses from the wood in -which they had been tethered. On one of these Lawrence was mounted, -with his hands still tied. Black Jack rode alongside, firmly grasping -the bridle. Thus, when the afternoon was already far advanced, they -began the march in the direction of the mine. - -Lawrence had not looked on without expostulation at the handling of the -aeroplane, but Nurla Bai ignored his protests. When he saw it swaying -and jolting on the raft, he expected it to be irretrievably ruined -before it had gone many miles on its course. The river, everywhere -rapid, became a torrent in the gorges; and at these narrow places -Lawrence anticipated that the raft would be whirled and cast about -utterly beyond control, driven on one bank or the other, or smashed on -some rock in mid-stream. But he discovered that the Kalmucks had been -as much alive to the risks as he was himself, and his opinion of Nurla -Bai rose. Just before coming to a gorge, they drew the raft to the -bank, lifted the aeroplane, and carried it overland until the river -broadened again. The man with the pole remained by the raft until his -comrades were a long way in advance; then he let it race down the gorge -unchecked and followed it along the bank, to find that it had been -recovered at the further end. - -The party had been marching for about an hour when they were met by -three other Kalmucks, tramping wearily up the track on foot. Lawrence -recognized them as miners. They had either not been furnished with -horses by the advanced guard beyond the mine, or had had their steeds -shot under them during the scamper in the darkness. Nurla Bai gave -these hungry men a portion of the provisions that were still left, and -they turned about and marched with the rest down-stream. The journey -was continued until the growing darkness rendered further advance -impossible. Mooring the raft to a tree on the bank, the men prepared to -camp for the night, on a moss-covered space just above. Lawrence was -lifted from the horse; his feet were again tied; and he was laid in the -centre of the encampment. The horses were tethered in a copse hard by, -and when a fire had been lighted a few yards northward of the bivouac, -the men disposed themselves in a wide circle about their prisoner, and -devoted themselves to the remnants of the provisions. No one offered -Lawrence a share--a lack of courtesy which did not trouble him. No one -spoke to him; but there was no charm in their conversation. They -scarcely even looked at him; he suffered nothing from their neglect. He -wished they would not eat so noisily; and when, having gobbled the last -scraps of the food intended for Major Endicott and his party, they sat -with their knees up, and chattered across him in their rasping voices, -he felt that no one could be said to have a complete experience of the -minor troubles of life who had not been an enforced companion of -Kalmucks. - -A great deal of what they said was incomprehensible to him, but he -caught a phrase now and then that interested him in spite of himself. -One concerned his uncle. Nurla Bai was apparently relating, for the -benefit of the strangers from the north, the doughty deeds he had -recently performed. Among them he ranked the shooting of the Englishman -who had been his employer. From what he said, Lawrence gathered that -the disappearance of Mr. Appleton was as great a disappointment to the -miners as to himself. They joked about it, however; Nurla Bai became -facetious as he described the consternation of the fishes as they beheld -the body of an Englishman, strange monster, sinking into their midst. -It was fortunate that Lawrence did not understand the idiomatic -beastliness with which the man depicted the gruesome feast then -celebrated on the stony bottom of the river. - -Another flight of the Kalmuck's fancy afforded him much amusement. -Nurla Bai gave rein to his eloquence in picturing the scenes that Delhi -was soon to witness: Ubacha Khan sitting in state on the ancient throne -of the Moguls, withering with his frown the throng of cowed and -shivering Englishmen who grovelled at his feet, and beslobbered them -with tears as they pleaded vainly for mercy. Lawrence heard for the -first time of the exquisite tortures which Mongol ingenuity could devise -for helpless prisoners; and while he was amused at the picture conjured -up of British officers suing a new Mogul emperor for pardon, he was -horrified at the mere imagination of the cruelties which these wretches -discussed with such gloating inhumanity. - -Lying on his back, he could see half the ring of his captors, their -squat forms silhouetted against the glow of the camp-fire, their yellow -faces blanched by the moonlight now flooding the valley. He raised his -eyes to the hills beyond, watching the magical play of the silvery -radiance upon the peaks and promontories, making the snow sparkle; -searching, as it were, the black crannies and caverns. But he soon -found his interest in this wonderful illumination yield to his sense of -cold. This region was one of extremes of temperature: the torrid heat -of day being succeeded by Arctic cold at night. The Kalmucks did not -appear conscious of it; they were inured to the climate; but to -Lawrence, compelled to lie motionless, the chilliness became painful, -and the warm glow of the camp-fire mocked him tantalizingly. - -He was to prove, this night, the contrariness of fate. Twice before, -when he had wished above all things to keep awake, drowsiness had -overcome him; now, when he would have given anything for the oblivion of -sleep, physical discomfort and the burden of his thoughts banished sleep -from his eyes. The Kalmucks became less talkative as the night wore on; -presently their voices ceased altogether, and they slept. Lawrence -preferred their snores to their conversation; they formed a descant to -the unvarying ground bass of the river droning below. Every now and then -the cry of a night-bird in the mountains added its shrill treble to the -harmony. - -The moon sank behind the crest of the hills; black darkness stole over -the valley; and the untended watch-fire sank lower and lower, until its -glow was too faint even to show up the slumbering forms of the Kalmucks. -Lawrence might have wondered that they had not set a watch but for his -knowledge that they were quite unsuspicious of the enemy higher up the -stream, and that his bonds were only too firm. His thoughts flitted to -Major Endicott and his little band; where were they now? How did they -regard his failure to return to them? Had they, too, encamped for the -night? Was there the least possibility that the hours spent in stalking -him and in constructing the raft would have given them time to draw so -near that with morning light they would come upon the encampment, or -overtake the Kalmucks during the ensuing day? And what was to be the -final issue of all these strange events? Would he, or Bob, ever come -out of the entanglement in which they had been so suddenly involved? - -His anxious meditation was broken short by a slight sound behind him. -He turned his head--it was the only part of his body that he could -move--and stretched his ear towards the spot whence the sound had seemed -to come. Perhaps it was one of the Kalmucks stirring in his -sleep--rising, possibly, to cast fuel upon the dying fire. He could see -nothing. Twisting his neck until it ached, he tried to pierce the -blackness, listening keenly for a repetition of the sound. He heard -only the regular snores of the men sleeping nine or ten feet away. - -But there seemed to be something moving between him and them--a -something darker than the night itself, creeping along the ground. It -could not be a wild animal; no ibex, nor even a bear unless pressed by -hunger, would have come within the scent of him; there were no tigers or -leopards in these regions; could it be a man?--one of his own people? -Tingling with a flush of hope, he lay perfectly still, fearful lest even -the beating of his heart should betray his excitement to the enemy. - -There was a rustling movement near him; it seemed to come nearer; then -he shuddered involuntarily as he felt something touch him. It flashed -upon him that one of the Kalmucks was going to murder him, and for a -moment he had to exercise stern control over his nerves to repress a -cry. A cold shiver trickled down his back, and he broke out in a clammy -sweat as he felt a rough hand pass over him--over his face, aside to his -arms, down to his feet. He durst not utter a sound, hope and fear -jostling in his brain. - -The hand left him. There was a moment of suspense. Then in his ear -breathed a whisper. - -"Sahib, lie still!" - -He felt the hand again, then a pressure upon his arm--a pressure that -increased and diminished in rapid alternation. He throbbed with joy. -Some one--was it Fazl?--was sawing at his bonds. The sound made by the -knife or sword was scarcely perceptible; yet to his feverish -apprehension it seemed loud enough to waken the heaviest sleeper. Soon -he was conscious that his arms were free, and he ventured to move them -stealthily to ease them of their numbness. The pressure was transferred -to his feet, and after some moments of quivering anxiety he felt that -these also were released from their bonds. Then cold metal touched his -hand, and his eager fingers clasped over a grooved hilt. - -"Sahib, a minute to rest, then follow me," whispered the voice. - -He could hardly endure the waiting, though he knew it was intended to -give him command of his limbs. - -"Sahib, now!" - -He raised himself on all fours, and began to creep after his deliverer, -a black form crawling towards the ring of sleeping Kalmucks. - -The Gurkha--for it was he--had almost passed between and beyond the two -men who lay stretched towards the track, when a hand shot out and -gripped him by the ankle. At the same moment the owner of the hand gave -a shout, his companions started up, and Bob leapt to his feet. As soon -as he felt the touch upon him, Fazl wriggled like a snake, his right -hand groping towards the dark form beneath him. There was a groan, and -he stood free. - -A foot or two behind him, Bob came to a halt when he dimly saw the two -figures writhing on the ground. When one of them sprang up, he was not -sure for the moment whether it was friend or foe. A murmured word -reassured him, and he was ready to go on. But his way was blocked. -Roused by their comrade's cry, the Kalmucks hurled themselves in a -shouting mass across the open space. One of them kicked up the embers -of the expiring fire, and a dull glow illuminated the scene. It lent -aid to the fugitives, who were themselves in shadow. But for his -sprained ankle Lawrence could have sprinted away into the darkness; Fazl -might by this time have been out of harm's way, but the little man, -perplexed and anxious at his master's dilatoriness, turned to his -assistance. Lawrence had been checked by a man who sprang at him from -the left. He had no time to swing round and bring into play the right -hand clutching Fazl's knife; but, instinctively shooting out his left -hand, by good luck he got home upon his opponent's chin. There was -little 'body' in the blow, delivered so rapidly and at such close -quarters; yet his muscles were hard, and the man staggered and fell in a -heap. - -At this moment Fazl rushed to his side, in time to engage a group of the -enemy who had now got their bearings and were rushing towards him. That -moss-carpeted enclosure was the scene of a struggle as extraordinary as -it was short. The little Gurkha twirled and twisted, sprang high, bent -low, legs and arms gyrating with a rapidity that the eye of a spectator -could scarcely have followed. It was as though some infuriated gnome -had sprung out of the bowels of the earth, and was executing a fantastic -dance among men bewildered by his demoniacal antics. But it was a dance -of death. The red glow of the newly rekindled fire flashed upon a -terrible kukuri, which whirled in circles, ovals, parabolas, and fifty -unnamed curves, carving intricate luminous patterns on the night. Nor -were these evolutions purposeless: every stroke of the keen nimble blade -was directed by the keener mind of the man wielding it. Here it struck -up a knife, there a rifle; now it pierced a shoulder, now grazed a head; -so swift in its darting movements that it seemed multiplied into a dozen -weapons each barbed with fire. - -While the Gurkha was thus in the ecstasy of sword-play, keeping half the -party of Kalmucks urgently engaged, Lawrence was in difficulties. The -knife given him by Fazl was no doubt sharp and deadly, but it was a -weapon to whose use no Englishman is bred, and demanded, though not so -much free space as a sword, yet a certain amount of elbow room for its -effective employment. Lawrence had only just felled his first assailant -when he was himself beset by two or three at once. Half conscious of -stinging sensations in arm and thigh he lashed out with left fist and -right hand grasping the knife, but lost his footing, stumbled, and fell -to the ground with his aggressors on top of him, snarling like wolves. -He found himself with his left hand gripping one of them by the throat: -his own right wrist was held as in a vice. Struggling to wrench himself -free, he rolled over, dragging the panting enemy with him, their -movements carrying them nearer and nearer to the camp-fire; and in a -sudden flicker of light he recognized the savage features of Black Jack. - -In sheer muscular strength he was no match for the Kalmuck dwarf. Under -the crushing pressure of Black Jack's fierce grip his hold on the knife -was relaxing: the weapon was slipping from him. His hold upon the man's -throat weakened; the Kalmuck was digging his nails into his left arm. -As the under dog he was not able to cope with the man pressing him down. -The knife dropped to the ground; his wrist was suddenly released; he -felt a bony hand at his own throat, and had given himself up for lost, -when a wild discordant clamour broke out close by, drowning all other -sounds. For an instant Black Jack was perfectly still: then, wrenching -himself away, he sprang to his feet and leapt into the darkness. - -Lawrence got up more slowly, every muscle and nerve quivering. He had -just seen that the space around was empty of living men, when a film -seemed to fall upon his eyes. He tottered, and sank fainting upon the -ground. - -When he reopened his eyes, the flush of morning lay upon the valley. He -raised his head. - -"That's right," said Major Endicott, stepping from behind him. "How do -you feel?" - -"Rather groggy, Major," replied Lawrence. "Those fellows struck me, I -think." - -"A gash or two: nothing to speak of. What bowled you over was hunger -and fatigue, I suspect. We've got a few scraps left, which will keep -you going until we reach your mine." - -"Is Fazl all right?" - -"As jolly as a sandboy, though rather dilapidated. It's lucky I carry a -case of sticking plaster with me; he's pretty considerably patched--much -more than you are. You slept pretty soundly through my amateur -surgery." - -"And the Kalmucks?" - -"Gone elsewhere--all that were left of them. That machine of yours -played you false then?" - -"Yes, the engine failed, and I had to come down. I was rather bothered -with getting rid of my bombs and controlling the thing at the same time, -and made a hash of it--sprained my ankle, too. I was waiting for you, -and the beggars stalked me. I was a silly ass to let them take me -unawares." - -"What were they going to do with you?" - -"Offer me and the aeroplane in exchange for the mine--as if Bob would -listen to any rot like that! - -"Well, the aeroplane isn't worth much now, I suspect, but I fancy Bob -might be disposed to think you good value for the mine. However, that's -all off. The aeroplane's done for, of course?" - -"Not a bit of it. We can put it to rights in a day." - -"Warrant it?" - -"Yes. Our bargain holds if you'll risk it. I'm more than sorry this -happened, if it's going to dish your plan, Major." - -"It shan't do that. Taking risks is part of my job--and yours too, as -it happens." - -"I'm jolly glad you came up when you did. In another minute you would -have been too late." - -"You've got to thank your Gurkha for that. We were marching up pretty -briskly--had no trouble from the Afghans--and the Gurkha declared he -heard the sound of your bombs far ahead. None of us had heard anything, -but the little chap was so positive that I thought we'd be on the safe -side and hurry up. Judging by the march we made, the sound must have -travelled nearly ten miles--not impossible in this air, I suppose; I -confess I was sceptical at first, and only began to feel anxious when -you didn't return within the time stated. - -"We came upon the tracks of the aeroplane some miles up; there was -litter of all sorts about--scraps of food, broken branches and what not, -and I feared you'd smashed yourself and your machine, only we couldn't -find any pieces of it. But we found your rifle and field-glass in a -little hollow, and the Gurkha guessed that you had tumbled among the -Kalmucks. An hour after dark we caught sight of the camp-fire. The -Gurkha volunteered to creep up and reconnoitre, so the rest of us -halted, waiting for his report. - -"He's a clever little chap, with a double dose of Gurkha courage. He -came back very soon and told me he'd seen you tied up among them, and -about the raft and so on. My sowars wanted to rush the place, but it -struck me that that might be the end of you. The first instinct of such -barbarians would be to knife their prisoner. It was a bit of a -quandary--and the Gurkha came out strong again. It was his suggestion -that he should creep into the camp and release you before we moved." - -"Plucky little chap!" said Lawrence warmly. - -"A treasure! The noise of the scuffle brought us up hot-foot, and the -only thing I regret is that, as the Gurkha informed me, the ringleaders, -those rascally miners of yours, got away.... Now the sooner we get to -your mine the better. You had better sit my horse. As all our food is -gone, we shall have a strong motive for hurry, so we ought to get home -before night. Of course if you think you can't stand it we'll take our -time." - -"No: I'm fit enough. Your men will look after the raft?" - -He explained the method by which the aeroplane had been taken safely -past the gorges, and the Major went off to instruct his men. - -Lawrence summoned Fazl, who was resting on a grassy knoll overlooking -the river. - -"I owe you my life; you're a brave fellow, and I thank you," he said. - -Fazl's plastered face broadened in a grin. - -"Wah! sahib, the Kalmucks are pigs, and their hearts melt like butter. -The sahib's servant is unworthy of praise. It is a small thing to do -for the heaven-born." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST - - THE FRONTIER HOUSE - - -Some ninety miles southward of the tower in which Major Endicott had -been besieged, on the bare summit of a low hill, stood a solitary -building of stone, known to the British officers of the borderland as a -frontier house. It had no pretentions to architectural excellence, -consisting of a square tower, somewhat resembling a truncated -chimney-stack, crowned by a small turret on a platform, which looked -like a square straight-brimmed Quaker hat. Adjoining the tower was a -sloping wall twenty feet high, that formed one side of an enclosure, -within which were a number of rudely built huts, set up against the -inward side of the wall. Neither tower nor wall had any windows, but in -the latter a doorway gave entrance to the interior. - -One day Dafadar Narrain Khan was squatting with a few of his sowars on -the wall of the enclosure, looking out over the country before him. The -building commanded a prospect extending for many miles. Its immediate -vicinity was barren, stony ground; one scraggy tree raised its wizened -branches at the angle of the wall. A narrow track wound through this -wilderness from the doorway down the hill to the plain below, meandering -northward among boulders and patches of sparse vegetation until it was -lost to sight amid the dark pine-trees that covered the lower slopes of -the distant hills. Beyond, as far as the eye could reach, these hills -stretched, an endless series of scarps and eminences, cleft by tortuous -ravines and breaking away here and there into sheer precipices. In the -remote distance, a jagged snow-clad ridge flashed with purple and gold -in the rays of the sun. In the opposite direction, southward, the -country was rugged but less hilly. A metalled road wound away into the -distance. At regular intervals on one side of it stood tall posts, -carrying a telegraph wire that emerged from a hole in the tower wall. - -As the troopers sat there chatting, with their rifles in the hollow of -their arms, there was a sudden cry from the sentinel posted alone on the -top of the tower. - -"Hai, dafadar! I see a speck moving in the sky far away," he shouted. - -"How far away, Coja?" called the dafadar. - -"Seven kos at least," was the reply. - -"The speck is in your own eye, my son," cried the dafadar, and the men -about him laughed: Coja was always seeing something! - -The sentinel shouted a word of expostulation, then was silent, and the -others resumed the conversation he had interrupted. - -Half an hour passed away. The time came for changing the guard. One of -the men rose, sauntered along the wall, disappeared through a narrow -opening in the tower, and presently emerged on the summit. Apparently -he had a brief altercation with the man he had relieved. In five minutes -Coja came from the tower along the wall. - -"Wah! you may mock, dafadar," he said; "but I declare by the beard of my -father I saw a speck--a black speck moving." - -"You have chewed too much betel, Coja," said the dafadar with composure. -"I too have seen dancing specks when my stomach was out of order." - -"Yes, but do those motes in the eye grow larger? Do they swell from the -size of a pinpoint to the size of a little bird, and then to a great -one? I thought at first it was peradventure an eagle of the mountains, -but, inshallah! no eagle could look so large such a great way off. Is -there a bird bigger than an eagle? Speak out of your great knowledge, -dafadar." - -"There is none, foolish one--none that flies, though I have heard of a -great bird that runs upon the ground swifter than the iron horse that -runs on rails; the mem-sahibs wear its feathers in their hats." - -"Hai! what was this great thing, then? I saw it, and rubbed my eyes, -and lo! when I looked again, it wheeled about, and soared away towards -the Afghan country, and passed behind a crag yonder, and I saw it no -more." - -"Wonderful eyes you have, Coja, and a wonderful tongue! Do we not know -your tales? What of the tiger with two heads you saw once in a tree? and -the elephant that caught you up and put you on his head? and that time -when you swallowed a cherry-stone, and leaves began to sprout among your -hair? Wah! we know his stories, my children; we know how the lies flow -out of his mouth like water from a spring." - -"Mashallah! Do I not speak truth?" cried the man indignantly. He was a -by-word for romancing among his fellows, and, like all liars, resented -any imputation on his veracity. "There is no wisdom in you. Many a -great thing that I have told you you have believed: now when I tell you -a little thing, you say 'Wah! he is a liar.'" - -"But it was a great thing you saw, Coja-ji--bigger than an eagle, said -you, when we know there is nothing bigger than an eagle that flies. Wah! -at least when you are on duty, you must resist these promptings of the -Evil One, else it will end in Jehannum. And look you, Coja, when your -turn for watching comes again, keep your eyes on the ground, my friend; -do not look for the stars in daylight." - -Highly offended, the man walked away, descended the steps within the -wall, and retired to sulk, like Achilles, in his tent. - -About an hour later the dafadar and his men, who had scarcely changed -their position, were again hailed from the roof. - -"A speck on the track, dafadar," cried the sentinel; "moving this way, -like a fly crawling, very far off." - -"Hai! that is news," said the dafadar, slowly rising to his feet. "A -speck on the ground is worth looking at; in the sky it proceeds from -overeating." Raising his voice, he called to the sentinel: "Hai, Selim, -I come to see." - -Followed by several of the troopers, he mounted to the roof, and taking -the telescope from Selim's hand, examined the track, tracing it back for -miles until he discerned the moving object. So remote was it that even -with the telescope he could distinguish it only as a human being: -whether shepherd, mendicant, or fakir he could not tell, and a single -pedestrian must, he thought, be one of these three. - -"Perhaps he is a dak runner from Ennicott Sahib," suggested one of the -men. "The sahib went in that direction." - -"Wah! a dak runner would run, not crawl," said another. "Let us look -through the long glass, dafadar." - -The telescope was passed round. No one could as yet identify the -figure. They were all keenly interested. For several days they had not -seen a solitary man outside the walls, though they had kept unremitting -watch, having been instructed to be on the alert to discover any -movements of men in that region. The figure approached slowly--too -slowly for their impatience. All eyes were riveted upon it, and when -Selim with the telescope reported that it was completely clad in khaki -uniform and not in shepherd's choga, or the scanty tatters of a -mendicant, the troopers' excitement grew. - -"Hai! he stops!" cried Selim presently. "He waves a white cloth. It is -a signal, dafadar." - -Narrain Khan took the telescope and gazed at the figure. He felt a -little perplexed as to what he ought to do. In time of peace he would -not have hesitated to send out a couple of men to discover who the -stranger was; but there were rumours of war, and the Captain Sahib had -given orders that no man should be allowed to leave the post except -under the gravest circumstances. He wondered whether the present case -came within his licence. The man was clad in khaki: that was something -in his favour. He was waving a white flag: that was reassuring. He had -seated himself on a knoll beside the track: perhaps he wanted help. - -The dafadar lowered the telescope and turned to his men. - -"Go, you two," he said, "ride out on your ponies and see who the -stranger is, and what his business. Have a care, lest there are -badmashes lurking near. The stranger may be a decoy. Have a care, I -say, for when you have ridden down the slope we cannot protect you." - -The men descended through the tower, and were presently seen trotting -down the track. Every yard of their progress was followed intently by -the garrison. Their diminishing forms were lost to the watchers at -intervals through the windings of the track and the inequalities of the -ground. Presently they were seen, little more than dots, moving side by -side along the straight stretch at the farther end of which the solitary -stranger could still be discerned. - -They approached him, came to a halt, and dismounted. After a minute or -two the party separated. Two men proceeded northward along the track, -one on horseback, the other on foot. The third man rode in the opposite -direction towards the house. - -The whole garrison of eighteen men were now mustered, some on the roof, -some on the wall, silent, their eyes fixed on the slowly approaching -horseman. By and by it was seen that he was not either of the two who -had lately ridden down. Then the dafadar, who had the telescope at his -eyes, suddenly exclaimed: - -"Mashallah! It is Ennicott Sahib!" - -Amid a chorus of ejaculations he hurried down to the courtyard, mounted -his horse, and galloped down the track to meet the officer. The -strangeness of that meeting formed the theme of a discourse to the men -of the garrison later in the day. - -"When I came near enough to see the face of the huzur," said Narrain -Khan, "I beheld that it was the face of a sick man. His left arm hung -straight at his side like the broken leg of a sheep. I was on the point -of invoking the mercy of Allah upon the huzur--is he not the light of -our eyes?--when his great voice sounded in my ears like the voice of a -trumpet, and before even I could make my salaam he cried--what think you -were the words of the great one?" - -"'Water, for I am athirst,'" suggested one man. - -"Wah! does the huzur think of himself? You speak as a witless babe." - -"'Is all well?'" said another. - -"Wah!" cried the dafadar with scorn and indignation. "Could the -heaven-born ask so foolish a question knowing that I, Narrain Khan, am -in charge of this house? No: the words of the huzur--and they were very -strange--were these: 'Hai, dafadar! have you got any paraffin?'" - -"Inshallah! what is paraffin to the heaven-born? And what said you, -dafadar?" - -"I was so astonished that I could but speak out the simple truth. -'Truly, sahib!' said I, 'we have some few tins with which to replenish -our lamps.' And then the huzur commanded me to send six men with one -large tin, that one man might easily carry, along the track to the foot -of the hills yonder, and give it to a sahib they would find reclining -there." - -"Another sahib! Who is he?" - -"And for what purpose the paraffin, dafadar?" - -"That I know not. The huzur did not tell me that, but told me that he -had already sent to the sahib those two young men I had ordered to meet -him. And you saw how, when the huzur dismounted at the gate, he -staggered, and caught me to prop him: and when I asked him to lie down -and let us see to his hurt, he made that sound with the lips that the -sahibs make when they are impatient, as if I had said some foolish -thing, and bade me lead him straightway to the clicking-room, and there -he is now: you can hear the clicking-devil, like little hammers tapping. -Truly I begin to think there are many strange things to tell the Sirkar -far away." - -"Hai! I did see a speck in the sky," said Coja solemnly. - -Major Endicott, though half fainting with pain and exhaustion, had gone -straight to the room in which the telegraph instruments were kept, and -shut himself in. For nearly an hour he worked at the keys with a -rapidity acquired by much practice. Before he had finished, the second -instrument at his side was mechanically recording the answers to his -message. Having read these off, he staggered to the door and summoned -the dafadar. - -"Fenton Sahib will be here in three hours," he said. "There will be -also the sahib from the hills. Get some food and a bath ready for him, -and tell Hosein to come and see to my arm." - -Some two hours later the Major was awakened from a profound sleep by a -hubbub among the men on the wall. Going out to them, he found them -excitedly watching an aeroplane soaring rapidly towards them from the -hills. Coja was loudly proclaiming that the flying object proved his -truthfulness: no one could any longer deny that he had seen a speck in -the sky. - -A few minutes after it had been sighted the aeroplane sank to rest on -the open space in front of the tower. Loud cries of wonder broke from -the men when there stepped out of it a young sahib, limping slightly, -followed by one of the two sowars who had gone out to meet the major. -The trooper greeted his comrades with an air of triumph, and swaggered -up to them with an ineffable look of importance. They surrounded him, -and listened with admiring envy while he detailed his first impressions -of flight through the air. - -Meanwhile the Major took Lawrence into the officers' room, where he -bathed, and ate the lunch Narrain Khan had provided. He had just -finished when there was the clatter of hoofs outside, and in a few -minutes entered Captain Fenton, who had ridden up with half a dozen -sowars from the fort fifteen miles to the south. - -"Hullo, major, you look pretty dicky!" said the newcomer, glancing -curiously from the major's bandaged arm to Lawrence. - -"Yes, I've had a knock. Let me introduce you. Lawrence -Appleton--you've heard of Harry Appleton--Captain Fenton." - -"I see they've sent us an aeroplane, Endicott," said the captain, -shaking hands with Lawrence. "An unexpected gift! I thought all the -aeroplanes were scouting Kabul way--all there are; they've got a dozen -or so, on paper, and a regiment of airmen, also on paper: most of us -believed they weren't born yet! Which way did you come, Mr. Appleton?" - -"You'd better sit down and listen, Fenton," the major interposed. -"There's a lot to say, and not much time to say it in. We're in for the -hottest time since the Mutiny--and if I'm not mistaken, hotter than the -Mutiny at its worst: I mean generally, for there won't be any Cawnpores -or Lucknows, I hope. You know that the Afghans are up?" - -"Yes: we've mobilized along the frontier: they won't get across." - -The Major smiled grimly. - -"After I'd wired you to come in," he said, "I got into communication -with the Chief at Peshawar and the Viceroy at Delhi. The Amir has just -fled to Peshawar: Kabul's in the hands of the Mongols." - -"By Jove!" - -"The cat's out of the bag at last. That huge concentration about -Bokhara was not to be launched at Russia after all. I suppose we were -too self-assured to twig it--just as in the Mutiny time. Plenty of -information, little imagination. But we have it now. There are pretty -nearly half a million of the fiercest ruffians in Central Asia marching -down on us--almost all mounted, and they're fellows who live on -horseback, and are moving with amazing speed. They've cajoled or bought -over the best part of the Afghans--silly fools, for if the Mongols beat -us they'd swallow Afghanistan for dessert. There are a hundred thousand -in and about Kabul." - -"It's astonishing that they managed to keep things so quiet. They must -have been intriguing and negotiating for months." - -"Again, just as in the Mutiny. I've not heard of chapattis passing -round, but they've had their secret signs, without doubt. The one good -thing about the present circumstances is that the Afghans are not -actually on the march yet. They're probably waiting to see how the cat -jumps. Of course we've always relied on them more or less as a buffer -against Russia, calculating that they'd hold up the invaders at Herat -until we'd had time to line the frontier. Anyway, we can't expect any -help from them now, for if they're not actually hand in glove with the -Mongols they're neutral, for a time. You said we'd mobilized, didn't -you? I've been away a fortnight." - -"Yes. With the most tremendous exertions we've got 100,000 men across -the frontier, and they're holding the passes. Only just in time, -evidently. It ought to have been an easy job: and so it was--on paper. -But it's years since the paper scheme was drawn up, and they've been -paring down in the usual British way--economizing, they call it. The -result is that arrangements for transport and supplies are all at sixes -and sevens. They've had to reduce the frontier garrisons to mere -skeletons in order to make up the strength of the field army." - -"The Chief wired me just now that troops are being pushed up from all -parts, but the railways are so horribly congested that it'll be weeks -before they're on the spot. I fancy I made him jump with my news." - -"You've got something fresh then?" - -"There are twenty thousand Kalmucks marching up the Nogi valley." - -"The Nogi valley! But I've always understood it's impassable. Isn't -that where poor old Harry Appleton has his mine? ... Beg pardon, I'm -sure," he added, turning to Lawrence. "I forgot he's a relative of -yours." - -"My uncle," said Lawrence. - -"I'm glad to think it is for the moment impassable," said the major, -"owing to the pluck and readiness of Appleton here and his brother. But -the Kalmucks traded on our self-confidence. No one would have dreamed -that any considerable force would try to push its way up that difficult -track; they _are_ trying it, and their object, without a doubt, is to -cut the communications of the army operating in Afghanistan. If they -penetrate to fifty miles this side of the Appleton mine nothing but a -whole division can check them. The Chief wired that he can't spare a -man at the moment, and said the valley must be held at all costs for a -week." - -"But man alive, that's impossible! We haven't three hundred men all -told within a hundred miles of it. If we rushed them down for all we -were worth three hundred couldn't hold off twenty thousand." - -"Well no, and you'd never get there. But as it happens the Chief was -only acting on something I had told him. It's a long story, and must -keep. But the short of it is that Harry Appleton's two nephews--poor -chap! he's gone himself--brought out an aeroplane--the one you saw -outside: you might be sure it wasn't a service machine! By the merest -accident they happened to see this Kalmuck force encamped, and after -some pretty stirring passages which I'll tell you some other time, they -blocked up the track just below the mine; it will keep the enemy busy -for a while." - -"Congratulate you," said the captain to Lawrence. "Not in the service, -are you?" - -"No." - -"He is in training, Fenton," said the major with a smile. "By the help -of his aeroplane he got me out of a very tight place, and I went down to -the mine to see for myself how the land lay. An accident to the -aeroplane kept me there for a day. When it was repaired we made a -reconnaissance down the river. Near the mine there was a striking force -of about a thousand men--as many as could operate with any effect on so -narrow a track. Some thirty miles farther down we saw a couple of field -guns being dragged up; and the main body of the enemy was still encamped -at the mouth of the valley, waiting for the way to be cleared. It was a -masterly notion to dynamite the rock; indeed, as far as I could see, Bob -Appleton had left nothing undone to secure his position. Of course it's -an uncommonly tight place; very likely nine fellows out of ten--or we'll -say eight!--wouldn't have attempted to hold it: but you know the -Appleton breed, Fenton: and if they can only stick it out for a week, as -the Chief wishes, by George! the Government of India will have reason to -say thank you." - -"Your arm's paining you, I see," said Captain Fenton, as the major -winced. - -"Nothing to speak of. It was a bit of rank bad luck. Of course, seeing -what the game was, I felt I must wire the Chief at once, and Lawrence -offered to bring me here in his aeroplane. We came along swimmingly -until we had got about half way: saw nothing of the enemy: and then -rather suddenly struck a rabble of about two thousand men marching -southward. We came down rather too low, to get a good look at them. -They opened fire, and one of their shots tore my arm from shoulder to -elbow. If we had made a straight course we shouldn't have met trouble: -but naturally I wanted to pick up any information I could. Unluckily in -going criss-cross we consumed a good deal of petrol, and when it became -necessary to replenish the tank from the reserve cans, we found that -they'd been bored with holes during our peppering; one was empty, in the -other there were a few spoonfuls at the bottom below the level of the -hole. This only lasted a few miles, and then we had to come down, in -the hills yonder." - -"Rough luck!" said Captain Fenton, turning sympathetically to Lawrence. -"You must have felt pretty mad. How did you bring the machine in?" - -"I happened to mention when we were talking things over that paraffin -would do at a pinch, and the major said he was pretty sure they would -have some here, and insisted on tramping over to get some sent up." - -"Well, you see, he's got a game foot," said the major. "Sprained his -ankle two days ago. My legs are sound, at any rate. But I was pretty -dead beat before I got here, and was glad enough to borrow the mount of -one of the men Narrain sent to meet me. He and the other fellow went on -to keep Appleton company, and as soon as the paraffin was sent up, the -aeroplane came flying in with the sowar on board as a passenger. He was -bubbling with delight, and no doubt will be a hero among the men for the -rest of his days." - -"Mr. Appleton wants to get back to the mine, of course," said the -captain. - -"Yes: there's enough paraffin for that. How are matters round the fort, -Fenton?" - -"The tribes are pretty quiet at present. They've held several jirgahs to -discuss what line they shall take. That depends on who scores the first -point. If we can only convince them that we're not going to knuckle -under, I daresay they'll stick to us. But it wouldn't take much to turn -the scale on the other side. The crowd that fired at you are marching -this way, you said?" - -"They'll be hereabouts some time to-morrow, and probably a lot more, for -we caught sight of other parties, not so large, threading the valleys to -the west. The whole country north-west of us is rising." - -"That's bad. I can't hope to keep the tribes about the fort quiet after -these thousands come on the scene." - -"I must see what I can do." - -"You ought to be in hospital. If you had let me know you'd been hit I'd -have brought the medico with me." - -"Good thing you didn't. He'd have been so disappointed!" - -"No operation required, you mean," said Captain Fenton laughing. "He -does love his knife." - -"And fork!" added the major drily. "He shall have a look at my arm -to-morrow. I propose to return with you to the fort. We must blow this -place up. You can hold your own there for some time against a good -number, and reinforcements will be hurried up as rapidly as possible. -Then I must try the velvet glove with the tribesmen. There won't be -much time to do anything with them before those men we saw get south; -but if you discourage them with hot lead at the fort it will help.... -This is all very hard on you, Appleton." - -"That's all right," said Lawrence. "I was only wishing I had brought -more of our bombs with me. I might have checked those hillmen and given -you more time." - -"But that would have involved your remaining in this neighbourhood, and -you are wanted at the mine. A bomb or two dropped in flying over would -have scattered them for the moment, but they'd have collected again as -soon as you were past. I don't know how much paraffin we've got to give -you. No: there's better work for you. You'll convey the Chief's -message to your brother: hold the gorge for a week at all costs. I'll do -my best to get reinforcements through. It's vitally important to keep -those Kalmucks in check. The fate of India hangs in the balance." - -Preparations were made for the evacuation of the house on the following -morning. Having taken on board more than enough paraffin to carry him -back to the mine, together with a dozen rifles and several thousand -rounds of ammunition, Lawrence bade the officers good-bye, and started -immediately after breakfast. A few minutes after his departure a dull -boom proclaimed that the tower had been blown up and the garrison was on -the march for the south. - -Major Endicott had advised him to fly high so as to avoid the risk of -further accident if he should encounter the enemy. Some ten miles from -the tower he caught sight of them: they appeared like an army of ants -crawling on the ground. A few shots were fired at him, but he was far -out of effective range, and in a few minutes disappeared from their -view. - -A little uneasy at first as to the staying power of the paraffin, he was -soon reassured. In less than an hour he struck the western extremity of -the valley, and he flew down it at full speed, maintaining a great -altitude in case Nurla Bai and his party should be still on the track or -in the hills above. - -He had almost reached the mine when he heard sounds of rapid firing. -The attack, then, had begun in earnest. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND - - DITTA LAL INTERPRETS - - -During his brother's absence Bob had been energetic in organizing the -defence. He threw an entrenchment across the track beneath the shoulder -of the cliff, a short distance from the mass of broken rock thrown down -by the explosion of dynamite. By this means he hoped to interpose an -effective obstacle to the enemy if they, without waiting for the track -to be cleared, should attempt to climb round and slip by up the valley. -Nurla Bai's swimming feat showed him that the river could be crossed -otherwise than by the drawbridge, and the assemblage of any considerable -number of men on the southward side might be a serious menace. True, -the enemy could hardly cross in daylight in face of opposition from the -wall of the compound; but remembering how Nurla Bai had got over and -made his way by the cantilever pathway to the mine, Bob saw that a -similar movement might be attempted when the attention of the garrison -was held by an attack from down-stream. In that case he would have to -dispatch men whom he could ill spare to guard the aeroplane platform and -perhaps to destroy the pathway constructed with such toil. As a -precautionary measure he stationed three men on the aeroplane platform -day and night. - -Further, in order not to be at too great a disadvantage in case of a -sudden rush in the darkness, he contrived a makeshift searchlight out of -a large photographic camera of his uncle's and a reflector of polished -tin. He hoped that it would not be necessary to use it often, for the -stock of calcium carbide was running low, and he had no other illuminant -than acetylene gas and paraffin candles. - -When Lawrence alighted on the aeroplane platform, Fazl, one of the three -men on guard there, informed him that the enemy had opened a brisk fire -at daybreak. - -"The sahib cannot get to the house to-day," said the man. - -"Why not?" - -"Because, sahib, when you once get round the shoulder, the path is in -sight of the enemy. They will shoot you. It is necessary to wait for -night." - -"Nonsense! I can't stay here all day. Let me see for myself." - -He went across the platform and along a few yards of the path until he -reached the bend. There he peeped cautiously round. He forgot his prime -object in the anxiety and concern to which the state of affairs down the -river gave rise. Being slightly above the level of the track he was -able to take a good view of the position. The enemy had cut a new path -along the fallen cliff, and had thrown across it a breastwork about -thirty feet long, from loopholes in which they were maintaining a hot -fire on the northernmost boundary of the compound. The reply of the -garrison was astonishingly feeble; the characteristic rattle of the -machine gun was not to be heard, and Lawrence saw the havildar standing -inactive by the weapon. Bob was near the wall, smoking a cigarette, and -it was apparently only when he gave a distinct order that the men fired. -Lawrence guessed that he was husbanding his ammunition, and blessed -Major Endicott's forethought in sending a supply which would be so -welcome. - -Recollecting his purpose, Lawrence scanned the wooden pathway narrowly, -to see how far Fazl's advice was justified. For forty or fifty yards it -was fully exposed to the enemy's marksmen, but beyond that distance it -gained some shelter from the buildings in the compound. If the enemy -had not already had their attention drawn to it, there was a chance -that, in spite of his weak ankle, he might dash across the exposed -portion before they noticed him. But after a few seconds he saw with -great relief that it was possible to lessen still further the risk of -being hit. The pathway being a little higher than the track on the -opposite side of the river, he might perhaps crawl along it without -being discovered. By lying at full length, and hugging the face of the -rock, he would get a certain protection from the outside edge of the -pathway. - -He returned to the platform. - -"Has any one crossed from or to the mine since the enemy began firing?" -he asked Fazl. - -"No, sahib: it was still dark when we came to relieve the night watch, -and none has come or gone since." - -"Very well: I am going to crawl. Take care you don't show yourselves." - -He was rather astonished at his lack of nervousness; but the events of -the last few days had in fact exercised a bracing influence upon him. -He crawled on all fours as rapidly as possible along the exposed section -of the path, rose to his feet on reaching the spot where the buildings -gave him cover, and in another few minutes greeted his brother. - -"Well done, old chap!" said Bob heartily. "I hardly expected you to get -back yesterday, but it's a great relief to see you. You had no -trouble?" - -"Not with the machine, but we came across a lot of hillmen marching -south, and they potted the major in the arm, and riddled the petrol -cans, so that I ran short. But they gave me some paraffin at the tower, -and it serves surprisingly well. It's lucky we had a second -carburetter." - -Just then a bullet sang overhead. - -"Can you come to the house for a minute or two?" said Lawrence. "I've -got a good deal to tell you, and you can't attend to me and the enemy at -the same time." - -"All right. I'll leave Gur Buksh in charge. They've done us no harm -yet--inside at any rate; but I'll give you all the news. Come on!" - -Seated in the house, Lawrence repeated the substance of the conversation -between Major Endicott and Captain Fenton. Bob listened in amazement. - -"By George! it's a big thing," he exclaimed. "No wonder we were puzzled. -It's desperately serious, then." - -"Yes, and this is the serious part for us. The major wired all about us -to headquarters, and the commander-in-chief wired back that we must hold -on at all costs for a week. He made no bones about it: simply said it -must be done." - -"Well, we'll do it!" cried Bob with flashing eyes. "We'll not cave in -after a direct order from the commander-in-chief. It's the best thing -that could have happened. Some of the men are getting rather shaky, but -I'll tell them the Sirkar depends on them--talk about their known -valour, and all that: and it'll buck them up no end." - -"Wouldn't the promise of a reward from Government be more effective?" - -"I dare say; but it's only a jolly ass who'd give a pledge of that sort -for Government. I dare say they mean well, but--no, my boy, it's not -safe. We'll rely on moral stimulants. Now look here: this is what I've -done----" - -"I see you've thrown up a breastwork on the other side, but so have the -enemy, and cut a path too." - -"Yes, that's one to them, confound them! I had twenty men behind my -breastwork, but when the enemy came round the bend this morning they -bolted back in a panic. They'd have done better to stick to it, for two -of them were shot in the back and killed outright. I'd left the bridge -down under a guard, so that the others got back safely, but their -retreat had a bad effect on the rest. They need a tonic." - -"The major gave me a dozen rifles and a lot of ammunition: that'll -help." - -"It will indeed: I've had to be sparing." - -"Why didn't the enemy occupy your breastwork?" - -"No doubt they would have only I built it at such an angle that it can -be enfiladed from our wall. It's a great nuisance that they've managed -to get so far as they have. I hoped to be able to check them at the -bend much longer--at any rate until they'd brought up the two field guns -you told me about. When they arrive we shan't be able to hold the wall. -We shall have to take refuge in the galleries." - -"That means suffocation." - -"Well, we won't think of it. We'll hold on as long as we can. You -didn't notice perhaps that I've had a shield of boiler plates set up on -top of the parapet. I found we couldn't loophole the embankment, and -the men couldn't fire without protection of some kind. This metal -shield is better than nothing. It's loopholed. I only allow a few men -to fire at the enemy, when there's a chance of their doing some good. -But to keep up their spirits I let them all have a turn. They come up in -squads, so that every man will have a chance of a shot during the day." - -"You haven't used the machine gun? Couldn't you batter their breastwork -with it?" - -"It would be very much like pelting toy bricks with a pea-shooter. Gur -Buksh has orders only to fire if there's a rush. What I fancy will -happen is this. At night they'll try to rush our breastwork. If they -get it they'll push a trench southward along the track until they're -opposite us. What they'll do then about crossing the river I don't know. -We've got to delay them as long as possible. I've made a ramshackle -sort of searchlight out of Uncle's old camera: it may help us a little -in the dark. But I must go out and talk to the men. I wish I were a -dab at the lingo. Will you do the spouting?" - -"You're in command. Get the Babu to interpret for you: what you say -won't lose anything in his mouth." - -"It may do him good too. He's getting positively thin with funk. Come -along!" - -While this conversation was in progress in the house, there had fallen a -lull in the firing outside. It was clear that the enemy were not -prepared for a rush, and had realized the uselessness of continually -sniping at a garrison whom they rarely saw. There could be little doubt -that they were waiting either for darkness to cover a dash up the track, -or for the arrival of their field guns. Whatever the reason, the -respite was welcome. Taking advantage of it, Bob left a small guard at -the wall, and assembled the rest in the compound. - -Lawrence was struck by the altered appearance of Ditta Lal when he came -forward at Bob's summons. His fat cheeks had fallen in; his features -spoke eloquently of despair; and his clothes hung loosely where formerly -they had closely encased his rotundities. - -"I should never have believed that a man could lose so much flesh in so -little time," said Lawrence in a low tone. - -"Do him good," returned Bob unfeelingly. "Ditta Lal, I'm going to speak -to the men, and I want you to translate faithfully what I say--no -additions or subtractions." - -"I will do my best, sir," said the Babu with unwonted simplicity. "My -voice is not strong; I am fading away like a flower." - -"For goodness' sake say something to buck him up," whispered Lawrence, -"or he'll damp their courage with his lugubrious manner." - -"Look here, Babu," said Bob, "Major Endicott is telegraphing for -reinforcements. They should be here in a week." - -"Can I believe my ears?" - -"You can believe me. The Government knows all about us. The -commander-in-chief himself has asked us to hold the place for a week, -and we're going to do it." - -"That's jolly bucking, sir," said the Babu in his usual manner. "The -hour brings forth the man. The King-Emperor will dub you knight, or at -least baronet, for thus stepping into deadly breach, and----" - -"We're wasting time," Bob interrupted. "Just tell the men what I say." - -"Right-o, sir. My voice is recovering wonted rotundity. Fire away!" - -Lawrence's eyes twinkled more than once during the Babu's address to the -garrison. Bob's words were simple and direct, with no surplusage of -rhetoric: Ditta Lal transformed them into an oration. - -"Sikhs and Pathans, Rajputs, Gurkhas and Chitralis," he said, -"misfortune makes brothers of us all. In a thunderstorm the lion and -the ass are friends. The thunderstorm is about to burst upon us. We -have heard the first rumblings; we have seen the lightning flash in the -lurid sky; and the huzur having been taken from us by the hand of the -Kalmucks, we have lost our chief defence and stay. - -"Yet in the blackest night we behold a star of hope. My brother the -chota sahib" (the Babu spoke as though translating) "has even now -returned from a frontier house where the Sirdar who for one brief day -shed the light of his countenance upon us, spoke to the Sirkar along the -quivering wire, that carries men's thoughts swifter than speech. The -Sirkar far away knows us what we are, and how we, a handful of men, are -beset in this narrow valley by a host of evil-doers, in number like the -stars of heaven. The Sirkar knows that though we be few, yet are we -stout of heart and strong of hand. The lurid storm-cloud does not -oppress us, nor does the lightning fire appal our souls. We are not the -men to quail before a host of flat-nosed dogs. The order is given that -we sharpen our swords and resist to the uttermost, and within a -week--such is the word--the Sirkar will send a great army to strengthen -our hands and smite the enemy until not one of them is left. I have -said that we will do even as the Sirkar has commanded. Will you put me -to shame? Will you not rather brace yourselves to the conflict, and -oppose yourselves like a wall of adamant to these off-scourings of the -plains?" - -This was the spirit if not the letter of Bob's appeal, and the whole -assembly responded with cheers and passionate ejaculations of loyalty. -The Sikhs, some of whom understood English and knew that the Babu had -interpolated a good deal, had listened gravely, their inveterate -contempt of the unwarlike Bengali yielding to their appreciation of the -effect he aimed at. Later on, Ganda Singh spat, and said to Gur Buksh -that any one would know the Bengali for a coward, because his words were -so big. The more simple miners were as impressible to high-sounding -eloquence as any ignorant mob all the world over; and when the Babu, at -a word from Lawrence, wound up his speech with the announcement that -Major Endicott had sent some service rifles and a large stock of -ammunition for their use, they cheered again and again. Those timid -ones who had fled from the breastwork earlier in the day shouted the -loudest, to ease themselves of their shame. - -The Appletons never knew that after the assembly had been dismissed -Ditta Lal, in a private audience of some of the Pathans, indulged his -fancy in announcements that were quite unauthorised. - -"Tidings of our prowess and valour," he said, "will be spoken in the ear -of the King-Emperor over the black water, and the august majesty of our -great prince will deal bountifully with us and shower his graciousness -upon us. He will take the sahibs our masters by the hand and lift them -up the steps of his throne, speak them words of comfort and set them on -his right hand among his lords; and furthermore, the humblest of us -shall be exalted and be bounteously rewarded. A lakh of rupees will be -distributed among those who quit themselves well, and we shall be -satisfied with a feast of fat things." - -As the brothers returned to the house, Bob said: - -"I'm very much inclined to make another attempt to hold our breastwork. -It's bad tactics to let the enemy have free course between the bend and -the bridge. Probably if I lead a detachment myself the men will follow -readily enough." - -"I daresay you're right on the point of tactics, but you ought to have a -good sleep before you try it. You look very fagged; I suppose you've -been up all night." - -"Pretty nearly." - -"Well, go and lie down. I'll take charge. I had a good night's rest at -the frontier house. It's clear the enemy are waiting for their guns, and -you ought to be able to get at least six hours' sleep before there's any -danger. Of course I'll wake you if they make a move." - -"Then I'll take your advice. The trouble will begin at night, and -there'll be no chance of sleep then." - -Left to himself, Lawrence went round the defences, noting the admirable -arrangements Bob had made during his absence. As he looked southward up -the river, the sight of the pathway along the face of the cliff -suggested the necessity of doing something to protect any one who should -pass over the portion exposed to the enemy. If they should succeed in -pushing their entrenchments southward beyond the bend, they would be -able to pick off any man who passed between the mine and the aeroplane -platform, and it was essential that access to the latter should be -maintained. - -After consultation with Gur Buksh, he hit on a means of giving the -pathway the security required. Two rows of planks laid on edge along -its outer border would completely screen a man crawling along by the -rock wall, even from the sight of an enemy on the bank immediately -opposite. He collected a number of men who were expert in handling -tools, and sent them to construct this parapet. A few shots were fired -at them when they began their work, but they were screened by the -planks, and the enemy, having nothing to aim at, soon desisted. To hold -the parapet firmly in position, uprights were nailed to the planks at -intervals, and screwed down on to the timbers of the pathway. - -When the work was done Lawrence felt far more at ease regarding the -safety of the aeroplane. The guards on the platform could now be -relieved more frequently. They could be reinforced from the mine within -a few minutes, or withdrawn without risk. - -The enemy's continued inactivity confirmed Lawrence in his belief that -they were waiting for the field guns. When he saw those being dragged -laboriously up the track, he had suggested to Major Endicott to shatter -them with a charge of dynamite dropped from the aeroplane. But the -Major pointed out that others would immediately be brought up from the -main army. Such an attack would be more effective later, when they were -nearer to the mine. Their replacement then would be a matter of much -longer time. - -It occurred to Lawrence now that it would be well to reconnoitre the -enemy's position before Bob attempted to reoccupy his entrenchment, or -at any rate to cover his movement by a diversion on the part of the -aeroplane. Bob could not leave the mine in daylight without exposing -himself to the enemy's fire. If he waited for darkness, he might find -himself anticipated by them; and even with the searchlight against them -they would have far less to fear from the garrison by night than by day. -It would be almost impossible to prevent a sudden determined rush. The -enemy would lose a number of men; but they could afford to sacrifice -some lives in a successful effort to improve their position. Nothing, -however, could be done without consultation with Bob, so Lawrence waited -patiently until about four o'clock in the afternoon, the time which he -had fixed on for awakening his brother. - -Remembering the mishap with Major Endicott up the river, he got Fazl to -protect the engine and the petrol cans by slinging a number of iron -plates under the chassis of the aeroplane. By means of these he hoped -to reduce risk from the enemy's rifles when he should start on his -reconnaissance. The Kalmucks northward had had no experience of the -dynamite bombs, unless indeed some of those whom Bob had chased down the -track were among them. But even without any definite fear of the -aeroplane they would recognise it as a means of intelligence to the -garrison of the mine, and would certainly be eager to put it out of -action. - -Bob on being awakened at once agreed to Lawrence's suggestion of a -reconnaissance. - -"I'd like to go myself," he said, "but we can't both go, and I'd better -stick to my job. Take Fazl with you. You may have to bombard them if -you find the guns close at hand." - -"If I do, that will be your best chance of occupying your breastwork -again." - -"Undoubtedly. I'll lower the drawbridge and have my party ready; and if -I hear any explosions I'll make a rush for it. But let us have a clear -understanding. You won't drop any bombs unless you find the guns close -at hand, or unless the enemy are up to something that looks threatening. -There's very little dynamite left. Besides, at this stage it's no good -merely to frighten the enemy. It's war now. I shall take it that your -explosions mean serious business." - -"All right. In any case I shall be back in an hour." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-THIRD - - CAPTURING A GUN - - -The aeroplane with Lawrence and the Gurkha on board was soon flying down -the river, at a much greater height than usual--a wise precaution on -Lawrence's part, as was proved in a few moments. Even before it came -above the bend it was assailed with a volley, and as it passed Bob was -alarmed at the continuous crackle of rifles. It lasted only half a -minute, but it was so loud as to smother altogether the hum of the -propeller, and he almost repented of having allowed his brother to go -when he realised the danger to which he was exposed. He had lost sight -of the aeroplane; the fusillade had ceased; and the only indication, and -that a negative one, that the machine and its occupants had not been -brought to the ground was the absence of clamour beyond the bend. If -the enemy had been successful, he thought, surely they would have hailed -their triumph with shouts of delight. - -Reassured by the comparative silence, he remained behind the parapet, -and informed Gur Buksh of his intention to reoccupy the breastwork on -the farther bank. - -"It is well, sahib," said the veteran quietly. - -"Will the men follow me?" asked Bob anxiously. - -"To the jaws of the pit, sahib. Where the sahib leads they will follow: -even the men who ran away are now eager to wipe out their disgrace." - -"Then I will go and form my party. We shall not move until the chota -sahib gives a signal." - -He found that the havildar had spoken truly. There was no lack of -volunteers. He soon arranged his little party of twenty, and posted -them in the shelter of the wall until the time should come for letting -down the bridge and leading them across it. - -The minutes passed very slowly. Lawrence would not think it necessary -to push his reconnaissance as far as the enemy's encampment. He might -perhaps fly thirty miles, and then return. This would take something -less than an hour. If he should discover the field guns within a short -distance of the mine, the explosion of his bombs might be expected much -earlier. - -Half an hour passed. There had been no sound from up stream; no sign of -activity among the enemy. Bob began to feel more hopeful. They had -apparently met with great obstacles to the passage of the guns. He was -momentarily expecting to hear the hum of the returning aeroplane when, -with a suddenness that took him all aback, there was a tremendous roar, -followed in a second or two by a terrific crash just beyond the Pathan -compound. Turning in consternation to discover the cause of it, he saw -a great mass of the cliff falling amid a cloud of dust and smoke upon -the wooden pathway, and plunging into the river beneath. Such -destruction could only be the effect of a shell. Beyond doubt one at -least of the field guns had been brought into position behind the -enemy's breastwork at the bend. - -This fact filled him with as much dismay as amazement. It was not -surprising that the enemy had placed their gun without his knowledge. -They would, of course, have been careful to mask it until they were -ready to open fire. But why had Lawrence or the Gurkha not seen it? -Could it be that the aeroplane had been damaged and brought down after -all? - -While he was in a painful state of anxiety, there was another roar, and -a second shell burst on the cliff, just beyond the Pathan gallery. He -ran to the northern wall and peered through one of the loopholes. Smoke -hung above the enemy's breastwork, but there was not a man to be seen, -so that rifle fire was useless. He ordered Gur Buksh to fire the -machine gun. The havildar's aim was good; chips of rock flew from the -breastwork; and Bob thought he saw the muzzle of a gun disappear. His -attention was immediately drawn from it by the sight of the aeroplane -flying round the bend, and with the thrill of relief at his brother's -safety came the expectation of hearing an explosion and seeing signs of -havoc about the breastwork. But the aeroplane flew high over the scene, -passed it, and disappeared up the river. There had been no explosion. -Why had not Lawrence dropped a bomb? - -Hardly had he asked himself this question when a third shell burst from -the breastwork. It was better aimed than the other two. Instead of -striking the cliff, it hit the northern wall of the compound, carrying -away several yards of the metal parapet, scattering jagged fragments of -iron and stone in every direction, then flew over the heads of the -garrison and plunged into the earthwork at the southern boundary of the -compound, within a few yards of the spot where the sortie party were -gathered. Bob was almost at his wits' end. No defences could withstand -a bombardment at such close quarters. None of the garrison had as yet -been wounded, but he could see by their cowering attitude and the terror -written upon their faces that their courage had been shocked out of -them. Only Gur Buksh and the other Sikhs stood immovable at their -posts. - -A few minutes after the report of the gun, the aeroplane again came -flying down stream. Lawrence, then, had not landed. Bob was in a maze -of bewilderment. But he was suddenly aroused from his stupor by a sharp -detonation. It was not the report of a gun. Then there were loud cries -and yells from the direction of the enemy, and looking through the -loophole he saw a smother of dust above the breastwork. Lawrence had -dropped a bomb at last, and again was out of sight. - -This was to have been the signal for the sortie; but after what had -happened Bob felt that it would be sheer madness to lead his men along a -stretch of the track commanded by the field guns. He doubted, indeed, -whether their courage would face the task. It was only common prudence -to wait for a second signal. He could not see what damage the bomb had -done; whether it had only temporarily frightened the enemy. But -Lawrence would not hesitate to hurl another bomb among them; and -believing that, guns or no guns, they must be demoralized if attacked a -second time from the air, Bob hastened across the compound, ordered the -bridge to be lowered, and went to the twenty men huddling under cover of -the wall. - -[Illustration: LAWRENCE DROPS A BOMB] - -He allowed no trace of mental perturbation to show itself in his -bearing. - -"The time has come!" he said quietly to the men. "Lawrence Sahib is -driving the enemy away. There are no more shots from their gun, you -see. We shall soon hear another explosion; then you will follow me, and -in five minutes we shall be masters of our breastwork." - -Ganda Singh, who was among the party, translated his words to the men. -The cessation of gun fire and Bob's confident manner somewhat restored -their courage. They formed up, grasping their weapons nervously, and -waited in panting eagerness, mingled with trepidation, for the expected -signal. - -It seemed a long time in coming. Bob knew that Lawrence had had to fly -several miles down stream before he could turn. It came at last. Again -sounded the sharp crash; again the air was filled with cries, in which -there was no note of triumph: and Bob, with a cheery "Now, my men!" -dashed across the bridge with the swarthy mountaineers at his heels. -Reaching the other side, they turned to the left and raced across the -open space formerly occupied by the miners' huts. Bob was only half -conscious that the aeroplane was flying in the opposite direction high -above his head. They were met neither by shells nor by bullets, and -only when they sank breathless behind the shelter of the breastwork did -a few rifle shots patter around them. Then all was quiet again. - -Whatever the cause of the astonishing delay on Lawrence's part, his -intervention now had been effectual, at any rate for a time. How far -effectual? Bob wondered. He got up and looked over the parapet towards -the enemy's breastwork a hundred yards away. They had apparently -deserted it. Some, no doubt, had been slain by the explosions. Had the -survivors fled in panic far away, or were they merely lying low beyond -the bend? Then his eye caught what had escaped his observation from the -greater distance of the compound wall. There were two embrasures a foot -or two below the top of the breastwork, contrived by removing some of -the loose rocks. But he saw no sign of guns. Perhaps the enemy in their -retirement had dragged with them the one which had fired. - -He heard the hum of the aeroplane again. Lawrence had still not landed, -but was returning, perhaps to observe the extent of his work, perhaps to -complete it. He was flying much lower than before. A sudden idea -flashed into Bob's mind. The enemy's breastwork was only a hundred -yards distant. Why not attempt to rush it under cover of the aeroplane; -and if in the hurry of their flight they had left their gun, capture it -and bring it to the mine? - -His thought had hardly crystallized into a resolution when he heard two -explosions in rapid succession, followed by yells and one or two rifle -shots. The sound seemed to come from some distance beyond the bend. -His mind was made up. He told Ganda Singh his intention, and could -scarcely wait while the havildar translated his orders. The men -responded with a "Hai! hai!" of delight. Like Bob himself they were -worked up to a high pitch of excitement. Their rush had been -successful. The risks were forgotten, or remembered only to be scorned. -They were twenty against an unknown number, but none counted the odds. -"Hai! hai!" they shouted, as their leader leapt round the angle of the -entrenchment. They followed close upon him as he dashed over the -intervening hundred yards of broken ground. No one faltered. In less -than half a minute they were in possession of the enemy's breastwork, -and at that instant there was another explosion far down the track. - -Bob's glance fell first upon a score of prostrate forms scattered on the -ground in the neighbourhood. Then with a thrill of delight he saw two -field guns. One had been struck from its carriage, and lay near the -brink of the stream. The other had apparently been withdrawn from its -embrasure, but abandoned under the demoralizing shock of an explosion. -Bob ran to the first. A moment's inspection showed him that it was -irretrievably ruined. Calling two of the men, with their aid he toppled -it into the river. The other was still workable. Looking around, he -spied near the breastwork a number of shells which had escaped -destruction by the bombs. - -"Can you fire a gun?" he asked Ganda Singh eagerly. - -"I am a gunner, sahib." - -"Then slew it round. We'll turn it on the enemy." - -He had remarked a number of the Kalmucks collected on the track some -distance away. As he spoke, bullets began to whistle around, and two of -his men were hit. Quickly the gun was turned round. Ganda Singh -discovered that it was already loaded, and in another few seconds a -shell sang on its deadly flight towards the enemy. They fled, to be -pursued by another shell as soon as Ganda Singh could reload; and with -this second shot the track was cleared for half a mile down stream. And -then the aeroplane came whirring past overhead. - -As he watched it, Bob became aware that the afternoon was drawing -towards evening. In an hour the valley would be gloomy, in two hours it -would be shrouded in darkness. For the present, while daylight lasted, -there was little fear of the enemy attacking. They would not face their -own gun backed by the machine gun of the garrison. But he felt that -with the fall of night the circumstances would be changed. His feeble -searchlight scarcely illuminated the space between the bridge and the -bend; beyond the bend it gave no light whatever. In the darkness the -enemy might creep up to within a short distance of their captured -breastwork and carry it with a determined rush, in spite of the gun. It -was true that the narrowness of the track would allow the approach of -only a few men abreast; but they could be supported by a constant -succession of reinforcements, coming up like waves of the sea until the -defenders were worn out. It seemed to Bob the prudent course to -withdraw his men and the gun to the mine, and place the latter in -position beside the machine gun. However, it was bad tactics to abandon -a defensive position before retirement was absolutely necessary, so he -decided to remain where he was for a little while longer, in the hope -that Lawrence would land and, joining him, explain the actual condition -of affairs down stream. - -About a quarter of an hour after the aeroplane had passed, Bob saw -Lawrence running down the track towards him. - -"That's what I hoped you would do," were Lawrence's first words as they -met. "Capture the guns, I mean." - -"Yes, we've got one: the other's ruined and in the river. But we've had -a narrow escape from being battered to pieces. Why didn't you begin -bombing before?" - -"I'll tell you. We were pretty well peppered, as you saw, when we flew -past here down stream. It may have been because that bothered us, and -Fazl was hit--I didn't know it at the time--that we didn't see the guns -they had dragged up. Or perhaps it was because they are so like the -rocks in colour--and we didn't expect they'd be here already. Anyway, -we didn't see them, and it makes me mad to think what a squeak you've -had. I _ought_ to have seen them." - -"That's bosh! it's precious difficult to see anything at that speed. -But go on." - -"We saw the men, of course, but we were soon out of range. The planes -are simply riddled." - -"Fazl not much hurt, I hope?" - -"No: the bullet went through the fleshy part of his arm, and he didn't -say a word about it till we landed just now. On our way down we saw -several teams of ponies at different parts of the track, bringing grub -up, no doubt; and several bodies of mounted troops on the march; but -never a sign of the guns. I flew on till we came to the place where the -Major and I saw them: then thinking I must have missed them, I turned -back. You may imagine how I felt when, about two miles away, I suppose, -I heard the first shot. It's so different from the sound of the machine -gun that I couldn't mistake it. I told Fazl to get ready to drop a bomb -as soon as we came up to the guns. He did so, but I didn't hear an -explosion. He yelled out that it had fallen into the river, but of -course we were past before there was time to shy another. I came back -as quickly as I could, and my heart was in my mouth when I saw smoke in -the compound. Luckily Fazl's next shots were better, and jolly glad I -am that we managed to stampede the fellows and give you a chance." - -"You were just in time, old man. They did more damage to the cliff than -to us, though." - -"Yes: the path is simply heaped with rubbish. Coming back it was like -scrambling over shingle. But a few hours' work will clear the lot away. -Now what's the next thing?" - -"As it's getting dusk I propose to withdraw the gun to the mine. But we -must hold this breastwork as long as we can, and it occurs to me that if -we alter its angle a little we can enfilade it from our own breastwork -when it becomes necessary to fall back on that. It will still protect -us from attack down stream, owing to the bend." - -"Isn't it worth while to block up the track again?" - -"It would use up too much dynamite. Our stock is getting appallingly -low. We may want it all for bombs. Besides, if we block up the track -farther down we shan't see our enemy." - -"But I can always scout in the aeroplane." - -"You forget that our petrol isn't unlimited. I had a look in the shed -this morning, and there isn't much left. The paraffin you brought only -replaced what you lost from the leaky cans. We shall have to economize -now, and use the aeroplane only when we must." - -"Very well then. If you see about altering the breastwork I'll get the -gun dragged in. And there are these poor wounded wretches. Their moans -are horrible. What can we do for them?" - -"We mustn't take them into our compound. We haven't food enough to -support prisoners. I have it! We'll send off the Kalmuck prisoners -we've got, and tell them that they can bring up a dozen of their friends -under flag of truce to carry off their wounded. That'll relieve us of -all responsibility. And now let's get to business. We haven't too much -time." - -These arrangements were duly carried out. While Lawrence escorted the -gun to the mine, Bob set the men to pull down the breastwork, and -re-construct it so that it stood almost perpendicular to his own -entrenchment a hundred yards up stream. In its new position it would be -of very little use to the enemy should they re-capture it, for on -whichever side of it they happened to be, they would be swept by the -fire of the men posted at the other. - -By the time the work was completed darkness had fallen. Then Lawrence -dismissed the Kalmuck prisoners as he had suggested, and followed them -to the breastwork to have a final consultation with his brother. - -"I'll hold on here until midnight," said Bob. "I had a good sleep during -the day. Tell Ganda Singh to train the captured gun on the bend; if -there's an attack he and Gur Buksh can play on the track and cover our -retirement." - -"I'm not sure whether it wouldn't be better to bring it out again and -place it behind our entrenchments." - -"No, that would never do. The searchlight isn't powerful enough to be -of much good; and the position might be rushed before the gun could come -into play. It's too valuable for us to risk that. It would be a very -different matter if we had enough men to hold the breastwork and really -dispute the advance of the enemy. We can't do that. If they seriously -push their attack we shall have to evacuate the position and bolt for -the mine, and the gun would only be a hindrance. Now you get back. -Send over some food for us, and then go to bed." - -"I shan't take my clothes off. Don't hold on too long, Bob, if they do -come up." - -"Don't be nervous, young 'un. We've had uncommon good luck so far, and -I'm inclined to think the enemy won't be in a hurry to tackle us. Those -bombs must have been a horrid surprise to them. We may congratulate -ourselves on a good day for the first, anyhow." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH - - A CHECK - - -The night passed undisturbed. Bob was almost sorry. As the slow hours -crept towards midnight, when Lawrence would relieve him, he would have -welcomed an opportunity for action. It was bitter cold. He dared not -kindle a watch-fire, and so enlighten the enemy about his arrangements. -Remembering Lawrence's similar vigil forty miles down, he said to -himself: "The kid's a good plucked one. He'd have made a first-rate -soldier, or political officer, or anything. Pity we're both so hard -up!" - -Suddenly he bethought himself of the mass of ore which had been tumbled -into the cavity in the bank just above the Pathan miners' compound. It -must weigh many tons, and according to Mr. Appleton's calculations, -sixty per cent. of it was pure silver. Bob did not know the market -price of the metal, but the quantity that had been mined must represent -a considerable sum of money. The exciting incidents of the last few -days had kept his thoughts engrossed with strategy and tactics; and the -notion that the mine was itself a valuable property, worth defending for -its own sake, came almost with a shock of surprise. - -"Who is the owner now?" he thought. "Did Uncle leave a will? I suppose -we are his heirs, but what's the law of inheritance in these parts?" - -And then the recollection of his uncle's recent death caused a revulsion -of feeling. It was quite unreasonable to shrink from the thought of -benefiting by Mr. Appleton's decease; but affection and high-minded -instinct sometimes get the better of reason, and he dismissed the -subject, still with a vague hope that his uncle would even yet return to -his own. - -At midnight Lawrence came with a squad of men to relieve him. - -"All's well then?" he said. - -"Yes; I haven't heard a murmur." - -"Well, cut off and get a sleep. I'm good for a spell till daylight. -Shan Tai has given me a splendid feed. We're lucky in our men, Bob. As -I was eating I overheard Shan Tai talking with Chunda Beg. 'What you -tinkee?' says Shan Tai. They'd evidently been discussing the situation. -'I say not one of the dogs will ever poke his nose within our walls,' -said the khansaman. 'When the huzur told me that two boys were coming -to live here I was sick in mind. Some of the Feringhi boys call us -niggers, and speak to us as if we were mud. Our sahibs are not so. -They do not sniff and curse and use us as if we were beasts and not men. -What say you, cook man?' 'Say what you say allo lighto,' says Shan Tai. -'Likee young massa plenty muchee. Big lot fightee men come all-same. -No can fightee big lot long time.' 'Wah!' says Chunda. 'The two sahibs -are worth thousands of those dogs of Kalmucks, and if Allah keeps them -alive we shall smite and smite until the Sirkar sends help. Only give -them good food, cook man.' 'Makee chow-chow first-chop,' says Shan Tai, -and the old chap gave a chuckle. He's a jolly good sort." - -Lawrence had said that they were lucky in their men; it did not occur to -him that the fragment of conversation he reported showed rather that the -men thought themselves lucky in their masters. - -The day broke, and still the enemy had made no movement. As soon as it -was light Bob had the field gun dragged over the bridge to the -breastwork. Lawrence reported that the enemy had begun to erect a new -rampart some distance down the track. - -"They surely don't imagine that we're going to take the offensive," he -said. - -"No. It probably means that they'll snipe at us from behind it. Go and -get your breakfast and come back as soon as you can." - -Bob considered whether to interfere with the enemy's work, but decided -that he had better husband his ammunition. Some two hours later, after -Lawrence's return, the enemy began firing across their new breastwork. -At the same time a number of them were seen skirmishing along the track, -making short rushes from rock to rock. The track itself was only thirty -or forty feet wide, straight and comparatively smooth. But the cliff -face was very rugged, affording a certain amount of cover. Skirmishing -from point to point, where the cliff jutted out or receded, or where -single fragments of rock had fallen to the side of the track, the enemy -advanced under cover of the fire from their breastwork until they had -come about halfway to the position of the defenders. Some scrambled up -the cliff here and there for a few yards so as to obtain a better view -of the men sheltered by the entrenchment. Bob refused to allow his men -to make a general reply to their fire. He knew that they could not -approach beyond a certain point, the track being open and the amount of -cover diminishing as they drew nearer. Now and then, when one of them -advanced too far ahead of his fellows, he permitted the best marksman to -try his skill, and two or three of the enemy were hit. One of his own -men also, incautiously exposing himself, fell back with a gash in his -arm. Except for this, the day passed without casualties, and the -relative positions of the two parties were the same. - -The garrison were greatly delighted that the end of the second day found -the situation unaltered. Only five days of the critical week remained, -and some of them already saw themselves at the end of their probation. -Bob hinted that they were not yet out of the wood, but he was glad -enough to see how high-spirited and confident they were. For his own -part, he relaxed nothing of his care and vigilance. He was still on his -guard against a night attack, and as an extra precaution, he sent two of -the Sikhs to creep in the darkness along the track between the enemy's -breastwork and his own, to give instant warning if they should see or -hear any signs of movement. - -But the peace of the night remained unbroken. During the early part of -the next day, even, there was no sniping or skirmishing as before. Bob -augured ill of this inactivity. He would have been more at ease if the -enemy had pursued their ineffective tactics, and would indeed have -welcomed a rush, which he felt himself able to repel. He could not but -believe that they were gathering their strength, perhaps waiting for the -support of more artillery, and he had an instinctive dread that the next -assault would be a much more formidable affair. - -Soon after noon his prescience was rudely justified. Suddenly, without -any warning, two guns opened fire from the enemy's breastwork. Lawrence -at once offered to set off in the aeroplane and repeat his work with the -bombs; but Bob would not allow it, partly because of the scarcity of -petrol and dynamite, partly from a fear that the enemy, now better -prepared, would have detailed a certain number specially to aim at the -aeroplane in flight. The airmen might not escape a second time with a -slight flesh wound. - -The fight resolved itself into a short artillery duel. The enemy's -first shell flew high, striking the cliff above the cantilever gangway, -and bespattering the sheds and the compounds with fragments of rock. -Ganda Singh proved a better marksman. He planted a shell on the enemy's -breastwork between the two guns; splinters of rock flew all around, and -for a time there was no more firing. Presently, however, it was -resumed, apparently from one gun only, and Bob hoped that the other had -been put out of action. But in a few minutes both the weapons were at -work, and the gunners' practice improved. Two or three shells struck the -garrison's barricade, and though no breach was made, part of the parapet -was blown away, and splintered rock flew in all directions, dealing -severe wounds among the men behind. Ganda Singh worked his gun with -imperturbable calm, and Gur Buksh from the compound sent a rain of -bullets from the machine gun along the track. Bob saw, however, that he -would soon be forced to withdraw the field gun for lack of ammunition. -He had only captured twenty rounds with it, and after half these had -been expended, with much damage to the enemy's breastwork, he decided -that he must reserve the rest for use in the compound, when the enemy -should attempt to force a passage round the bend. - -Signalling therefore to Gur Buksh to keep up a hot fire, he ordered four -of the men to run the field gun back to the mine. The rest he withdrew -a few yards from the breastwork, posting them close against the cliff -out of the direct course of the enemy's shells, which were now working -havoc on his rough defences. But finding it impossible there to observe -what the enemy were doing, he ordered two men to run back to the -breastwork, lie down until the guns had fired, and then spring up and -observe the enemy's movements through the gaps. They soon reported that -skirmishers were again cautiously advancing along the track. Presently -the bombardment redoubled in vigour, and immediately afterwards the -scouts cried out that a large body of the enemy was charging. The guns -ceased fire; at the short range the trajectory was so flat that the -gunners could scarcely aim at the breastwork without hitting their own -men. - -"Now, boys!" cried Bob, unconsciously addressing them as if they were -Tommies, "after me!" - -He led them back to their former position. They spread out along the -breastwork and opened fire. Bob saw a mass of two or three hundred -Kalmucks streaming without any sort of order along the track, while the -skirmishers who had occupied the rocks above were firing as fast as they -could load. - -"Take your time!" he cried. "There's no need to hurry." - -The first volleys were nevertheless somewhat ragged. The nerves of the -Pathans, unaccustomed to the shattering effect of high explosive shells -bursting within a few yards of them, were shaken; only Ganda Singh and -the three other Sikhs he had with him were calm as disciplined soldiers -ought to be. It was their rifles that took toll of the advancing enemy. -Several of these dropped; the rest came on yelling fiercely. Bob ordered -his men to fire independently. The steadiness of the Sikhs had its -effect on the Pathans, who rested their rifles in holes and crevices of -the breastwork and took deliberate aim. - -The head of the charging column was now within two hundred yards. In -spite of increasing losses they still dashed on, and crowds of their -countrymen were swarming over the breastwork behind them. Nearer and -nearer they drew, but their ranks were thinning fast. When they were -about a hundred yards from Bob's entrenchment their leaders wavered. At -this many of the men halted, in irresolution; only a few of the bolder -spirits, worked up to a pitch of frenzy, pressed on until but fifty -yards separated them from their goal. These never returned. - -With startling suddenness panic seized those who had faltered. Yelling -with rage and despair they turned about and scurried like rabbits to the -shelter of their breastwork, pursued by a dropping fire. When the -survivors had got more than halfway back, their further retreat was -covered by the field guns, and Bob again withdrew his men a little to -the rear, well content with his successful stand. - -There was no further attack that day. The men were jubilant. When Bob, -on being relieved by Lawrence, returned to the mine, he was met at the -end of the bridge by Ditta Lal. The Babu's aspect was even more than -usually bland. - -"I offer fulsome congratulations on sparkling victory, sir," he said. -"Perchance you heard the universal shout that burst stentorian from -drouthy throats." - -"Is that your own?" asked Bob, interrupting. - -"My own, sir?" The Babu was puzzled. "I fear I do not fully apprehend -meaning of question." - -"Why, it sounded like blank verse, and I wondered whether you yourself -had been dropping into poetry." - -"Delighted, sir," said the Babu with a smile and a bow. "I didn't twig -my frail thoughts had run into metric mould. It was unpremeditated art. -I am up to snuff now, sir. 'That burst stentorian from drouthy -throats'--'pon my dicky, sir, phrase has tone, ring, sonorous rotundity -that many professed poetasters would give boots for. However and -notwithstanding, long and short of it is I am self-appointed spokesman -for all and sundry in offering abject felicitations on auspicious -event." - -"Thanks, I'm sure." - -They were walking side by side to the house. - -"Now, dear sir," the Babu resumed, "when I was at Calcutta -University--of which, as you are aware, I have honour and glory to be -B.A.--I was wont to shed my light of countenance on football matches, -watched young barbarians toe flying sphere. After certain amount of -rough and tumble, at blast of whistle all performance ceased for brief -interval, during which muddy oafs ingurgitated juice of lemons and all -that." - -"What are you driving at?" asked Bob in bewilderment. - -"Why, sir, that interludium, denominated half-time, has parallel here -and now. We are at half-time in this fateful strife. Three days and -half of allotted span have expired; and I make bold to suggestion that, -for refreshment and buck-up of general company, you issue orders for -tamasha." - -"What's that?" - -"Tamasha, sir, is jollification, kick-up, regular beano--song and dance, -et cetera. With your permission, I will undertake herculean labour of -organization." - -"My good man, you know our proverbs: 'Don't hallo till you're out of the -wood'--'Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.' It's true -the men have done very well so far, but the stiffest fight often comes -in the second half, you know. Possess your soul in patience, Babu. If -we come through safely I promise you shall have your tamasha, or -whatever you call it, and I tell you what: as you seem to be a bit of a -poet, why not spend your time in writing a ballad or something of the -sort in anticipation?" - -"Happy thought, sir. I have not hitherto built rhyme, lofty or -otherwise, but I will do my level best to rise to height of great -argument; I will set my eye in fine frenzy rolling, and body forth forms -of things unknown at present, but justified by event. I will strike my -lyre while it is hot. Good-night, sir, and sweet repose." - -He waddled off, bent on a passionate quest for inspiration. Bob looked -after him with a tolerant smile. - -"Poor chap!" he thought. "Much learning has made him pretty mad. I -wonder if we Britishers, when we pick up a smattering of their lore, -strike the Hindus in the same way? I only hope his paean _will_ be -justified by the event." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH - - THE FIGHT AT THE BEND - - -At early morning, after a quiet night, Lawrence sent one of the men back -to announce the approach of a flag of truce. Bob hurried at once to the -breastwork. Three Kalmucks were advancing along the track, one of them -apparently an officer. No others of the enemy were in sight. The envoys -halted within a short distance of the entrenchment, and the officer -began to speak in a loud shrill voice. - -"What does he say?" asked Bob. - -"I can't make it out," replied Lawrence. "Do any of you men understand -him?" - -The men, Sikhs and Pathans, acknowledged that they did not, whereupon -Bob made signs to the Kalmuck to wait, and despatched a man to fetch -Shan Tai, who as a western Chinaman might be able to act as interpreter. - -When the cook arrived, and heard what was required of him, he shouted a -few words to the officer, who responded with a speech of some length, -very rapidly uttered. The purport of it was to propose terms. He -offered the garrison the honours of war if they would surrender the mine -and make no further opposition to the passage of the army up the valley. -They would be allowed to depart unmolested, with bag and baggage; and -the two white men, if they pleased, might return to their own country by -way of Central Asia, through the Kalmuck lines. - -Bob's reply was made without hesitation. He pointed out that the -Kalmucks were the aggressors. Hostilities had not been of his seeking. -All that he had desired was to live at peace and pursue his occupation -as miner, whereby he gave employment to several score of workmen, -including many of the officer's fellow-countrymen. - -"We have been wantonly attacked," he said, "without warning and without -provocation, and we are resolved to defend the property of the late -owner of the mine, who was murdered by a man acting apparently in -collusion with the force to which you belong. I reject your terms. But -in order to avoid further bloodshed, I am willing to refer the matter to -the Sirkar, and will abide by the decision of the Viceroy of the Emperor -of India." - -The officer had evidently come prepared for a refusal, for he at once -put forward a modified proposal. He offered to leave the Englishman -undisturbed at the mine if he on his side would refrain from attacking -the army as it marched past. Bob saw the dilemma in which he was -placed. The question was no longer a personal but an imperial one. -Rejection of the offer would imply that he stood as an outpost of the -Empire. But his answer was equally clear and emphatic. He declined to -make terms of any kind with the enemy. The Kalmuck returned to his own -lines, manifestly chagrined at the failure of his mission. - -Bob expected that the rejection of the enemy's proposals would result in -a more sustained and vigorous attack, and as soon as the officer had -departed he set his men to complete the repairing of the breastwork -which Lawrence had begun in the night. Presently the Kalmucks opened -fire with rifles and field guns, and throughout the day the bombardment -and sniping from the rocks intermittently continued; but there was no -further attempt to rush the position. In the intervals Bob had fresh -stones brought up for the repair of the breastwork, which had been -considerably knocked about. The casualties among the garrison, however, -were slight, and at the end of the fourth day Bob felt that he could -reasonably congratulate himself on the success of his stand. - -But he was still very anxious. Though the enemy had shown surprising -sluggishness, he did not flatter himself that they had any idea of -abandoning their task. More and more he wondered why they did not -attack during the night, when, so far as they knew, the advantage would -be wholly with them. For the first time since the commencement of the -struggle he failed to sleep well, waking frequently, then dozing off -again. - -About four o'clock in the morning he was roused by the sound of two -rifle shots in quick succession. Springing fully clothed from his bed, -he rushed into the compound, called up the detachment whose turn it was -to take duty at the breastwork, and led them at the double across the -bridge and down the track. By the time he reached the position he found -a furious fight in progress. The two scouts whom Lawrence had thrown -out to give warning if the enemy moved had heard the tramp of men -advancing, fired their rifles as a signal, and run back to join their -own party. They were so closely followed by the Kalmucks, whose forms -could be dimly seen in the twilight, that Lawrence had been unable to -fire at once for fear of hitting the scouts, so that the enemy were -within a few yards of the breastwork before they met with any -resistance. - -Reinforced by Bob's men, the party now opened fire with deadly effect, -but the attackers were so numerous that the rush was scarcely checked. -There was only time for a second volley before the head of the enemy's -column surged up against the breastwork. They had held their fire until -they were able to see the dark forms of their adversaries. Then their -shots, fired point-blank, laid low several of the Sikhs and Pathans. -Supported by the swarms in their rear they began to clamber up the -rampart, in the teeth of the bristling bayonets opposed to them. On -their side was the advantage of numbers: on the side of the defenders -that of position; but Bob recognised in a minute that his men, ply their -bayonets as they might, must soon be overwhelmed by sheer weight. - -Suddenly a beam of light flashed over and past the scene of the -conflict, resting on the track immediately beyond the breastwork, which -was crowded with yelling Kalmucks pressing on to support their comrades. -Gur Buksh in the compound had switched on the searchlight. It was not -the blinding glare associated with the searchlights of forts and -battleships, but it had sufficient illuminating power to show up the -disorderly mass of the charging force. - -For a moment it made no alteration in the conditions. Bob and his -brother, with barely a score of men left to them, were hard pushed to -hold the breastwork. Faster than they could hurl the enemy down at the -point of the bayonet, others swarmed up. Bob was on the point of -shouting an order to retire to his own original breastwork up the track -when, above the shouts and yells of the combatants, sounded the -characteristic rattle of the machine gun. Instantly he recognised how -this might operate in his favour. The gun could not be trained on the -men who were actually at grips with him, but in a few seconds it had -swept a huge gap in the column advancing in serried ranks along the -track, and deprived his immediate assailants of their support. - -He at once took advantage of this fortunate diversion. Instead of -retiring, he cried to the men to stand firm, and the desperate work at -the rampart went on. For some time the Kalmucks there did not know or -failed to appreciate what was happening behind them. They still pressed -on and up, and but for the timely arrival of another dozen men -despatched by Gur Buksh from the mine they might even now have carried -the position. The reinforcement turned the scale. Bob called on his -men for a final effort, and he and Lawrence flashed their revolvers in -the very faces of the crowd. Fired by their example the men thrust and -jabbed with redoubled energy, and in a few minutes hurled the last of -the assailants back on to the track. - -They found themselves in a terrifying quandary. The space between them -and their baffled comrades was illuminated by the fatal band of light. -The machine gun had ceased to play on the track when it was cleared of -the enemy. Now there were forty or fifty men trapped in the dark -wedge-like area between the beam of the searchlight and the breastwork. -They knew that if any of them dared to attempt a rush back they would be -the target for innumerable bullets. One or two did rashly hazard a -retreat, but as soon as they encroached upon the luminous band the gun's -rattle scarcely gave them warning of the shots that fell among them -almost instantaneously. The rest cowered in the darkness, waiting for -death. - -Bob had to hold his men with a tight rein to prevent them from leaping -the breastwork and massacring their despairing foes. He had thought of -a better way. Fyz Ali could make himself understood by them. Through -his lips Bob told them that if they laid down their arms they might -retire, taking their wounded with them. They eagerly accepted the -proffered mercy, but shrank from acting on it, until they were assured -that a message had been sent to the havildar to refrain from firing at -them. Then, utterly cowed, they handed their weapons over the -breastwork, gathered up such of their comrades as were yet alive, and -carried them in all haste across the illuminated space and out of sight. - -This was an auspicious beginning for the fifth day. It was the greatest -triumph that the garrison had as yet achieved, and the men were -proportionably elated. The enemy on the other hand were dejected and -despondent. For some hours they remained at a distance. In the -afternoon, however, they resumed their skirmishing tactics, and under -cover of a renewed bombardment crept nearer and nearer to the -breastwork. When their field guns had to cease fire for fear of hitting -the skirmishers, Bob decided to venture a charge, and led twenty of his -best men in a sudden leap over the barricade. The enemy did not wait -for the touch of the terrible bayonets. They fired a scattered volley -and fled. A lucky shot from Ganda Singh's rifle brought down one of the -rearmost, and he rolled down the rocks on to the track. Acting on the -unconsidered impulse of the moment Bob sent two of the Sikhs to make him -prisoner, and when Lawrence shortly afterwards returned to the compound -for his afternoon sleep, he took the wounded man with him, and had his -injuries attended to. - -He proved to be an officer. Interrogating him through Shan Tai, -Lawrence learnt that the general himself was on his way to the mine to -make a personal inspection of the position. The Kalmuck, who seemed -grateful for the attentions shown him, advised Lawrence to yield. His -people's comparative inactivity that day was only preliminary to a -crushing blow. "Without your flying machine," he said, "you would by -this time have been destroyed. That gave you an advantage. Soon the -advantage will be on our side." - -"Will the presence of your general do so much for you?" asked Lawrence. - -The man refused to say any more; but his manner, and the half-smile upon -his face, gave Lawrence an uneasy feeling that the Mongol general must -have a trump card to play. He was so much impressed by the officer's -hint of a great stroke impending that instead of seeking his bed, he -hurried back to inform Bob. - -"What can he mean?" he asked. - -"I can think of nothing but that the general is bringing up large -reinforcements, and means to throw them upon us and carry the position -by sheer weight of numbers. He won't care how many lives he chucks -away, and everything depends on whether his men's discipline is good -enough to stand the racket. I don't know how far these Kalmucks have a -contempt for death like the Japanese." - -"Don't you think I'd better fly a few miles down the track and see what -is going on?" - -"But you're tired out. You've been at it since midnight." - -"That's all right. I shall sleep easier when I know what we've got to -expect." - -"Very well then. Don't go far, and keep high." - -The appearance of the aeroplane over the track, with Lawrence and Fazl -on board, was a signal for the enemy to scurry to cover. Not a shot was -fired; their only thought was to escape the terrible bombs which they -associated with the flying machine. But Lawrence did not intend to use -his bombs. What he saw, or Fazl reported to him, proved that his stock -of missiles was insufficient for any greater effect than to retard, for -a few hours at the most, the inevitable crisis. Two field guns were in -position at the enemy's advanced entrenchment. Near by, men had been -engaged in constructing platforms for other guns, until the sight of the -aeroplane sent them to cover. Farther down the track, at intervals, -five or six similar weapons were being dragged up; to destroy them all, -even if he were lucky enough in his aim to do so, would exhaust his -stock of bombs, and he felt that he must hold some in reserve for the -ultimate defence of the mine. - -The track, as far as he could see it, was almost choked with men and -animals. The men scattered as well as they could when they saw the -aeroplane; some shots were fired at it, harmlessly. It was impossible -for Lawrence to guess the magnitude of the reinforcement that was being -pushed forward; but it seemed to him that several regiments must have -been sent on from the main army. The bodies of mounted men were -separated by long convoys of provisions and ammunition, carried on the -backs of mules and camels. It almost appeared as if a regular advance -of the whole force had begun. The Kalmuck general was clearly confident -of his power to break the resistance of the little band that had -hitherto withstood his passage. - -Lawrence flew as far as the bridge; it seemed useless to go farther. He -had seen what he had expected to see: a vast and overwhelming force. But -he had obtained no definite clue to the meaning of the captive officer's -vague hint of a master stroke. That the enemy had a crushing -superiority in numbers he had known all along: there was nothing to -indicate that they had anything more than the advantage of numbers -still. The presence of their general might act as a stimulus; but the -nature of the position precluded any marked change in their mode of -operations. It was essentially a position that could be won only by -dogged, unfaltering determination: the issue depended on the fighting -man, not on the tactician. - -Perhaps if Lawrence had continued his flight to the plain on which the -main army was encamped, he or Fazl might have noticed one slight change -since his former visit in Major Endicott's company. A field telegraph -had been laid down, stretching away to the north. This might well have -escaped his observation from the great altitude to which he must of -necessity have risen. Even if he had seen it, probably it would have -suggested nothing more than one of the ordinary accompaniments of an -army in the field. Yet that single wire was the clue to the Kalmuck's -cryptic warning. - -On returning to the mine his report to Bob was necessarily -disappointing. It was clear that everything still depended on blocking -the enemy's advance. If they could once establish themselves on the -southern side of the bend, and bring their guns to bear directly on the -compounds, a few hours' bombardment would render the place untenable: it -would be the beginning of the end. Against it the garrison were almost -helpless. They had only ten rounds of ammunition for the captured field -gun; and though the machine gun was in better case, not even the bravest -of men--and Gur Buksh was that--could for long work his gun under the -deadly fire of a whole park of artillery. - -"Is there any possible way of strengthening our breastwork?" asked -Lawrence, as with sinking hearts they discussed the situation. - -"We can erect a second rampart in the night," suggested Bob. "It would -take them a little longer to knock to pieces, and give us time. Every -minute gained is valuable. You see, they can't bring their guns into -direct line with the mine until they've driven us away, they can't do -that without charging, and they can't charge without ceasing fire -temporarily." - -"Yes, I see that, but with four or five field guns at work they'll soon -smash even a double breastwork, and then the way's clear for a charge. I -wish I had bombed their guns now." - -"You can do it to-morrow morning. I don't want to spend our last -dynamite till absolutely the last moment. To-morrow's the seventh day. -If the Chief has been able to keep his word we shall be reinforced some -time during the day, and then----" - -"You say 'if.' There's a doubt about it, isn't there? I've felt it all -along." - -"There is, of course. He may not have been able to spare the men. But -hang it all! what's the good of looking on the dark side? We've held -our own for a week, and even if we're smashed in the end I bet the delay -is worth a good deal to India. The loss of time is a serious matter for -the enemy. But for us the whole twenty thousand of them would be now on -the flank of our army. I can't imagine any force of ours of the same -size being checked in this way by a mere handful of men in a gorge. I -dare say the reason is that the Kalmucks aren't used to hill fighting. -They're best in a cavalry raid; here their horses are only a nuisance, -and they're rather slow to adapt themselves to the conditions. But -they've had a week to get used to them; and the worst of it is that our -fellows, plucky as they are, are pretty nearly worn out." - -"Do you think they'll jib if relief doesn't come?" - -"What's the good? They'd only be massacred. They'll fight to the last -gasp.... I say, I've got an idea. There's plenty of wire knocking -about the mine: let's make a couple of wire entanglements and set them -up in the night, just beyond the breastwork. If we take care the enemy -won't hear us; they certainly won't see us." - -"Wouldn't they notice them when they make their rush?" - -"That's possible, of course; but I rather fancy they'll be so hot to get -at us that they won't. The wire won't show up much against the -background of rock. Anyhow, it's worth trying. Any check would give us -the chance to pepper them from the breastwork, and judging by what we've -seen already they'll be in a panic that they'll take some time to -recover from. Now you must get a sleep, so go back to the mine and tell -Gur Buksh to get all the wire he can and set all the men to work; it -won't be the first time he's had such a job, you may be sure." - -When Lawrence had arranged this with the havildar, and was proceeding to -the house, he noticed Ditta Lal walking with an air of dejection about -the compound. The Babu's hands were clasped behind his back; his eyes -were bent on the ground, or rather on the intervening promontory of his -person. He looked up as Lawrence drew near. - -"Gigantic undertaking, sir," he said sorrowfully. - -"Pretty stiff, certainly," replied Lawrence. - -"Stronger word is requisite in this exigent, sir. Such task transcends -the topmost rung of art. Without excessive reverence for dictum of -bloated antiquity, I hold with him who sings 'born not made.'" - -"Well, we can only do our best," said Lawrence, puzzled by the Babu's -words. - -"What shadows we are, what shadows we pursue!" sighed Ditta Lal. "After -mountainous travail I produce splendiferous line; I rack my cranium for -colleague or successor; but final word, whose function is to charm -attentive ear, eludes, evades, crumps. To wit: 'And batters blackguards -with his boisterous bomb!'--line perfect in harmony and melody and all -that; but when I run through alphabet for rhyme--_com, dom, fom, gom, -hom_, and so on till I come to blank wall at _zom_: not a word, sir, -that fulfils mutual demand of sound and sense--not one word." - -"What on earth are you gassing about, Babu?" asked Lawrence, who had not -heard of his previous conversation with Bob. - -"Of what, sir, but task entrusted to unworthy servant by honourable -brother, to compose song of victory, ode, epic, or what not, in -celebration of happy and glorious achievement about to be consummated! -But I will not despair; nil desperandum; as you truly remark, we can but -do our best; resources of civilisation as represented by B.A. degree of -Calcutta University are not exhausted; something attempted, something -done, shall earn my night's repose, of which I shall be jolly and -unmistakably glad, for agony of expressing thoughts too deep for tears -wrings honest brow, sir." - -Lawrence feared that the stress of the situation was making the Babu -mad; but he spoke a sympathetic word, and passed on. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH - - THE DEATH TRAP - - -There was no alarm from beyond the bend during the night. But in the -small hours the sentry at the bridge gave a loud shout, and fired -southward up the track. When Lawrence rushed from the house to discover -what had happened, he learnt that the sentry had seen a number of dim -figures creeping towards the mine. They had now disappeared. Lawrence -conjectured that Nurla Bai and his friends, who must now be nearly -famished, had been attracted by the sound of guns, and stolen down in -the hope of eluding the vigilance of the garrison, and gaining the path -that led above their old quarters and descended on the track on the -nearer side of the bend. Even if they had got thus far undetected, they -could not but have fallen into the hands of the defenders of the -breastwork. It was an attempt they were not likely to repeat. There -was no chance of their rejoining the Kalmuck army until the defence was -broken. - -Before morning the doubled breastwork was defended by a strong wire -entanglement. Soon after daybreak the enemy began a terrific -bombardment from four guns, two of which had been mounted on platforms -behind the two which Lawrence had already seen in position. The -garrison could make no effective reply, but could only watch their -breastwork crumbling away under the shells that pounded it without -intermission. The two brothers held their men some distance in the rear, -as much under cover as possible, ready to lead them on and occupy the -ruin of the entrenchment as soon as the expected charge began. - -About ten o'clock they saw Fazl running towards them from the bridge. -He had been taking his turn of duty on guard at the aeroplane platform, -and the fact that he had left his post seemed ominous. Rushing up to -Lawrence, he exclaimed excitedly that he had heard the distant hum of an -aeroplane. The boys were incredulous: they themselves were almost -deafened by the roar of the guns and the crash of falling masonry. But -immediately afterwards, in the interval between the shots, they caught -the sound--the continuous throbbing drone, like a gigantic -sewing-machine at work. They looked at each other aghast. For a moment -or two they were mute: then Bob said: - -"You must get aloft at once. It's our only chance. Get above the -aeroplane, and bomb it. There's no time to lose." - -Lawrence set off at a run, the Gurkha behind him. He raced across the -bridge and on to the cantilever pathway, and had just turned the corner -when he heard a tremendous explosion behind him. A few seconds later a -large monoplane flashed by, and was soon lost to sight up the valley. - -Long practice had given him facility in starting. The aeroplane was -ready for flight. Lawrence and the Gurkha leapt to their places, and -within two minutes the machine was in the air, flying after the enemy. - -This, then, was the meaning of the Kalmuck officer's veiled warning. -The enemy had taken a leaf out of the defenders' book. Their airmen, -equipped no doubt with bombs much more destructive than Lawrence's -home-made missiles, intended to strike at the very heart of the defence, -and by rendering the mine premises untenable, clear the way for the -advance of the army. - -Lawrence was fortunately cool of head and a rapid thinker. After a -moment of stupefaction he saw his course clearly. The danger from the -air must be met in the air. This could only be done by rising above the -enemy's monoplane, and hurling his bombs down upon it. The Kalmuck -pilot would be as anxious as he to avoid an actual collision, which must -prove disastrous to both the machines. It was wholly a question of -manoeuvring for position. - -The glimpse he had caught of the hostile aeroplane as it flashed by, -suggested that it was a much larger and more powerful machine than his -own. If this were indeed the case, he was probably quite outmatched in -speed as in armament. But he saw in a moment that the possession of the -smaller machine might tend to his own advantage, for he could wheel in -narrow parts of the valley where the attempt would prove destructive to -the enemy. Moreover, he knew the valley thoroughly; the others, though -no doubt vastly superior to him in a military sense, lacked local -experience and had everything to learn. Time was on his side. - -As soon as he began his flight he knew that he had gained one point. If -the enemy had turned at his customary wheeling-place, their aeroplane -would already have been in sight. The next suitable spot was several -miles farther up the valley, unless indeed they should rise to a much -greater height than that at which they had passed. Such an ascension -would consume time; it would further make it very difficult for them to -drop their bombs with any degree of accuracy. Whether they rose or -continued their flight at the same altitude until they reached the wider -turning-place, they would not be back for four or five minutes. -Lawrence resolved to utilise this breathing space. - -He flew on until he reached his usual turning-place, then began to mount -in a spiral course. While he was doing this, two considerations flashed -through his mind. If, when he met the enemy, he should be still below -them, he must fly on in the opposite direction, for the chance of being -hit by a bomb, when the machines were passing at the rate of perhaps a -hundred and fifty miles an hour, would be very slight. His only fear in -that case was that they would fly straight back to the mine and work -havoc there without a possibility of interference. If, on the other -hand, he were above them, his best course would be to fly in the same -direction, and try to drop his bombs on them. When two express trains -are running the same way, it is possible, however great their speed, to -cast an object from a carriage of one through an open window of the -other. - -He was still ascending when Fazl shouted that the enemy's aeroplane was -in sight, at a greater height. - -"Rifle!" said Lawrence instantly, as he headed up the valley. - -The Gurkha fired, as the two machines rushed at terrific speed towards -each other. There was no reply, but a few seconds afterwards an -explosion in the valley below showed that the enemy had dropped a bomb. -It would have been almost a miracle if it had hit the aeroplane in the -fraction of a second of the passing. But a second explosion a little -later was very perturbing. Unless he could check the enemy, they might -sail over the mine again and again, and on the wider target which that -presented take surer aim. Luckily they would have to fly several miles -down the river before they could again turn, and the few minutes' grace -might give him time to ascend still higher, and attain an altitude at -which he would have the advantage. - -As the machines passed, Lawrence had had time to confirm his impression -that the other aeroplane was much larger than his own. He saw too that -it was occupied by three men. But these elements of superiority would be -to some extent neutralized by the greater handiness of his own machine -in navigating the narrow gorges of the valley. The situation demanded a -readiness to take risks. The gorge to which Lawrence had now come after -passing the enemy was so constricted that in ordinary circumstances he -would never have dreamed of attempting a turning movement. But he felt -the supreme necessity of wheeling at once, in order to return to the -"bay" which he had lately left. There he might do something to protect -the mine, if only by diverting the enemy's attack upon himself. He -might also have an opportunity of rising to a sufficient height for -offensive purposes. - -Choosing the widest part of the gorge, he banked his machine up, and -clearing the cliff apparently by inches he swept round again to the -north. When in half a minute he reached the turning place, the -aeroplane was not in sight. But he heard sounds of a fierce struggle -beyond. The bombardment had ceased, but the air was filled with the -crack of rifles, the rattle of the machine gun, and the shouts of men. -He could do nothing to help his brother. There was not even time to fly -on and drop a bomb among the enemy: he must utilise every moment in -preparing for the return of the aeroplane. He steered his machine in a -series of short spirals, rising as rapidly as possible, watching the -valley northward anxiously. As yet its windings concealed the enemy's -aeroplane from view. It was an inexpressible relief to him that they -had not attempted to turn at the spot where he now was. They had not -thought it practicable, or not had the time; probably they had shot by -before even the possibility had occurred to them. - -He swept round and round in his corkscrew flight, rising gradually until -he was more than two thousand feet above the river. His view was now -greatly extended, and when the larger aeroplane came in sight from round -a bend nearly a mile away, he saw with a flash of hope that it was now -lower than his own machine, although somewhat higher than before. -Evidently the airmen had foreseen that he might rise in order to avoid -their bombs, and sought to forestall him; but his narrow spiral had -carried him up to a greater height than their two long inclined planes. - -The moment he saw them he started straight to meet them. Nothing could -have been better calculated to assist his brother in the desperate -struggle on the track. It was as when a charging bull is diverted from -the object of his fury by the fluttering of a handkerchief or a -newspaper within his range of vision. The Kalmuck airmen recognised -that they had an opponent with whom they must seriously reckon; and -though perhaps their general, looking on from below, would have bidden -them to ignore the aeroplane, and pursue the more important duty of -shattering the defences, they no doubt thought that a few minutes' or -even hours' further delay would be less disastrous than the destruction -of themselves and their machine. When the defenders' aeroplane was out -of action, the rest would be easy. - -Lawrence had resolved not to imitate the enemy in hurling a bomb while -the machines were flashing past in opposite directions. His missiles -were too precious for one to be wasted. As the aeroplanes met, he heard -two cracks, followed by two metallic thuds on the iron plates below his -chassis: the enemy had fired. What effect their shots had he knew not, -but neither the engine nor the occupants suffered any injury. He had -already commenced a turning movement. Completing his circle, he steered -straight after the enemy, who were heading directly up the valley. -There had been no explosion on the track or in the mine compounds as -they passed: so far his tactics had justified themselves. - -But Lawrence had not been more than a few seconds in pursuit before he -found that in speed his machine was utterly outclassed. The enemy -seemed almost to leave him standing. This was not unexpected; but as -soon as he was sure of it he felt that his course of action was clearly -marked out. It would be a fatal mistake to give the enemy enough -air-room to take advantage of their superiority. If they got plenty of -space for manoeuvring they could rise as far above him as they pleased, -and either shatter the aeroplane with a well-placed bomb, or, having two -rifles to one, could wait an opening for a shot that would incapacitate -himself or Fazl, perhaps both. He must devote all his energy and skill -to dodging and deluding the enemy, attacking them if occasion offered, -in any case keeping them constantly employed. Their engine must consume -a much larger quantity of petrol and lubricant than his. They must have -used up a great deal in flying from their starting-place--Tash Kend, he -presumed--and it was unlikely that there was any supply with the army at -the end of the valley from which they could replenish their tanks. If -he could only manoeuvre so as to starve them out of fuel, all their -superiorities would be nullified and their usefulness would have -vanished. - -It was a question now of calculating chances, or rather of -guessing--like the children's game when one brings his closed fists from -behind his back and asks another to guess which hand holds the concealed -object. When the two aeroplanes were out of sight, the occupants of -neither could know what the others were doing. They could only make a -random shot at the probabilities. Lawrence felt pretty sure that the -enemy would seek to rise to a greater altitude than they supposed him to -be attaining. He therefore decided to descend at once, and hover in the -lower part of the valley. A long vol plane northward brought him within -a short distance of the struggle going on at the bend. As he sped by, -he ordered Fazl to drop a bomb among the enemy beyond the breastwork, -then swooped past, three or four hundred feet above the river, turned at -the first possible spot, and flew back to meet the enemy. As he -expected, they had risen to a great height. Flying low as he now was, -they were probably two thousand feet above him. When they saw him, they -at once began to descend; but the machines were rushing in opposite -directions so swiftly that the vertical distance between them was -lessened by only two or three hundred feet when they met. A few seconds -after they had passed, Lawrence heard two explosions, and Fazl reported -that the enemy's bombs had fallen, one in the river, the other on the -cliff-side. Again they had missed their aim. - -Lawrence knew that they could not return within fifteen minutes. While -it was important to him that they should waste their petrol, it was -equally important that he should husband his, for he had very little -left at the shed. It occurred to him that there would be time to alight -on the platform, run to the mine to see how things were passing there, -and get back in time to fly off before the enemy came in sight. He -therefore wheeled round at his usual place, and in less than a minute -slid gently on to the ledge. Leaving Fazl to look to the engine, he ran -along the pathway, and on turning the corner saw with some astonishment -that hostilities had apparently ceased. The breastwork was still manned -by Bob and his party: Lawrence almost winced as he noticed how large a -number of bodies lay prostrate around them. The enemy were invisible: -it seemed certain that their attack had been repulsed. - -The mine compounds were deserted, except by Gur Buksh and two other men, -whom Lawrence recognised in a moment as Chunda Beg and Shan Tai. These -three were reclining against the wall near the machine gun. Every other -fighting man had crossed the bridge to bear his part in the holding of -the track. Lawrence felt a thrill of pride in the courage and loyalty -of the cook and the khansaman, who, house servants as they were, often -held in scorn by the warriors, had in this hour of peril given their -assistance to the steadfast havildar. - -He hurried on to the compound, noting as he passed the havoc wrought by -the one bomb from the hostile aeroplane which had hit the mark. Gur -Buksh and the others saluted as gravely as if it were the prime of -peace. - -"What has happened?" asked Lawrence breathlessly. - -The havildar related how the appearance of the enemy's aeroplane had -been the signal for a more ferocious bombardment than had before taken -place. When the breastwork was half ruined by the shells, a swarm of -Kalmucks rushed to the attack with yells of anticipated triumph, while -the defenders, who had remained in comparative safety some distance -away, leapt back to their places at the shattered rampart. The enemy, -coming unawares on the wire entanglements, had been thrown into an -unwieldy and disordered mass; and after a few minutes of desperate -efforts to break through the obstacle, with partial success, they had -been so withered by the defenders' fire that flesh and blood could -endure no more. They had fled, a confused rabble, to their own -entrenchment. - -There was no time for Lawrence to hear more, or to discuss with the -imperturbable Sikh any measures that might be devised to assist the -heroic fighters on the other bank. He knew well that the check could be -only temporary, and could not think without distress of the issue of the -next attack. Hurrying back to the ledge, he and Fazl got into their -places, ready to fly off directly they heard the returning aeroplane. -The Gurkha's ears first caught the throbbing drone, and as the machine -once more rose into the air, the field guns recommenced to bark and -spit. - -As soon as Lawrence reached his turning-place he began to climb. In a -few moments he caught sight of the enemy's aeroplane skimming round the -bend below the mine. It was much lower than before, probably no more -than three hundred feet above Lawrence, and as soon as the airmen caught -sight of him, they dipped so suddenly as almost to suggest that the -machine was beyond control. But Lawrence realised that the descent was -intentional. They meant to come as close above him as they could in the -half mile between them. He ceased to mount, and steered straight down -the valley, hugging the cliff on the left hand. The enemy followed his -manoeuvre, edging to their right in order to pass immediately above him. -The two aeroplanes were only about a hundred yards horizontally apart -when with a quick movement of his rudder, which threw a hazardous strain -upon the planes, Lawrence shot out over the river. Before the enemy -could alter their own course he had passed well outside them. Their -bombs, dropped hurriedly while the pilot was striving to cope with -Lawrence's sudden movement, fell harmlessly into the river. - -The enemy's turning-place up stream being much nearer the mine than that -in the opposite direction, there was no time to alight again and save -expenditure of petrol. But there was time to lend aid to the defenders -at the breastwork. Lawrence flew on, instructing Fazl to hurl a bomb -among the enemy as he passed the bend. Two teams of horses were dragging -more field guns up to the rampart. It was among these that Fazl let -fall his bomb, and looking back, he shouted gleefully that one of the -teams had stampeded and dashed with their gun over the bank into the -river, while the other were plunging furiously amid a smother of smoke. -At the same time the rattle of the machine gun announced that Gur Buksh -was again at work. - -Lawrence did not wish to fly six or seven miles down the river to the -wide bay in which he was sure the enemy had turned. To wheel round -earlier involved some risk, but it was a risk from which his strung-up -nerves did not flinch. - -About three-fourths of a mile beyond the bend, at the spot where the -enemy had established themselves after their first repulse, the gorge -curved to the west, and in the cliff-face there was an extensive -depression, scooped out as it were by a landslip. He resolved to try -his luck there. The margin was perilously narrow, and only a man -absolutely familiar with the spot, as he was, and prepared for the -turning movement at the very moment of reaching it, could have hoped to -wheel in the space. - -At the critical point he banked up at a sharp angle, and for one brief -moment felt a cold shudder of fear as he recognised the beginning of the -sideslip that had brought disaster on so many reckless or unfortunate -airmen. But the planes recovered their grip; the machine swung round -across the river, having shaved the cliff on the left by an appallingly -fine margin; and flew lightly and evenly up stream again. - -By this daring feat Lawrence had saved nearly ten miles and the -equivalent quantity of petrol. He had also avoided a meeting with the -enemy on the north side of the mine, where manoeuvring to dodge them -would have been much more difficult. By alighting when they next passed -him he would again save while they were expending, and however large -their supply had been when they started, it could not much longer stand -the drain of continual flight up and down the river. Even now, since -entering the valley, they must have travelled a good deal more than a -hundred miles; their flight from headquarters might have been three -hundred. No doubt a further supply of fuel and oil had been despatched -after them, but it would take a week or more to reach them over such -rugged country. If he could only keep them fruitlessly employed until -they were forced to leave the gorge through failing petrol, he would -gain perhaps just enough time for the garrison to prolong their defence -until the expected relief force arrived. - -Thought is quicker even than an aeroplane's flight: these hopes, -conjectures, volitions flashed through Lawrence's mind in the interval -between his venturesome circuit and his arrival at the bend. The -bombardment had recommenced. Two guns had been got into position; others -were being hauled up the track. A hot rifle fire was opened upon the -aeroplane, and both pilot and passenger were struck by fragments of -bullets that had splintered on the metal work. Their great speed soon -carried them out of further danger, but the bomb which Fazl dropped -missed its aim, exploded on the rocky bank instead of on the track, and -did little harm. - -Lawrence guessed that the Kalmuck airmen would now suppose him to have -risen, and would themselves be mounting in order to keep above him. He -therefore resolved to keep low. The sequel showed that the enemy had -been cunning enough to guess at his guess. When they reappeared, so far -from ascending they were descending, yet gradually, so that they might -adapt their course to the exigencies of the moment. They were now only -two hundred feet above him. - -This time he decided not to rush past and continue his flight up stream, -but to wheel at the turning-place, and save time and petrol by flying -back in their wake to his platform. He realised afterwards that he -began his turning movement a trifle too soon, though, as the event -proved, his indiscretion served him well. The enemy had not quite met -him when he shifted his rudder for circling round the bay. He expected -them to flash by as usual at express speed, but to his intense -astonishment and alarm he found that instead of continuing on their -direct course they had suddenly banked over, and were wheeling above him -in the same direction as himself. It was a manoeuvre of extraordinary -daring, for the larger aeroplane required a much wider circle than the -smaller, and in order to clear the cliffs it had to remain banked up at -a dangerously sharp angle. - -Lawrence felt himself trapped. He could not fly out at either end of -the bay, he thought, without being immediately followed by the enemy, -who would then have him at their mercy. Yet he was in equal danger if he -remained circling below them, for though their flight was swifter than -his, at some moment their machine would be vertically above him, and -they would doubtless seize that moment for hurling a bomb. He could not -descend without shattering the aeroplane on the banks or plunging into -the river. He felt as helpless as a pigeon beneath an eagle. - -It was indeed an extraordinary situation: two aeroplanes wheeling round -and round in a cup-like hollow, with less than two hundred feet of space -between them. The Kalmucks had not as yet fired or dropped a bomb: -Lawrence imagined them gloating over their helpless victim, awaiting a -favourable moment for one crushing stroke. The first shot was fired by -Fazl; the enemy replied, but instead of keeping up a continuous fire, -they ceased after a few shots, which riddled the planes, but hit no -vital part. Lawrence wondered at their abstinence, until, following -them with his eyes, he had a sudden conviction that they were in -difficulties. The machine was banked up to the extreme limit of safety, -and it flashed upon him that the enemy, and not himself, were caged. -They could not ascend, for, a few hundred feet above them, the cliff on -the west side of the stream hung forward in a jagged bluff that came -within the circle of their flight. Contact with it would hurl them into -the river. Nor could they leave the bay by either of the exits north or -south without the risk of colliding with the cliffs, for the space was -so narrow, and the speed of the machine so great, that the movements -necessary for unbanking and steering could hardly be performed in the -fraction of a second between their quitting the bay and running into the -straight. It is one thing for a wasp to fly into a bottle, and quite -another to fly out again. - -The machines had completed several circles before Lawrence had grasped -the situation. During this time Fazl had been steadily firing, but the -enemy had been silent. Suddenly the Gurkha uttered a shout; one of the -Kalmucks fell from the aeroplane, and whirled over and over in the air -until he struck the river and disappeared. - -"Don't fire again!" cried Lawrence. - -He had become conscious that the perpendicular distance between the two -planes was rapidly diminishing. The enemy's engine had not failed; -their speed was the same; yet it was plain that moment by moment they -were drawing nearer to the plane below. If the machines had been ships, -Lawrence would have been tempted to believe that the enemy were trying -to board; but he knew that a collision would be fatal to both. He was -at a loss to explain the strange movement; indeed, he had little time to -think of it, for he realised that unless he himself made his escape, his -machine would be soon hurled to the bottom by the impact of the larger. -He had not found it necessary to bank so much as the Kalmuck pilot. His -lesser speed and the greater handiness of his aeroplane enabled him to -fly out at the exit without the almost certainty of dashing against the -cliff. At his next round he steered straight through the northern gap, -and flew back in a flush of wonder and excitement to the platform. - -As he expected, the enemy did not follow him. Alighting he rushed to the -projecting buttress and gazed up the valley. He could see the doomed -aeroplane as it flashed across the opening of the bay. It was still -whirling round and round, but falling, falling with ever increasing -velocity. He shuddered with horror as he contemplated the inevitable -end. He did not witness the actual close of the tragedy. The aeroplane -as it neared the bottom was hidden from him by the rocky banks of the -river. But half a minute after he himself stood in trembling safety a -tremendous explosion shook the ground, and a cloud of smoke and broken -rocks shot high into the air. Then there was a burst of flame, and he -knew that all was over. - -Overcome with sickness at the terrible end of these gallant airmen, and -with nervous exhaustion after his own wearing efforts, he lay flat on -the rock to recover his composure. Thinking over the recent scene, he -hit upon a conjectural explanation of the uncontrollable descent of the -enemy's aeroplane. He supposed that, with the machine so critically -banked up in order to navigate the narrow cup, the pilot had been quite -unable to make those delicate adjustments of the planes and the elevator -that were necessary to counteract the dragging force of gravity. Later -on, when he had an opportunity of discussing the matter with his -brother, Bob scouted his theory, declaring that while the petrol lasted -nothing could have prevented the machine from whirling round and round. -But Lawrence stuck to his opinion, and Bob very naturally declared that -it was not a matter he would care to put to the test. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH - - AD INFIMOS - - -Just as the ticking of the household clock is unnoticed, but its -cessation is immediately remarked; so it was not until the coughing roar -of the field guns, which had continued ever since Lawrence last soared -over the bend, suddenly ceased, that he was roused to full consciousness -of the critical situation at the mine. Springing up, he ran with Fazl -along the pathway until he came to a spot where the whole theatre of the -combat could be viewed. - -The noise of the guns had been followed by a hoarse babel of cries -mingled with the crackle of rifles. He was just in time to see a swarm -of Kalmucks surge over the breastwork, and Bob with his devoted band -rushing up the track to the second rampart a hundred yards away. The -machine gun beneath the north wall of the mine was silent; nobody was to -be seen in the compound; and Lawrence's heart sank with dread lest the -gun had been smashed, and Gur Buksh and his voluntary assistants slain. - -In a moment, however, Fazl drew his attention excitedly to three men -lying flat on their faces upon the drawbridge. He recognised them at -once as the havildar, Shan Tai and Chunda Beg. But what were they doing? -Their arms were moving swiftly this way and that, like the arms of -tailors sewing. - -"See, sahib!" cried Fazl, lifting his hand and pointing in still more -excitement. - -And then Lawrence saw that the bridge was no longer a bridge. The end -which had rested on the rock in mid stream had been shattered by a -shell, and Gur Buksh and his companions were working with might and main -to replace the broken portion with rope. Fortunately, prone as they -lay, they were for the present concealed from the enemy by the -breastwork manned by the diminished garrison; but they would be in full -view when they rose to return to the compound. When the time should -come for the whole party to beat a final retreat, it would be almost -impossible for a single man to escape being shot down. - -Lawrence looked down the track. Fighting had ceased. The Kalmucks who -had sprung over the breastwork had been recalled. A great number were -engaged in repairing and strengthening the rampart, so as to render -their gunners secure from enfilading fire. Behind, another crowd was -dragging more guns into position, and Lawrence noticed that there were -now machine guns as well as field pieces. The fact that Bob's men were -not firing seemed to indicate that their ammunition was failing. The -captured field gun was now useless for lack of shells; Gur Buksh had -very little ammunition for his gun, and in any case he could not return -to it until his work on the bridge was finished. It was of vital -importance that the retreat to the mine should be kept open. What -alarmed Lawrence most of all was his certainty that, even with the -bridge repaired, the little band of thirty fighters were practically cut -off because they could only cross under the enemy's fire. As soon as -the enemy's guns were placed, the second rampart would be knocked to -pieces in a few minutes at so short a range. The garrison would be -swept up the track, or shot in attempting to regain the mine. The siege -would be at an end, for so determined an enemy would doubtless find some -means of crossing the river, even if the defenders escaped destruction -and cut down the bridge behind them. They might hold out for a little, -perhaps, in the dark and narrow galleries; but as soon as the enemy -played on these with their artillery, they would be rendered untenable -by the deadly fumes. It seemed that before the sun went down the whole -place would be in the hands of the Kalmucks, and there would no longer -be any impediment to their march. - -The one thing needful, to prolong the struggle even for a few hours, was -to bring the garrison back into the compound. There were still a few -bombs left; by attacking the enemy with these Lawrence thought he might -gain just enough time for the retreat. When he had done that he would -fly southward to look for the relief force, and if it were in sight, -urge it to haste. The mere knowledge that it was approaching would put -heart into the weary garrison, and nerve them for prolonged resistance. - -"How much petrol is left?" he asked Fazl. - -"Eight or nine gallons, sahib--and a little paraffin also." - -This might suffice for a couple of hours' flight; then the aeroplane -would be out of action. Anything further that Lawrence could do must -then be done at his brother's side. - -He told Fazl what he proposed to do. - -"I will run across the bridge and let Bob Sahib know," said the Gurkha. - -"No; it's too dangerous. Just give a shout to attract his attention, -and I will semaphore to him." - -A piercing cry rolled across the river. Behind his rampart Bob turned -and waved his hand. Lawrence instantly signalled that he had a message -to give. At the spot where he stood, while in full view of Bob, he was -invisible to the enemy a hundred yards farther north. He began to work -his arms in the movements of the flag-signal code. Fazl meanwhile -returned to the aeroplane, tested the engine, put on board the whole -remaining stock of petrol, together with lubricant and a couple of -gallons of paraffin left from the quantity brought from the frontier -house, and all the bombs. - -The conversation by semaphore took some little time. Bob wanted to know -what had become of the enemy's aeroplane. Lawrence replied merely that -it was out of action, without giving particulars. Having explained what -he proposed to do, and obtained Bob's assent, he returned to the -platform, and was soon flying up the river. At the turning-place he saw -on the bank below the blackened ruins of the enemy's machine. When he -wheeled round and approached the bend, he became the target for the -Kalmucks' rifles, and as he had not risen very high the bullets whistled -around unpleasantly near. Just before he reached the enemy's breastwork -Fazl dropped two bombs; there was a double explosion, and the man -reported that they had fallen apparently at the right spot, though the -dust and smoke prevented him from seeing the effect. - -Lawrence flew on. In spite of the necessity of economizing fuel, he did -not again attempt his previous risky turn, but went on until he reached -the place where wheeling could be performed without danger. The track -was swarming with the enemy. They did not now fire at him; he guessed -that these men could hardly distinguish his machine from their own. - -On returning towards the bend he saw that the bombs had wrought great -havoc there. One at least of the guns was dismounted: the track was -strewn with prostrate forms; and near the rampart only a few men could -be seen scurrying up the hillside to find shelter among the rocks. Fazl -dropped another bomb, aiming as nearly as possible at the guns that were -still in position. The further breastwork was deserted: as Lawrence -crossed it the drawbridge was blown up, and a cheer rose from the little -garrison now lining the walls of the compound. - -Lawrence passed up the valley. It was twenty minutes since he started -from the platform. His fuel would last little more than an hour and a -half. Going and returning his flight could continue for a bare hundred -miles. It was now about four o'clock; in two hours the valley would be -dark. If he did not sight the relieving force within less than an -hour--that is, within fifty miles--he must return to the mine without -the message of hope. Even if he should see it, he reflected that many -hours must elapse before it could reach the mine, however much the march -was forced. This consideration made him decide to shorten his flight; -he must reserve enough petrol to carry the aeroplane once more over the -enemy, so that he could use against them the four bombs he had left. - -Flying low upon the river, he recognized at every few miles the scenes -of the various episodes of this prolonged contest. Here was the wide -extension of the gorge where the hapless aeroplane had no doubt made its -turns: just beyond was the open country where the Pathans had stood at -bay against the Kalmucks; farther south, the scene of his capture by -Nurla Bai. With anxious concentration he scanned the track; not a man -was in sight. To obtain a wider view he swept up in a long plane, and -presently caught sight in the far distance of the hill tower in which -Major Endicott had been besieged. This was a clear signal that he must -turn in a few minutes. - -Just as he was on the point of wheeling round, both he and Fazl -simultaneously gave a shout. Rounding a bend of the track, about five -miles away, was a column of marching horsemen. The sun flashed upon -polished metal. Lawrence lifted his field glass, and after a brief -glance through it uttered a second cry: he had recognized the British -khaki. In the joy of this discovery he ventured to fly on for another -two miles under engine power, then shut off the engine and made a -gradual vol plane down to the track, alighting at an open spot about a -mile from the head of the advancing force. By this time the whole of -the column was in sight. It was very small in comparison with the vast -horde against which it was to be pitted; there were not half as many men -as he had seen within five miles of the mine, to say nothing of the -thousands marching up from the north. But he noticed that it had two -field guns, and a mountain battery carried on mules; and if only it -could arrive in time, he had little doubt that British arms and pluck -and discipline would triumph even over the great host of the enemy. - -Leaving the aeroplane under Fazl's care, Lawrence hastened forward -towards the column. To his still greater joy he recognised in the -officers marching at the head, Major Endicott himself and Captain -Fenton. They were trotting forward to meet him. The Major had one arm -in a sling. - -"All well?" shouted the Major from a distance. - -"Hard pressed, but still holding out," replied Lawrence. - -There were hearty hand-clasps when they met. - -"I was afraid we should be too late--had no end of a job to get this -scratch column together," said the Major. "How far are we from the -mine?" - -"About thirty miles, I think." - -"I hoped it was less. We've been marching all day, and the horses can't -possibly do thirty miles without a rest. Just tell me how matters -stand, will you?" - -"When I left, about three-quarters of an hour ago, my brother had just -been forced back into the mine." - -"Did he leave it, then?" interrupted the Major. - -"Oh yes! He has till now held the enemy off some distance down the -track. But their artillery was too much for us, and we're now in the -last ditch, so to speak. Bob has blown up the bridge, so the enemy -can't get across immediately; and my little Gurkha has done a good deal -of damage among their guns with bombs; but the track is now open to -them; they'll bring more guns up, and be able to pound us at point-blank -range. We've lost a good many men; we've only a few rounds of -ammunition left for the machine gun, and precious little for the -rifles." - -"Dynamite?" - -"I've got the last of it in four bombs in the aeroplane." - -"Can't your men shelter in the galleries from the enemy's bombardment?" - -"For a little while, no doubt. But what I'm afraid of is that the enemy -will find some means of crossing the river during the night: if they do -it's all up. There appears to be a general directing operations, and -after being baulked for a week he won't be satisfied until he's made a -clean sweep of us." - -"It's touch and go, evidently. What do you say, Fenton?" - -"We couldn't do thirty miles on this ground in less than six hours if -the horses were fresh: and if we push on at once they'll collapse before -we're half way there. We must have at least a three hours' rest." - -The Major pulled at his moustache meditatively. - -"Aren't we near that place where you had your smash, Appleton?" he said -suddenly. - -"Yes; it's a few miles down." - -"Then I'll tell you what I'll do. A lot of these fellows with me are -used to work on the Indus. I'll get them to make a big raft like the one -your Kalmucks floated the aeroplane on, and send on a dozen in advance. -The current will gain us three miles an hour; the men should get to the -neighbourhood of the mine about three. If you could manage to meet them -and carry them in relays into the mine they'd be of great use. I'll -give you some ammunition, too. Fly back at once: the knowledge that -we're coming will buck your men up; and the rest of us will hurry on as -soon as possible." - -On reaching the aeroplane, the whole force dismounted. Lawrence was -introduced to Captain Coats, the army surgeon whom he had heard -mentioned in the frontier house. While some of the men placed in the -cockpit as many cartridges as it could carry, others went into the wood -to cut timber for the raft. Lawrence had some difficulty in starting -the engine; but it ran smoothly after a little while, and taking a -cheery leave of the officers he started for the north. - -He had come within about five miles of the mine when a prolonged -miss-fire made it imperative to descend at once. Luckily there was just -room for him to alight at the edge of a small wooded tract. He was the -more perturbed at the delay because he heard distinctly the dull rumble -of artillery fire in the north. Stripping off his coat, he began with -Fazl's help to overhaul the engines. Apparently the defect was in the -carburetter, but for some little time the precise origin of the mis-fire -was undiscoverable. Meanwhile the depths of the valley were already -shrouded in dusk, and Lawrence, never having attempted a flight by -night, became more and more anxious as time went on, lest he should be -overtaken by complete darkness before he regained the platform. - -At last the defect was ascertained and remedied. Lawrence had just put -on his coat, and Fazl was in the act of replacing the plugs, when there -was a sudden volley from the wood near by, and six wild and haggard -Kalmucks came towards the aeroplane with a rush. The Gurkha went on -calmly with his work: Lawrence snatched up his rifle and fired. One of -the attackers fell; the rest dashed on only the more furiously, howling -like famished animals. Lawrence fired again; Fazl started the engine; -both then sprang to their places, and pressing the throttle Lawrence set -the machine gliding forward. - -By this time the Kalmucks were within a few yards. Fazl stooped for his -rifle, to take a parting shot at them. As he rose he noticed that an -extraordinary thing had happened. Just as the aeroplane was lifting, -one of the Kalmucks, outstripping the rest, had taken a grip of the -chassis, as if attempting to drag it down. He retained his grasp a -little too long, and was carried up into the air. Fazl now saw him -convulsively drawing himself up to clutch one of the stays of the main -plane. - -What had happened was hidden from Lawrence by the projecting planes. -Fazl made no sound; but there was an odd look upon his face as he -quietly slipped a cartridge into the breech of his rifle, took careful -aim at one of the four men on the track below, and brought him to the -ground. - -"Tchigin, sahib," he said. - -"Never mind about the Kalmucks," said Lawrence. "Just fill up the tank, -will you?" - -Fazl laid down his rifle, took a petrol can, and poured its contents -into the tank below the pilot's seat. There was nothing of haste or -excitement in his manner. He tipped the can until the last drop was -drained, and having set it down, rubbed his hands on his coat. Then he -drew his kukuri, and bent over slowly towards the Kalmuck, who was -clinging to the stay in grim and speechless terror. Fazl gazed steadily -into the man's eyes. He lifted his terrible weapon; there was one swift -whizzing stroke through the air; and the lost man fell headlong into the -river, three hundred feet below. Fazl wiped his blade. - -"What's that?" asked Lawrence, as the aeroplane gave a sudden upward -jerk. - -"Nurla Bai, sahib." - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-EIGHTH - - THE LAST FIGHT - - -Lawrence landed in the twilight on his platform. All sounds of combat -had ceased. His first care was to see exactly how much petrol was left. -There was enough for about twenty minutes' flight: then the aeroplane -would be doomed to inactivity. - -"Look over the machine," he said to Fazl, "and come after me when you -have finished. What did you mean about Nurla Bai?" - -"He has gone into the river, even as he sent the huzur." - -"You shot him? But no: you did not fire. What happened?" - -"He came along with us, sahib. He caught the chassis as we rose, and we -were gone before he could let go. He clung to the stay. I cut him -down." - -Lawrence's blood ran cold with horror. In spite of the man's -brutalities and crimes, he could not but feel moved by the terrible fate -that had befallen the revolted miner. It was well deserved: yet -Lawrence wished that Nurla could have met his death in open fight. He -said no more to Fazl, but went along the pathway now enwrapt in -darkness, to discover what had happened during his absence, and to give -the garrison his promise of relief. - -The compounds were deserted. No lights were visible. At first he -thought that the men must already have taken refuge in the galleries; -but as he came to the end of the pathway he saw them all grouped at the -rear of the house under the cliff, behind a mound of tailings. They -were very silent. Only a sound like a multitudinous sigh broke from -them when he drew near. - -"Where's my brother?" he asked anxiously, as Gur Buksh saluted. - -"Here, sahib: he is hurt." - -The group parted, and Lawrence saw Bob with his head and one arm -bandaged, reclining in a long chair. - -"Nothing very serious, I hope," said Bob with a smile, as Lawrence bent -over him. "A bullet in my arm just below the shoulder, and a whack in -the skull from a splinter of rock. Any news, old chap!" - -"Yes, thank God! Endicott himself is within less than thirty miles, -with three or four hundred men, field pieces and mountain batteries. -There's a medico with him, so we'll soon put you to rights." - -"Tell the men, will you?" - -Lawrence gathered the men about him and quickly gave the information. A -company of British soldiers would have received it with a ringing cheer: -these Asiatics merely murmured praises to Allah, mingled with triumphant -execrations of the enemy. - -"It'll be as much as we can do to hold out until the Major arrives," -said Bob in a low tone. "Is he coming on at once?" - -"No, unluckily. His horses were dead beat: he said they must have three -or four hours' rest, and I'm afraid he can't be here until four or five -o'clock in the morning at the earliest. But he has sent some -ammunition, and a dozen men are coming in advance on a raft; they should -arrive about three o'clock. I intend to meet them a little way up, and -bring them in on the aeroplane. I've just enough petrol left." - -"That's good. We're practically helpless here. They've knocked the -wall about with their field pieces from the breastwork, and smashed the -machine gun. We couldn't hold the wall any longer. The carbide has -given out, so that we can't make any more acetylene for the searchlight, -and the track's free for them now. I only hope that as they've forced -the passage they won't trouble us any more, but go straight ahead in the -morning. They little suspect what's in store for them!" - -"They may possibly leave us alone, but they're hardly human if they -don't try a shot or two at the aeroplane, especially when they discover -what has happened to their own." - -"What did happen to it, by the way?" - -Lawrence described the incidents of the manoeuvring up and down river, -and the extraordinary scene at the turning-place. It was then that he -and Bob argued about the cause of the final collapse, almost forgetting -their actual circumstances in discussing the scientific problem. They -were suddenly recalled to realities, however, by sounds from the -opposite bank--the ringing clatter of horses' hoofs and the rumble of -wheels. - -"They're moving their guns up," said Bob. "No doubt they've only been -waiting for the dark. Listen! We shall soon know what they mean to -do." - -Both chafed at their inability to impose any check upon the movement. -Rifle fire from their few men would be ineffective in the darkness; it -would moreover be a signal to the gunners to sweep the wall with shell. -They were not long in doubt as to the enemy's intentions. The noises -ceased. It was clear that the Kalmucks were going to wreak vengeance -upon the garrison of the mine before continuing their march up stream. -Bob recalled the old military maxim: never leave an enemy in your rear. -At dawn they would no doubt open fire from the guns placed exactly -opposite the mine, and as soon as they discovered the aeroplane on its -platform beyond the shoulder of the cliff they would smash it to atoms. - -"I've still a few bombs left," said Lawrence. "I might destroy their -guns if I could only see them. Isn't there enough acetylene for ten -minutes' light, Bob?" - -"Not for one, worse luck. You certainly can't do anything in the dark. -There's just one chance, though." - -"What's that?" - -"You could light a big fire on the buttress yonder. It might show just -enough light for the purpose." - -"I'll try it. I tell you what: I'll fire the shed itself, with a lot of -combustibles inside. We can easily build another afterwards if Endicott -gets rid of the enemy." - -"We shan't want to do that. If we're alive to-morrow morning we shan't -think of staying here any longer." - -"Leave the mine, you mean?" - -"Yes: take poor old Uncle's silver ore to India and sell it for what -it's worth. I don't know how much that will be, but it ought to give us -enough money to keep us while we're looking round for some other job: -I've had enough of mining. In any case we couldn't stay here. The place -would remind us too much of Uncle and all the tragic horrors." - -"You're right: though I don't like the idea of caving in. Now I'll get -some of the men to carry grease and things to the shed. Can Chunda give -me some grub? I'm very hungry." - -"We've got all our provisions either here or in the galleries. We were -very lucky to have so much; it will last for two or three weeks more." - -While Lawrence made his supper, Fyz Ali and three or four other Pathans -conveyed to the platform combustibles of all kinds, returning with the -ammunition sent by Major Endicott. Then Bob insisted on Lawrence's -sleeping for a few hours. About three o'clock in the morning Lawrence -returned with Fazl to the aeroplane. They kindled several fires in the -shed, leaving the door open. When the flames gave them light enough, -they started the engine and flew off up the river, hearing sounds of -commotion among the enemy on the track. Never having flown by night -before, Lawrence was rather nervous; but he reached the turning-place -safely, wheeled round without mishap, and flew northwards into the -stretch of a few hundred yards now illuminated by the blazing shed. - -There were four bombs left. Lawrence had instructed Fazl to drop two as -they passed over the guns, reserving the other two for use as they -returned if they should discover that the first had not been effective. -They saw two guns placed on the track just opposite the bridge. The -Gurkha, leaning over perilously, let fall two bombs together. There was -a terrific crash and a babel of yells; but they could not yet tell what -damage had been done. The aeroplane was beyond the illuminated area, -and Lawrence had to concentrate his attention on the machine as he flew -northwards in the darkness. He felt that he could not risk an attempt -to turn until he reached the wide space seven miles down stream, and he -was very anxious lest the engine should fail for want of petrol before -he could get back. It was quite clear that to bring Major Endicott's -advanced party of twelve into the mine was now impossible. By the time -the aeroplane should have reached its platform, if it did so, every -ounce of fuel would be used up. - -For safety's sake he rose to a considerable height. The grey light of -dawn was stealing over the summits of the hills. He turned and flew -back, watching the engine nervously. As soon as he came to the -neighbourhood of the mine, he saw the enemy scuttling away from the -track into nooks and crannies in the face of the cliff. The sound of -the propeller had been the signal for a general _sauve qui peut_. Fazl -dropped his last two bombs opposite the bridge, and then the aeroplane -passed into the cloud of smoke drifting up and across the river from the -conflagration. - -Lawrence saw that the petrol would not last another three minutes. He -utilised the expiring power of the engine to rise still higher, so that -when it failed he would be at a sufficient altitude to make a long vol -plane back to his platform. He had just turned when he detected a -lessening of power. The engine began to splutter; then it ceased to -work. - -It was a terrifying moment. In the darkness he could not read the -aneroid that indicated his altitude. He did not know whether the angle -of the descent which had already begun would bring him to earth before -he reached the platform. Gently, easily as the machine swooped down, it -might land him on the track where he would be completely at the mercy of -the enemy. He looked anxiously ahead. The flaming shed came in sight, -but dimmed by the pall of smoke that lay over the bottom of the gorge. -He steered into the smoke towards the platform, but, half blinded by the -reek, he missed it, and only by a sudden movement of the lever, that was -itself almost disastrous, did he save the machine from dashing against -the cliff. Luckily the smoke hid him from the enemy. By another -dexterous feat of steering he rounded the bend, and in a few seconds -dropped with a quivering shock upon the fence that separated the -Pathans' from the Kalmucks' compound. With every nerve jarring he -sprang out of his seat. Fazl followed him, and between them they -dragged the aeroplane from its uneasy perch and laid it behind the -fence. Even now his chief thought was to protect from the enemy's fire -the machine which had served him so well. Only when it was quite -invisible to them did he hasten across the compound, scale the second -fence in the darkness, and rejoin his brother in the sheltered nook -behind the house. - -"Just managed it!" he panted, throwing himself down. "The engine -failed; I missed the platform, and came down on the fence. The chassis -is rather rumpled, but no other damage done. I should have been wild if -the machine had come utterly to grief." - -"It's more important that you're safe, old boy," said Bob. "Did you -succeed?" - -"Morning will show. Fazl declares that he hit the guns; I don't know. -I wish I could have brought those men of Endicott's in. I dare say they -heard me as I passed over the track, and are wondering why I didn't come -down for them." - -"We can't help it. I only hope the Major himself started in time." - -Dawn was stealing down into the valley. Ganda Singh crept on all fours -to the wall and peeped over. In a few minutes he returned and reported -that there was nothing opposite the bridge but a mass of broken rock and -metal. The guns had been destroyed. But the Kalmucks were scattered -along the track between the bridge and the bend, crouching behind rocks -and entrenchments which they had thrown up during the night. Apparently -they were unaware of the descent of the aeroplane, and dreaded another -attack by bombs. - -It was hardly light when a fierce bombardment broke out from the bend. -Shells crashed upon the northern wall, and whistled into the deserted -compounds, scattering earth in all directions, and filling the air with -noisome fumes. - -"We're safe here for the present," said Bob, whose face looked pinched -and pale in the light of the morning. "But when they find we don't -reply, and there's no other attack from the aeroplane, they'll bring -their guns along and pound us from the opposite bank. When it gets too -hot we must go into the galleries. Before they can repair the bridge and -cross, Endicott ought to be here." - -He had scarcely spoken when a shell plumped into the house, and set it -on fire. The garrison were enveloped in a mantle of smoke. But as the -smoke drifted across the river, the Kalmucks, taking courage from the -quiescence of the defenders, rushed forward from their shelters and -began to throw a light framework over the torrent between the rock in -midstream and the end of the ruined bridge. The sudden cessation of the -bombardment gave Bob an inkling of what was to come; next moment loud -yells from beyond the river made it clear. - -"They're coming at us," he said quietly to Lawrence. "They must have -made a bridge. We can't retreat now. You must do your best, old chap." - -Though Lawrence begged him to remain on his chair, Bob got up and -accompanied the little band as they rushed towards the river wall to -meet the storming party. They were no more than thirty; the track -swarmed with the enemy. The improvised bridge would not support more -than thirty at a time, so that the attackers and the defenders of the -wall were equal in point of number; but the Kalmucks had posted many -sharpshooters in the rocks above the track, who could fire over their -comrades' heads and pick off the garrison manning the wall and the gap -where the end of the drawbridge had been. - -It was a fierce and terrible struggle hand to hand. The defenders could -deal only with the storming party; they had no leisure to attend to the -half-concealed marksmen among the rocks. With bayonet, clubbed rifle, -sword and miner's pick they sought desperately to stem the attack. Gur -Buksh had distributed the Sikhs among the miners to give them -steadiness; but the Pathans, inspired by the fury of their own leaders, -Fyz Ali and Muhammad Din, needed no encouragement from the disciplined -men. Shan Tai and Chunda Beg had thrown themselves into the fray with -picks. Of all the little community only Ditta Lai and the Bengali -servants remained in the rear; they were physically unfit to bear a part -in the great fight. It was much to their credit that, at this crisis in -affairs, they did not cower in frantic terror, but toiled hard to raise -a rampart of boxes, tins, and bags of earth opposite the mouth of the -gallery. - -Regardless of the fusillade, Bob and Lawrence went from end to end of -the line, cheering the men, rallying them when they showed signs of -being forced back by the onrush of the yelling enemy. Again and again -the assault was beaten back. At one moment the end of the bridge was -heaped high with the men thrust back from the wall. The river received -many dead and wounded forms, and bore down some who, though unhurt, had -been hurled or jostled off the bridge. But the garrison were dropping -man by man. Gur Buksh, conspicuous by his height, fell to a bullet. -Ganda Singh fought on, though a bayonet had transfixed his arm. Fyz Ali -was shot as he was in the act of bringing the butt of his rifle down -upon the head of a big Kalmuck who was forcing his way through the -narrow gap into the compound. Bob, fainting from his former hurts, sank -down unconscious among his wounded men. As yet unscathed, Lawrence -stood in the gap, and the number of prostrate forms in front of him bore -witness to his unfaltering vigour. Next to him Fazl, whose low stature -rendered him immune from the sniping shots of the enemy, darted forth -whenever he saw an opportunity of using his kukuri, and sprang nimbly -back before he could be touched. - -But Lawrence's heart sank as he saw his devoted little band becoming -less and less. He had no reserves. There was no limit to the number -that the enemy could throw against him. The crowd on the bridge never -diminished. As soon as one man fell his place was taken from behind. -From sheer exhaustion the defenders could not stem the torrent many -minutes longer. Their arms were aching and numbed almost to the point -of paralysis. The frequent alarms and broken rest of seven days and -nights were telling on their hardy frames. Lawrence, swinging his rifle -like a flail, expected at every stroke that his muscles would refuse to -lift the weapon for another. Missing Bob's cheering cries, he gave a -rapid glance round, and seeing his brother on the ground, he was just -making up his mind that the time had come for a general retreat to the -galleries, their last line of defence, when there came the sudden -crackle of rifles from a new direction. It was on the right. There was -a cheer, very different from the shrill cries of the Kalmucks, and then -confused cries all around. The firing from the rocks had ceased. At a -second volley the Kalmucks on the bridge halted in surprise and -hesitation. Lawrence guessed what had happened. Seizing the moment, he -shouted to his men to follow him, and springing from the wall, led them -in a fierce rush on to the bridge. They swept the enemy before them, -cutting down one, tumbling another into the stream. - -On the track a disorderly terrified crowd were rushing past the bridge -towards the north, masking the fire of their own guns at the bend. -Behind them at a gallop came fifty sowars of the Border force, led by -Major Endicott himself. They swept on through the panic-stricken mob, -upon whom, as the horsemen passed, the garrison from their post on the -bridge opened a withering fire. Major Endicott and his troopers pushed -on and on, driving the enemy, some before them, some into the river, -some up the rugged hillside. They did not halt until they reached the -guns. There were a few minutes of desperate fighting about them; then -the gunners were cut down, and the swarms behind were in full flight -down the track. At a word from the Major half the sowars leapt from -their horses, slewed the guns round, and sent shell after shell among -the frenzied crowd until the whole track within sight was clear of -living men. And Bob woke to consciousness to hear his brother's voice -lead the men in a ringing cheer. The mine was saved; the enemy had been -held in check for a week; every man had done his duty. - - - - - CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH - - REUNION - - -Major Endicott left his men at the bend, and galloped back to the -bridge. Dismounting there, he pressed Lawrence's hand warmly. - -"Well played, sir!" he said. "Where's your brother?" - -"In the compound, Major. He's all right, I think: that is, he wasn't -hit this morning; but he was wounded yesterday, and is rather off -colour." - -"The doctor will be up in a few minutes. He was just behind me; and -Fenton will arrive with the rest of the men and the guns in about an -hour. I pushed on ahead when I heard the bombardment." - -"Just in time! We couldn't have held out another five minutes." - -"I'm glad we managed it," said the Major simply. - -"Come and see Bob. They've burnt our house, and we can't make you very -comfortable." - -"My dear boy, comfort is ruin to a soldier. Ah! here's Coats; he'd -better have a look at your brother at once." - -The doctor rode up with another score of troopers. These the Major -ordered to remain on guard at the bridge, in case the Kalmucks who were -still scattered here and there on the track and the hillside should show -any disposition to rally. Then the two officers crossed with Lawrence -into the compound. Bob had been carried back to his chair by Shan Tai -and the khansaman. The doctor made a brief examination of his wounds, -got out some lint and lotion, and as he bandaged him declared that he -would be quite sound in a few days. Then he went off to attend to the -other wounded--almost every man of the little company. Ten had been -killed outright; two were so severely injured that recovery was -hopeless; the rest would be well sooner or later. Among these were Fyz -Ali and Gur Buksh, though the Sikh's arm had to be amputated. - -"I was never so glad of anything as I am to hand things over to you, -Major," said Bob. - -Major Endicott was seated on an upturned box beside his chair, with a -biscuit in one hand and a hunk of corned beef in the other. - -"Well, you know, I feel rather mean," he said munching. "Capital stuff, -this! ... All the credit is yours and Lawrence's, and I shan't fail to -say so. It's a thousand pities you are not both in the service. By the -way, I saw as I came up that your aeroplane had come to grief, and it -was a great relief to see Lawrence safe and sound." - -"It wasn't ours," replied Bob, who then related in brief the events of -the previous day. - -"That's amazing. Then I suppose Lawrence can still use your machine for -scouting if necessary?" - -"We've no more petrol, unfortunately. What do you intend to do, then?" - -"First of all secure our position here as soon as Fenton comes up. -We'll make it impossible for the enemy to get round that bend yonder. -Then we'll follow up the runaways and shepherd them out of the valley." - -"There's such a lot of them, and you've so few!" - -"But they can't extend on this narrow track, and my few will be a match -for them. They'll soon give it up as hopeless, and draw off to rejoin -their huge army operating in Afghanistan. This week's delay has been -our salvation. The Chief is moving up a large force to hold the passes -south, and our flank is secure--a handsome feather in your cap, my lad. -When I am sure that the valley is clear I shall return to the frontier, -and of course you and your men must come too. You won't want to hold on -here now that your poor uncle is gone?" - -"No: we had already made up our minds to that." - -"I don't want to be inquisitive, but--er--have you--in short, what's -your financial position, Bob?" - -"I don't know. We had very little money, of course; everything in the -house is burnt, including Uncle's cheque book, and all his papers. I -don't know what he left, but I suppose there'll be no difficulty in -proving our title to what there is?" - -"None at all, I should think, though I'm not up in law. You've got some -ore worked, of course; copper, isn't it? Pity it isn't gold." - -"There's better than copper, at all events. There's a heap of unworked -ore in a cavity just beyond the compound, and Uncle said it's almost -pure silver." - -"That's first-rate. I recommend you to set the men to get it up at -once. We'll transport it to India somehow or other, and I'm sure I hope -it'll make you millionaires." - -"Not much chance of that," said Bob with a smile. "But it will give us -something to jog along with." - -"You must be ready to start almost at once. We marched light; I've food -for only two or three days, and short commons at that. This corned beef -is very good: any more of it?" - -"I'll inquire of my store-keeper. I haven't seen him lately: he wasn't -in the fighting line, and I dare say he's alive." - -When Captain Fenton with the remainder of the relieving force arrived, -the men were set to work after a meal to render the track impassable. It -was fortified at the bend with a series of entrenchments and wire -entanglements, space being left only for horsemen to pass in single -file. Before the enemy had recovered from the shock of their reverse, -the position which had given them so much trouble when defended by a -mere handful of almost untrained men was rendered ten times more -formidable, and held by ten times as many trained troops. On the next -day they felt forward with their artillery, but being met by a hail of -shells from the mountain batteries, they soon withdrew their guns, and -finally turned their backs on the scene of their wasted labours. - -Major Endicott followed them down the valley with the greater part of -his force, Lawrence accompanying him on one of the troopers' horses. He -took two guns in case they should turn at bay, but they showed the -utmost alacrity in retreating, and for many miles only the stragglers of -their rearguard were ever in sight. When the pursuers, however, were -within a short distance of the scene of Lawrence's little engagement on -the way back from the bridge, they noticed a number of Kalmucks marching -over the hills to the left. They were no doubt following the path by -which the Kalmucks on that occasion had managed to outflank Lawrence's -party. There being none of the enemy in sight along the track, Major -Endicott deemed it necessary to climb into the hills and pursue the -fugitives until he had made sure that no concentration was being -attempted. - -He left half his party with the guns on the track to continue their -march, and began to climb. It was a breakneck path, narrow, tortuous, -and at times so steep that the troopers had to dismount and lead their -horses carefully. They made slow progress, and when the Major reached a -more level stretch and, looking through his field-glass, no longer saw -any sign of the enemy, he decided that it would be waste of time and -energy to follow any farther. - -He had just given the order to retire when the figure of a man suddenly -appeared from the entrance of a ravine a few hundred yards ahead, and -walked towards the troop, holding his hands above his head. Thinking -that he was one of the enemy intending to surrender, the Major waited. - -"I know that man," said Lawrence after a few moments. "He's an old -Uzbek fellow, who lives quite alone somewhere in these hills, no one -knows where. He comes to the mine at long intervals to buy food and -ammunition in exchange for the horns and skins of _Ovis poli_. I suppose -he's on his way there now." - -"Can you understand his lingo?" - -"No; my uncle was the only one of us who could talk to him." - -The man approached. He was a strange object, the wrinkled skin of his -face yellow like old ivory, a ragged white beard hanging almost to his -waist. When he came up, he made some sort of salutation to Lawrence, -and another to the Major, then muttered the word _kuzur_. - -"We all know what that means," said the Major; but he paused, struck by -an eager look in Lawrence's eyes as the old man made some pantomimic -gestures and pointed in the direction whence he had come. Lawrence -sprang from his horse. - -"He wants me to go with him, Major," he said hurriedly. "I believe--I -hardly dare think it----" - -He did not wait to complete the sentence, but followed the old man, who -was already walking back. They came to a narrow ravine, which wound -away into the hillside towards the river, always at a steep descent. -Passing along it, they came after some minutes to a well-built akoi, -around which several skins lay drying. The man led Lawrence to the -entrance, and motioned to him to go in. - -The lad's heart was beating tumultuously. He paused a moment at the low -opening, shrinking lest what he was about to see were a culminating -spectacle of woe. In the middle of the tent there was a fire, the smoke -of which passed out through a hole in the dome-shaped roof. Crushing -down his agitation, he stepped in, his tread falling noiseless on a -floor of thick skin rugs. Just beyond the fire lay the still form of a -man. Holding his breath, Lawrence bent down, and looked upon the face of -his uncle, asleep. - -Though his footsteps had been silent, the fact of his presence seemed to -penetrate the consciousness of the sleeping man. He opened his eyes. - -"Ah, Lawrence," he said, "what is this I hear about great guns?" - -Lawrence could not speak. He clasped his uncle's hand, and felt with a -kind of surprise that it was warm as his own. - -"Poor old boy! I expect you've had a bad time," Mr. Appleton went on. -"But I couldn't let you know that I was all right." - -"I can hardly believe it. It seems too good to be true. We'd long ago -given you up." - -"Long ago! Why, goodness alive! how long have I been here then?" - -And then Lawrence remembered that it was only a fortnight since that -unlucky pursuit of Nurla Bai. - -"It seems an age," he said. "But how splendid it is, Uncle! Bob and -everybody will be simply wild with delight. You're not ill, are you?" -he asked, noticing that his uncle remained flat on his back. - -"I'm never ill, as you know! But old What's-his-name is not much of a -surgeon, and I'm helpless with a broken thigh or something of the sort. -That rascal Nurla Bai only gave me a flesh wound, which is healed now; -but when I fell I came down too heavily on a rock beneath the surface, -and smashed myself. The old man happened to be fishing close by----" - -"I remember: we found a fishing net when we were searching for you." - -"I was carried within reach of him, and he drew me ashore to a cavern -under the cliff. Of course I was senseless, and the old man seems to -have been scared out of his wits by the aeroplane, or he would have -shown up when you were looking for me. Anyway, he carried me to this -place, which appears to be only a few feet above the bank, and here he -has looked after me ever since. When I came to myself, I explained what -had happened, and asked him to walk up to the mine to tell you that I -was alive. He went off, but returned with a story about a whole army -marching up, and fighting, and big guns, and what not. So I simply had -to make the best of it, though I knew that you must think me dead. Now, -what is this all about?" - -"I'll tell you everything when I get you home, Uncle. Major Endicott is -here----" - -"Thinks me mad, you know." - -"With a lot of troopers, and they must sling up a horse-litter for you. -We've got Captain Coats at the mine--an army surgeon, you know; he'll -see what's really the matter with you." - -"Any other strangers? Billeting is rather expensive. But I'm talking -nonsense. Get me out of this as soon as you like. It's a very -comfortable hut, but not like home, and I long to see old Chunda Beg's -serious phiz, and--yes, hear the Babu's chatter. And I want to -know----" - -"Yes, there are heaps of things to explain," Lawrence interrupted. -"I'll run and tell the Major." - -"And I say, in case I forget it, I promised to give old Stick-in-the-mud -a pound of tobacco when I got back. Remind me." - -Lawrence hurried out, fearing that weakness had made his uncle rather -light-headed. On his acquainting the Major with his amazing discovery, -and explaining that the akoi appeared to be very near the river, the -order was at once given to return to the track. There they met the -other half of the party, who reported that the bridge down stream had -collapsed under the hurried flight of the enemy. Their rearguard had -evidently elected to try the difficult mountain track rather than risk -being caught. - -Lawrence went down the track with the Major and two troopers, and were -soon met by the old Uzbek, whose name no one knew. He conducted them -along a narrow parting in the rocks till they reached his akoi. With -his aid a litter of skins was rigged up, and on this Mr. Appleton was -carried down to the track. There the litter was slung between two -horses, and the rest of the journey to the mine was accomplished slowly -indeed, but in comfort. - -On the way Major Endicott, at Mr. Appleton's entreaty, gave him a -succinct account of what had happened during his absence. - -"I wish I'd been there, egad!" he ejaculated, as he heard of his -nephews' gallant defence. "But no: they've had a chance to show what -stuff they're made of; my assistance would have ruined it. D'you still -think I'm mad, Endicott?" - -"Well--perhaps a trifle light-headed--owing to your illness, you know," -answered the Major in some confusion. - -"That's not what I meant," said Mr. Appleton with twinkling eyes. "You -thought me chronically mad, fit for Bedlam. Oh! you needn't apologize: -all you frontier fellows did. 'Poor old Harry,' you know. 'Only a -madman would think of mining in the Hindu Kush!' But where would you -have been without the mine, eh? Where would you have been, the whole -dashed lot of you, without the mine and my young nephews? I tell you -what, sir, my mine has been the saving of India, and don't you forget -it." - -"We shan't do that, Appleton, I assure you," said the Major, willing to -humour him. - -"Yes; my mine, and one other thing: Bob's aeroplane. What you want, my -dear sir, to keep India safe, is a corps of air patrols, with Bob as -boss and Lawrence as second in command. We've got the finest navy in the -world: for its size we've got the finest army; and we ought to wake up -and get the finest air fleet, and the finest corps of airmen that can be -trained. That's my opinion." - - -There is no need to describe the scenes of wild excitement and -jubilation at the mine when Mr. Appleton was carried among his people. -The surgeon's report after examination of the fractured limb was a -surprise to everybody. He said that the old Uzbek, by skill or good -luck, had done just what an experienced surgeon would have done in the -absence of proper splints. The fracture was a simple one, the bone was -already joining up, and there would be no risk in conveying Mr. Appleton -in the horse-litter by easy stages to India. - -Preparations for departure were hurried on. With the aid of the -troopers, the Pathans put up in a day a temporary shed for the -accommodation of the Englishmen. Then they set about hoisting the -silver ore from its cavity in the bank of the river to the compound -above. The transportation of twenty tons of ore over rough country -without suitable vehicles was a matter that gave everybody much concern. -It was ultimately decided that as much as possible should be carried by -the men and animals, the remainder being left, to be fetched -subsequently by a host of carriers whom Fyz Ali undertook to enlist. -Every man of the garrison was delighted with the promise of treble pay -for the fortnight of Mr. Appleton's absence, and Major Endicott did not -despair of extracting a grant from Government in recognition of their -services to the Empire. - -On the night before the southward march was to be begun, the Englishmen -were provided by Shan Tai with a supper on which he lavished all the -resources of his art. Corned beef and other tinned comestibles appeared -in various disguises, and Mr. Appleton, reclining on his chair, mildly -expostulated with the Chinaman for deferring this triumphant exhibition -of his skill until the eve of the abandonment of the mine. Healths were -drunk in water and coffee, the only beverages available, and the -store-sheds having luckily escaped injury, Mr. Appleton was able to -offer his guests some excellent cigars. - -When all were contentedly smoking, Mr. Appleton said: - -"I want to take you men into my confidence, and ask your advice. As you -know, I have decided to close down here. I had already decided to do so -at the end of this summer: recent events have only anticipated it by a -few weeks." - -"Congratulations," said Major Endicott. "I suppose you've made your -pile." - -"A very modest pile. Sixty per cent. of that ore is pure silver, and it -will fetch something like L50,000. That of course I shall invest." - -"Choose a good security," said the Major. - -"No more hair-brained adventures, you mean! Really, Major, you must try -to disabuse your mind of the notion that I am mad. Now, I am going to -retire. Yesterday was my fifty-third birthday; I have knocked about -enough; my tastes are simple: and I've enough to live on apart from the -silver. - -"You wonder, I dare say, why I brought my nephews out here only a few -months before the date I had fixed on for giving up the mine. I'll tell -you. I didn't know the boys, and wanted to study them at close -quarters, and see for myself what they were good for. I am quite -satisfied. The probation they have come through during the last few -days would convince any one." - -"I should rather think so," said the Major emphatically. - -"Well now, what do you advise? What shall I do with them?" - -"Let 'em both join the service; I recommend that without hesitation," -said the Major. - -"Hear! hear!" Captain Fenton ejaculated. - -"Would they have you back at Sandhurst, Bob?" asked his uncle. - -"No need for that," exclaimed the Major. "The Chief will give him a -commission in the Indian army straight away when I've had a talk with -him." - -"Will that suit you, Bob?" - -"I couldn't wish for anything more splendid," said Bob, flushing with -pleasure. - -"That's settled then. And you, Lawrence?" - -"The same for him, of course," said the Major. - -"It's uncommonly good of you," said Lawrence, "but--well, I'm not cut -out for a soldier." - -"Rubbish, sir. I wish all my subalterns were like you." - -"What's your notion then?" asked Mr. Appleton. - -"Well, Uncle, I was going to Oxford, you know, but I'm afraid I shall be -too old for a scholarship next year, and--and it would cost too much -without." - -Lawrence spoke awkwardly, colouring to the roots of his hair. - -"You could manage on L400 a year, I suppose?" said Mr. Appleton, dryly. - -"Much less, Uncle. I know a chap who did jolly well on L200, and -saved." - -"What will you do when you come down? Take a clerkship at thirty -shillings a week, or teach little ruffians good cricket and bad Latin on -forty?" - -"I thought of trying for the Indian Civil, Uncle. I should like it -immensely after being out here." - -"Stiff exam, isn't it?" - -"I can swat, sir." - -"I believe you can! Well, I'm going to settle my silver money on Bob -and you." [Here there was what the reporters call a "sensation."] "It -should bring in L1500 a year even in the safest security. You shall -have L400 each until you're twenty-five; after that you'll share the -whole lot equally between you. Think I'm mad, Major?" - -"I wish you'd bite an old uncle of mine," said the Major with a laugh. -"I congratulate you young fellows; you deserve it all." - -The boys were overwhelmed with their good luck, and their uncle's -generosity. They stammered out their thanks; then, desiring to talk -things over quietly between themselves, they got up and went out. - -They strolled up and down the compound, looking with the mind's eye into -the vista opening so brightly before them, discussing plans with -youthful eagerness and optimism, voting their uncle a "trump," a -"brick," a "ripping old boy," and employing the hundred and one -meaningless phrases with which Englishmen are wont to dissemble their -feelings. It is only the bare truth to say that their deepest -satisfaction and thankfulness sprang from reunion with their uncle. - -Presently Bob noticed, in the gloom, Ditta Lal pacing slowly along by -the cliff wall. - -"Hallo, Babu!" he called. "Come here. I want to speak to you." - -The Bengali drew near, and as he came within the candlelight beaming -through the open doorway of the shed, they noticed that he wore a very -dejected look. - -"I want to thank you," continued Bob. "Chunda Beg told me that while the -fight was going on you were heaping up that rampart yonder. It was well -thought of; we're indebted to you." - -The Babu's face lit up for a moment as he bowed his acknowledgments; but -it instantly clouded over again. - -"You don't look very happy," said Lawrence. "What's the matter?" - -"It is a complicated case, sir," said the Babu mournfully. "Diagnosis -easy, but as for remedies that touch the spot, alas! _non est_, or more -correctly, _non sunt_." - -"What's wrong? Out with it, man," said Bob. - -"Imprimis and in first place, sir, I droop in shade of impending -calamity--regular sword of Damocles. I learn from esteemed avuncular -relative, whose return to wonted haunts fills bitter cup of rejoicing to -overflowing and slops, that he abandons commercial avocation, rests on -his oars and laurels, and subsides into lassitude of adipose retirement. -Every man to his gout, sir; but what is one man's alimentary nourishment -is another man's happy dispatch. In short, young sirs, where do I come -in?" - -"Well, I'll tell you a secret," said Bob. "In recognition of your -valuable services, and your willingness to help in all sorts of ways out -of your own line, my uncle is going to make you a present of L50 when -you leave his employment." - -"Jolly good tip, sir," said the Babu, brightening. "To use vulgar -tongue, Burra Sahib is ripping old josser, and no mistakes. But for one -harrowing reflection, carking care, sir, and fly in ointment, I should -be restored to normal hilarity and cock-a-hoopness." - -"Well?" - -"You observe, sir, that while honourable superior persons are engaged in -temperate carousal and fumigation, there is absence of mafficking and -horseplays among small fry; no beer and skittles, sir. That lies like -leaden hundred-weight upon my bounding bosom. I attribute it to vacuous -cavity in my brain-pan, or possibly erratic convulsions of grey matter. -I spoke of organising tamasha, you remember--regular orgy of -intellectual fireworks and monkey tricks, the set piece and tour de -force of which was to be ode, elegy, or comic song penned by humble and -obsequious servant. Would you believe it! Though I have scorned -delights and lived laborious days, crowned my noble brow with sopped -tea-cloth, imbibed oceans of coffee, black as your hat, and performed -other rites enjoined by custom and recollections of stewing for -exams--in spite of stupendous and praiseworthy efforts, that monument of -literary agility is yet only shapeless block, sir: in short, I haven't -done it." - -"That's a pity," said Lawrence, repressing a smile. "Inspiration ran -short, eh?" - -"No, sir, inspiration flows unchecked, a mild pellucid stream. Failure -is due to intractable and churlish disposition of English lingo. I -write a magnificent and lovely line, to wit-- - - "The solar luminary winked his bloodshot orb-- - -and then beat coverts for a rhyme: cui bono and what's the use? How -true it is that fine words butter no parsnips! My note-book is chock -full of similar felicitous lines, left in single blessedness and mere -oblivion for want of an accommodating partner, or, as I may say, -eligible parti." - -"Why not try blank verse, then?" said Bob. - -"Blank verse is like blank cartridge, sir, suitable for reviews and -sham-fights--that is to say, for long-winded epics and rigmaroles about -nothing in particular; but not for battle pieces, in which you need -clink-clank and rum-ti-tum to achieve truly martial effects." - -"I should like to see what you've done, though," said Lawrence. - -"Well begun is half done, proverb runs; fallacious and tommy rot, sir. -I began well; I will exhibit, commending to you beautiful aphorism of -some precious and defunct poet now forgotten, namely, 'We may our ends -by our beginnings know.'" - -He drew a roll of paper from his pocket, and moving towards the lighted -doorway, spread it before their eyes. This is what they read-- - - - ODE - - _in celebration of gorgeous defence of gorge - by two young English sirs, - who with handful of rude mechanicals, - dauntless breasts - and flying machine, 100 h.p., - withstood the mights of twenty thousand Mongols. - Written at request of one of aforesaid sirs, - Mr. ROBERT APPLETON, Esquire, etc., - by - DITTA LAL, - B.A. Calcutta University._ - - -Here the page ended. Lawrence turned over: the back was blank. - -"Where's the rest?" he asked. - -"There's the rub, sir. The rest is dispersed through many pages of my -note-book, high and dry, pearls of poesy, gems of purest ray serene, -waiting leisure and a rhyming dictionary to thread them into perfect and -resplendent ornament." - -"Well, finish it when you have time. You can send it to us, you know." - -"Registered, sir. I will do so without failings, and earn the meed of -melodious tear or two, if not penny a line." - -Rolling up the paper, he returned to his own quarters, followed by eyes -mirthful but compassionate. - - -The campaign in Afghanistan lasted for several months after the check -given to the flanking force in the valley. The Mongols having obtained -a firm grip of the country around Kabul, it was difficult to dislodge -them, though they never succeeded in forcing the passes into India. As -the struggle developed, and the British Indian army took the offensive, -the Afghans, who had by this time found the Mongols unpleasant guests, -and begun to doubt their value as allies, quarrelled with the invaders, -and either withdrew into their remotest and least accessible hills, or -took sides actively against them. This was the beginning of the end. -The horses which, if the early raids had been successful, would have -proved a tremendous asset to the enemy, were in a prolonged check in -Afghanistan a serious handicap. It became impossible to feed them. The -Mongol host lost its mobility, and found itself pent up in a mountainous -region where supplies even for the men failed. - -The story of the great retreat cannot be told in these pages. When once -the retrograde movement began, every armed man in Afghanistan and -Northern Persia hasted like a sleuth-hound in pursuit. Only a fraction -of the half-million invaders returned to Tashkend and beyond. - -A year or two afterwards, when the invasion was passing into the -oblivion which soon swallows up even the greatest events of the hurrying -modern world, two of the actors in this little drama had their memories -recalled to it by a trifling street scene. Colonel Sir Herbert Endicott -and Lieutenant Robert Appleton were walking through the bazaar at Lahore -when they met an old fakir striding along. They were struck by his -vacant gaze, and the incessant muttering of his lips. - -"You heard what he said, Bob?" said the Colonel, as the tall, lean, -half-naked figure swung by. - -"Yes," replied Bob, who was becoming an expert in the Border dialects. -"'I am a sharpener of swords,' wasn't it?" - -And his thoughts flew back to that first journey through the hills. - -"The poor wretch is clearly mad," said the Colonel. "I fear the sword -he sharpened has wounded his own hand. Let's hope it will always be so -with rebels and malcontents. There's this good come out of it, at any -rate: we have learnt to sharpen our own swords, and not to grudge the -expense.... When do you expect your new aeroplane?" - -"Pretty soon. It's a ripper, but I shan't like it so well as the old -one. Old friends are best." - -"Does that hold with aeroplanes as with men, I wonder? Anyhow, I wish -you luck with it. Shall we turn?" - - - - - THE END - - - - - Richard Clay & Sons, Limited London and Bungay. - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AIR PATROL *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42417 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the -General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and -distributing Project Gutenberg(tm) electronic works to protect the -Project Gutenberg(tm) concept and trademark. 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