Fix Bay'nets Part 54

"Right, sir. When you're ready."

"But we can't walk right away, for these last would see us. We must crawl for a few yards to those rocks below there."

The next minute they were on all-fours, crawling from stone to stone--a laborious task, laden as they were; but, short as the distance was, they had not half-covered it before Bracy whispered sharply:

"Flat down. Perhaps they have not seen us."

"Not they, sir. They were too far off."

"Hush! Don't you see--right in front, four or five hundred yards away-- those four men stalking us? Why, Gedge, they see our coats as we crawl, and are taking us for sheep."

"Ah-h!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Gedge, as for the first time he realised the fresh danger threatening them, in the shape of a little party, evidently coming from the direction of their last night's resting-place. As he saw that one of them had thrown himself down, and, dragging his gun after him, was making for a heap of stones, from whence he evidently intended to fire, Gedge prepared to meet the shot in military fashion.

"Trying to stalk us, sir. You're right; that's it. Give me the word, and I'll open fire. He'll think he never stalked such a sheep as me before."

"It was my fancy, Gedge," said Bracy. "They belong to the party whom we scattered yesterday, and they've been following on our track. Quick! we must have first fire."

The last words had not quitted his lips when Gedge's rifle cracked, and the danger was averted, for the man's long gun dropped from his hands as he sprang up, crawling though he was, into a curious position on all-fours, rolled over on to his side, and them back again, to spring to his feet, and run as hard as he could after his companions, who had already taken to their heels.

"That's a bad shot, and no mistake, sir," said Gedge.

"The best you ever made, Gedge," cried Bracy; "for it has done all we required."

"Took him in the arm, sir, and spoiled his shooting for a month, I know.

As good as killing him, I s'pose."

"Better," said Bracy. "We don't want the poor wretch's life; only to save our own. Now, what next? We'd better lie still for a bit to see if they rally and come on again."

"Yes, sir," said Gedge, watching the retreating party, and fiddling with the sighting of his rifle--"five hundred yards--six--eight,"--and last of all "thousand. I think I could send a bullet among their legs, sir.

Shall I? Let 'em see that they'd better keep their distance."

"Try and scatter the stones close to them," replied Bracy. And as he lay upon his chest, with his feet raised and legs crossed, Gedge took a long and careful aim, pressed the trigger gently, and the next moment the retreating party bounded apart, scattering, and running swiftly on.

"Another good shot," said Bracy; "though I could not see where it struck; it is evident that it did strike close to their feet."

The gla.s.s was in the young officer's hand, and he followed the enemy's movements with it, seeing the little party close up again, and then make for a ridge in the distance--one which threatened to conceal them as soon as it was pa.s.sed; but there was something else to see, for all at once the solitude of the elevation was broken by a figure springing into sight, to be followed by a large group, who began to descend slowly to meet the retreating four; and of their movements Bracy kept his companion aware with a word or two at intervals, without changing his position or removing his gla.s.s from his eye.

"They're close together now--the last man has joined them--they're looking in this direction--they've turned round, and are going up the slope again. Ha! the last man has pa.s.sed over--gone."

"Would you mind having a look at the other two lots now, sir, to see what they're doing?" said Gedge quietly.

The little gla.s.s was slowed round on the instant, and Bracy examined the party to the right, and then, turning to the left, made a long examination of the danger there, before closing the gla.s.s again.

"They are keeping steadily on along those slopes, Gedge, as if to converge some miles farther on."

"Hadn't we better play the same game, sir?" said Gedge quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Do a bit o' converging, sir, whatever it is."

"I don't set; how we can at present," replied Bracy, laughing sadly.

"No. It seems as if the only thing left for us to do is to lie still here till the coast is clear--I mean, the enemy out of sight; then keep on cautiously, and trust to getting beyond them in the darkness. It is terribly unfortunate, Gedge."

"'Tis, sir, and wastes so much time. Think they have seen us?"

"No."

"Nor those chaps as was stalking us?"

"The distance is too great unless they have powerful gla.s.ses."

"That's good, sir. Then all we've got to mind is those chaps we've been skirmishing with. They'll be like the rest of 'em, I expect--hanging after us till they can get a shot."

"Yes; and I'm afraid that they will descend into yon little side valley to try and get ahead of us, so as to lie in wait, farther on."

"Like as not, sir. Just the sort of mean thing they would do, never stopping to think as we could easily have shot their chief in the back when we were in ambush, just as I could have dropped that chap in his tracks just now. I don't want to brag, sir; but I could."

"It is not boasting, my lad," said Bracy. "You have your marks for good shooting. But we must countermarch those fellows. We have nearly a mile the start of them, and I don't suppose those two bodies of men are likely to take any notice of such a pair of rough-looking objects as we are; so come along."

"Which way, sir?"

"Straight for our mountain yonder. What we want is a deep gully into which we could plunge, and then we could walk fast or run part of the way."

"And hide again, sir? Well, it'll be strange if in all this great mountainy place we can't puzzle those fellows behind."

"We can, Gedge," said Bracy, "if once we get out of their sight."

"So we are now, sir."

"We don't know that. Several pairs of keen eyes may be watching our movements, for I dare say as soon as we stand up our figures will show plainly against the snow. But we must risk all that. There, we must chance it now, so let's get on our way."

Bracy took another good look round with his gla.s.s from where he lay upon his chest among the stones; and though the enemy looked distant, the mountain he had marked down seemed to have doubled its remoteness, and the snowy pa.s.ses and peaks which moved slowly across the field of his gla.s.s raised themselves up like so many terrible impediments to the mission he had set himself to carry through. Only a brief inspection, but there was time enough for a rush of thoughts to sweep to his brain, all of which looked dim and confused in the cloud of doubt which arose as to the possibility of reaching the Ghil Valley.

It was horrible, for he could see in imagination the scene at the fort, where all were gathered to see him off, and every eye was brightened with the hope its owner felt; each countenance looked full of trust in one who, they felt sure, would bring back success, and save the fort in its terrible time of need. While now a cold chill seemed to be stealing through him, and failure was staring him in the face.

A quick mental and bodily effort, a blush of shame suffusing his face, and he was himself again--the young soldier ready for any emergency; and the next minute he was biting his lip with vexation at his momentary weakness. For there was Gedge watching him patiently, his follower who looked up to him for help and guidance--his man ready to obey him to the death, but, on the other hand, who looked for the payment of being cared for and protected, and not having his services misused by the cowardly action of a superior.

"It is just as I felt that day when I was swimming a mile from sh.o.r.e,"

he said to himself. "I felt that same chill, and thought that there was nothing for me to do but give up and drown. Then the same feeling of shame at my cowardice attacked me, and I struck out quietly, and went on and on to land. The fort is my land this time, and I'm going to reach it again by being cool. Oh, what a brain and power of self-control a General must possess to master all his awful responsibilities! but he does, and leads his men to victory against tremendous odds; while here I have but my one man to lead, and am staggered at a difficulty that may dissolve like a mist. Gedge!"

"Sir?"

"Forward for that patch of rocks a quarter of a mile away in front, without hesitation or turning to look back."

"Yes, sir."

"Once there, I'll bring the gla.s.s to bear again on our rear. Make a bee-line for it, as if you were going to take up new ground for your company. Once there, we can make for another and another, and if we are pursued each clump of rocks will make us breastworks or rifle-pits. Up!