Gil the Gunner Part 39

"The men were _all_ ordered to fall in," said Haynes.

"Yes; quite right. Oh, what a blunder!" added Brace, excitedly, beneath his breath. Then turning to me--"Gil," he murmured, "our plan is thwarted."

"Don't give up yet," I whispered.

"But they will have gone to the town and given warning of our presence."

"They may have fled in another direction."

Brace was silent for a few moments, and then he said quickly--

"Well, it need not interfere; we should be obliged to move off, but must alter our plans a little."

He spoke to Haynes, who gave the orders for four men to fall out. The litter was seized, Sergeant Craig carefully lifted upon it, the doctor looking on wonderingly; and then, as the men raised the handles, Brace spoke again.

"Dobbs," he said sharply, "fall out and take charge of the horses."

The lad stepped back, and as he did so a gleam of sunshine through the trees made his trumpet flash for a moment. The next he was standing by the beautiful animals which were impatiently champing their bits and pawing the ground.

Then Brace made Haynes a sign, and the men turned right face, and with Haynes at their head, filed off, the bearers falling in with their load, and the doctor looking undecided.

"Follow the wounded man, sir," said Brace, and the doctor immediately took his place at the end of the little column, while we stood watching them till they had disappeared among the trees.

"We may succeed even now, Gil," said my companion; "but once more, while there is time, speak out frankly to me as if I were your brother; the trumpeter cannot hear. Do you feel--well, to be plain--frightened?"

"I suppose so," I said. "It's a curious nervous sensation."

"Then give up, and follow the men, and I'll go alone."

"You said I was to speak to you as if you were my brother," I said.

"Yes."

"Then I will speak," I said through my teeth. "It is to my brother, and not to my commanding-officer. I won't. I'll go with you now if I die for it."

And all the time the feeling of dread I felt was horrible, and worse than all was that the feeling grew.

Brace caught my hand and wrung it.

"Well done!" he said in a low voice. "I can see. I know the sensation; but that's the way. Fight it down."

"I'm trying," I said, huskily; "but I wish I was not such a coward."

"I don't, Gil," he said, smiling, "There, now we have a horrible task before us to wait nearly an hour. Dobbs, follow us with the horses, and keep about twenty yards behind."

He advanced to the three n.o.ble beasts, and began to examine their bridles, and then tightened their girths himself, before saying shortly, "Now forward," and, carrying the scabbard of his sword, he led the way once more to the edge of the wood, where, after taking care that we were carefully screened, he swept the plain with his eyes, and then took out his gla.s.s.

"Yes, that will do," he said to the trumpeter, who had stopped with the bridles of the horses in his hands and a look of eager excitement in his eyes, as he evidently antic.i.p.ated riding that day instead of a long weary tramp.

Brace used his gla.s.s and watched the town, making comments to me from time to time.

"All very quiet," he said. "Our lads must have an hour, for they may find the tangle very hard to get through."

There was a long pause, during which he was almost constantly watching the place with his gla.s.s. And how that scene is imprinted in my mind; the beautiful fringe of green trees, where we stood in the shade, and before us the broad plain bright in the fresh morning sunshine, and wreaths of mist still floating over it, but being rapidly dispelled by the sun, though the distance still looked hazy and of a delicious blue.

There on the right was the village or town, dotted with the figures of the white-robed Hindus, whose arms flashed now and then, as they moved here and there.

"If they will only give us a full hour, Gil," said Brace. "How long have our men been gone?"

"Not a quarter yet," I said.

He uttered an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n full of impatience, and began watching again.

"I'm between two fires," he said at last. "I am eager for them to come out before those scoundrelly sepoys give the rajah warning; and I am longing for them to stay for a full three-quarters of an hour yet. What a dilemma. It is terrible."

Just then there was the sound of a horse plunging and squealing, and we turned to where the trumpeter held the three.

"That would ruin us if they were pa.s.sing," muttered Brace. Then aloud, "Keep them quiet, my lad. What are you doing?"

"Beg pardon, sir; did not move. Mr Vincent's horse, sir, a bit playful. They're all so fresh."

We patted and quieted the beautiful animals, and left them again to resume our old place, to find that all remained still. There was no excitement, and we could see nothing to suggest that there had been an alarm, and men were coming out to attack us or a retreat had been ordered. But as we watched, we suddenly saw a man in white riding the beautiful gaily caparisoned Arab, which even at that distance I recognised as the rajah's charger. He was pa.s.sing along in front of some buildings, and my heart beat faster as I felt that at last the time was rapidly approaching for action.

"How long do you think it is now since they started?" said Brace, in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

"Half an hour," I replied; and I did not recognise my own voice, it sounded so husky.

"Hah!" sighed Brace, still using his gla.s.s.

Then, after a few minutes--

"They're turning out," he said. "Yes; and there is no sign of hurry;"

and he kept on telling me as, by the help of the gla.s.s, the confusion I could see was cleared; and the leading out of horses, and falling in of men, was described, "They're going through it all exactly as if they were our troop," said Brace, bitterly. "We've let them see our training, and trained them, too, to some purpose. Hasn't another quarter of an hour gone yet?"

"No," I said; "not more than ten minutes."

"It seems like ten hours. Hah! Trumpeter, keep those horses quiet, on your life."

There was a neighing and stamping and trampling mingled with the breaking of bushes, and then all was quiet again; while I felt an intense longing to mount my Arab, and gallop as hard as that beautiful creature could go.

"You can see them plainly now?" said Brace.

"Oh yes; quite plainly," I replied, as I saw the limbers brought out, each by its six horses, and the men drawn up ready, some on foot, the rest mounted, and holding the horses of the dismounted gunners, two of whom, however, would in each case mount to their seats on the limber.

"Where is the rajah?" said Brace, impatiently. "I can't see him. Can you?"

"No."

"Then those scoundrels of sepoys must have reached the place, and, instead of their coming out to drill to-day, they will retreat once more."