The Three Commanders Part 40

Scarcely had he spoken, than a shout was heard, and the figures of the hors.e.m.e.n, with their long lances, were perceived against the sky.

"On! on!" cried Jack; "they see us; no matter, we are still well ahead of them."

d.i.c.k, seizing Jerry's arm, again sprang forward; on came the Cossacks clattering in their rear; the boat was still at too great a distance to enable them to make themselves heard by Tom. The ground was hard and level, and, straining every nerve, they ran faster than they had ever before done in their lives. No mercy could be expected from the Cossacks, should they be overtaken.

Again Jerry began to slacken his pace. "Cheer up, mate, cheer up!"

cried d.i.c.k; "the Cossacks' lances are not within a good many inches of us yet, and it will be time enough to cry out when they get inside our waistcoats."

Jack, though he might have gone faster than either of his men, would not leave them behind; if he sprang ahead, it was merely to have time to look round and ascertain how far off were their pursuers. He calculated that they were approaching the boat, and that if they shouted loudly Tom would bear them; once more he looked round; the hors.e.m.e.n were within a hundred yards of them; they might have stopped them with their carbines; possibly, however, they were unloaded, when they hurriedly threw themselves on horseback. Jack, as he sprang forward, felt the ground very soft beneath his feet, and recollected that they must have reached the marsh they had crossed on leaving the boat. To run across it seemed scarcely possible, as their feet had before sunk in every few yards they trod; there appeared to be no hope of escape.

Just at this moment down came poor Jerry--who had for some few seconds been floundering along, though doing his best to keep up--with his face in the mud.

"Go ahead, sir, go ahead!" cried d.i.c.k; "don't stop for us; I'll do my best to set Jerry on his legs."

"I will not desert him," answered Jack, stooping to lift up the fallen seaman, while d.i.c.k lifted him up with the other arm, and quickly again set him on his feet.

"Heave out that quid of mud from your mouth, and give your eyes a rub over, and you will be all to rights," said d.i.c.k; "don't say die yet; now on we go;" and suiting the action to the word, dragging Jerry along with him, they began moving forward in a "hop-skip-and-a-jump" fashion, which enabled them to get over the soft ground with tolerable rapidity. They were scarcely more than a quarter of the way across, when the Cossacks reached the edge of the marsh, of the existence of which they were apparently not aware, for, without pulling rein, they plunged in; the consequence being that, with the impetus they had attained, and the weight of their horses, they sank deep down in the soft mud.

Jack, with infinite satisfaction, saw that they were floundering about, but he did not allow his companions to slacken their speed, for the horses would still, probably, be able to make their way across it. He, therefore, a.s.sisting to support Jerry, moved on as fast as his weight and the nature of the ground would allow. Jerry's fall, however, had given an advantage to their pursuers, who were now making their way across the mora.s.s, sometimes stopped by a soft portion, and again moving faster where the ground was comparatively firmer. Still the Cossacks had somewhat gained upon them, and were scarcely fifty yards off, when Tom's welcome shout reached their ears.

"We see you, we see you; and we see your pursuers too!" he cried; "we've got our muskets ready to cover you."

"Then fire!" cried Jack; "and reload quickly."

A volley from the boat somewhat staggered the Cossacks, for though none of them were seen to fall, yet the bullets whistled pretty close to their ears. It might have made them less eager in spurring on their steeds; still, on they came. The sound seemed to revive Jerry, who, though nearly done up, again made an effort to push on. A few shots were fired at them by their disappointed pursuers, who might have guessed that they would soon be beyond their power.

Tom had kept the boat ready to shove off at a moment's notice; the latter part of the ground was somewhat higher and harder; across it they rushed as hard as they could pelt, for the Cossacks had already pa.s.sed the softer portions, and, once upon it, they would be up to them. The points of their long lances were couched not many yards behind, and Jack again shouted to Tom to fire, while he, with the gunner and Jerry, almost the next instant sprang into the boat.

"Shove off!" cried Jack, seizing an oar; d.i.c.k and Jerry imitated him, while the rest were reloading their firearms. The boat was but a few yards from the bank when the Cossacks reached it, and had to pull up sharp to avoid plunging into the water.

"Good-bye, old fellows!" shouted d.i.c.k; "you've had a hard scamper, and now you may go back and look after your corn-stacks."

That these had not been put out was evident by the ruddy glare which suffused the sky in the distance. On receiving another volley from the boat, the Cossacks wheeled about and made their way over the marsh, where, had Jack thought fit, they might all have been picked off in detail; but he had from the first seen the wickedness of killing a single human being unnecessarily, and now that they could no longer impede their flight, he was glad to let them escape. Lest, however, they might give notice to any armed Russian boats to proceed in chase of the daring Englishmen, Jack ordered his crew to pull away as hard as they could, so that they might possibly regain the ship before daylight.

They were not, however, free from danger, as the burning stacks would put the people on the sh.o.r.es for miles round on the alert, and they could scarcely expect to escape pursuit. Jack, by steering rather more to the northward, escaped the bank on which they had before run, and he hoped now to make a straight course across the water. The sandpit had then to be pa.s.sed before the boat could be launched into the more open sea. Poor Jerry was so exhausted that it was some time before he could handle an oar, so he employed the interval in trying to wash the mud out of his eyes and nose.

The mist had again come down, and but a few yards could be seen ahead; thus the crew were pulling on as hard as ever, when, before jack was aware that they were near, the boat's bows grated against the sand, which fortunately yielded easily or they would have been stove in.

"All hands leap out!" cried Jack; and the men, seizing the boat, began hauling away, without stopping an instant, across the sand.

They had got very nearly to the water's edge on the other side, when Tom shouted out, "See, sir, here come some Cossacks!"

It was fortunate that Tom had observed them; in another minute they would have been up to the boat, but the men, giving her a shove which sent her skimming away over the calm surface, leaped on board, and, getting out their oars, pulled away at a rapid rate, leaving the Cossacks to shake their lances at them in vain.

After pulling some way, they caught sight of the _Tornado's_ light, when the commander and his party were welcomed with a hearty cheer on board, the crew having felt very anxious when they heard of the dangerous character of the expedition on which he had gone.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

d.i.c.k NEEDHAM'S EXPEDITION--d.i.c.k AND ARCHIE CAPTURED--ATTACK ON THE CARAVAN--UNEXPECTED MEETING WITH HIGSON AND MIDSHIPMEN--HIGSON'S UNWILLINGNESS TO RETURN--JACK'S SOLUTION OF THE DIFFICULTY--THE YOUNG LADIES' GRIEF--TOM, AGAINST HIS WILL, JOINS THE FLASH--CAPTURES A FORT AND GUNS--THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES--THE FLASH AGROUND--ATTACKED BY RUSSIANS--FATE OF FLASH--DESMOND THINKS OF EMIGRATING--TOM'S "PRIOR ENGAGEMENT"--CAPTURE OF KINBURN.

The Mosquito fleet had been employed for many weeks in destroying almost immeasurable quant.i.ties of provisions and stores, effectually crippling the resources of the Czar's armies. Private property had invariably been spared, so that the inhabitants of the country did not exhibit any ill-feeling towards the English. The few men who by chance fell into their hands were treated with considerable kindness.

Jack's usual plan was, after having ascertained the whereabouts of the magazines or stacks, which were nearly always placed on the seash.o.r.e, to steam up to the spot just before daybreak, and immediately to send in one or two boats, the officers of which, landing with torches, quickly set the stores on fire, and scampered back before they could be pursued.

Night after night, now in one place, now in another, stores and magazines were destroyed; and as there were upwards of a dozen vessels thus engaged, it may be conceived what mischief was committed.

There is an old saying, however, that the pitcher which goes often to the well gets broken at last. Jack had heard from his faithful spy, Niuski, that some large stores existed on the sh.o.r.es of a lake about a mile from the coast, the river communicating with which was too shallow to allow of the boats proceeding up it. He had intended going himself, but an attack of illness made him feel that it would be imprudent to venture, as he might break down on the way. d.i.c.k Needham, hearing of what was required to be done, at once volunteered to lead an expedition, and Jack gladly accepted his offer. Tom and Archie, who had been burning to distinguish themselves in some exploit of the sort, begged that they might be allowed to go.

"There are no fellows on board who have better wind or can run faster than we can," observed Tom; "Archie, with his long legs, gets over the ground at a great rate, and I can keep up with him by making my short ones move so much the faster."

Jack, believing that there was no greater risk than usual, consented, greatly to the midshipmen's delight. Billy Blueblazes was ordered to go in the boat, to remain in charge of her while the rest of the party were on sh.o.r.e. The spy had informed Jack that there were no enemies in the neighbourhood. Tom and Archie were in high glee. d.i.c.k Needham had settled to take only one man with him, besides the midshipmen, leaving the rest under the command of Billy Blueblazes to cover their retreat.

The boat, with m.u.f.fled oars, pulled in for the sh.o.r.e, when, no one being seen, d.i.c.k and his companions landed.

"Remember, Billy, the commander's orders are that you are on no account to leave the boat; and should by chance the enemy come down upon you, you are to pull off to the ship, and obtain further orders," said Tom; "not that there's much chance of that."

"Good-bye, my laddie," said Archie, as he and Tom leaped on sh.o.r.e; "we'll be back in little more than half an hour, and you will know when to look out for us by seeing the jolly bonfire we are going to light."

There was no moon, but the stars shone brightly forth, enabling them to steer their way by them. The country being pretty level, they hoped, should they have to run for it, to make rapid way; it was also tolerably open, with here and there copses composed of trees of moderate height, by advancing along the side of which d.i.c.k expected to be able to keep concealed till they had gained their destination.

"We may reserve our strength for the run back after we have set the stores on fire," he whispered to the two midshipmen; "we learned a lesson about that in our other expedition."

Whenever they had to cross an open s.p.a.ce, they bent down like North American Indians on a war-trail, keeping perfect silence, so that they might have pa.s.sed close to an enemy without being discovered. Thus on they went, d.i.c.k calculating that it would take them about half an hour to reach the magazines, and they expected to return in half that time.

d.i.c.k led, Tom and Archie followed, and Tim Nolan brought up the rear.

Each one of them knew beforehand what they were to do, and there seemed no risk of failure.

The magazines and stores were at length reached, presenting much the same appearance as those which had before been destroyed. Not a sound which could indicate that any human beings were in the neighbourhood was heard; not a dog barked. In less than a minute they all had their torches lighted, and effectually set fire to the buildings and stores, which blazed up so rapidly that had any people been out of doors at the time the flames would have quickly betrayed them. Their task being accomplished, they set off at a rapid speed towards the boat, d.i.c.k as before leading. The midshipmen enjoyed the scamper, and they had every reason to believe that they should get back in safety. They had not got far, however, when they heard the voices of people from the neighbouring cottages, who had been, it was evident, aroused by the glare, and who would soon, from the nature of the conflagration, suspect that it had been the work of incendiaries. Unless, however, they could throw themselves on horseback, there was no risk of their overtaking the nimble seamen; still concealment was difficult, for as the fire increased its glare fell upon them and betrayed their whereabouts.

They had pa.s.sed over the widest extent of open ground, and had made their way along under the shelter of a copse, when they were again exposed to view. As they were pa.s.sing another copse a short distance on their right, several shots whistled by them.

"Push on, Needham!" cried Tom; "they're not very good marksmen."

A cry from Tim Nolan made Tom turn his head, when he saw a party of the enemy, who had rushed out from the copse, close upon him, while Tim, by actively dodging, tried to escape. "Arrah, never mind me!" he shouted; "though I'm after being made a prisoner, you'll get off if you keep going."

Archie, who was some little way behind him, endeavoured to escape, when his foot struck against a stone, and the cry he uttered made Tom again look round and spring back to help him get on his feet. In his hurry he also fell; the cry he had uttered made d.i.c.k also look round, when, believing that one or both of the midshipmen were wounded, though he was so far ahead as to have been able to reach the boat without difficulty, he immediately turned back to a.s.sist them. As he did so, he saw the Russians hurrying up. Drawing his cutla.s.s, he threw himself between them and the midshipmen, hoping to drive back their foes, and allow them to make their escape. Tom and Archie were quickly on their legs, but before they could do as d.i.c.k told them and run for their lives, they were surrounded by a party of helmeted Russians.

d.i.c.k, however, laid about him so l.u.s.tily with his cutla.s.s, that had the midshipmen been willing to leave him, they, at all events, might have made their escape. They were endeavouring to draw their swords, when the Russians, throwing themselves on them from behind, seized their arms; and d.i.c.k received a wound from a bayonet in his sword-arm which made him, very much against his will, drop his weapon. In an instant, more Russians coming on, they were completely overpowered and dragged away; not, however, till d.i.c.k, in a stentorian voice, had let Billy Blueblazes know what had happened, and directed him to pull back to the ship with the news.

Billy had caught sight of the party in the distance just as the enemy rushed out on them, and had seen d.i.c.k turn back to help Tom and Archie.

Had he not been ordered to remain in the boat, he would have landed, and tried to a.s.sist them. Fortunately, perhaps, he did not make the attempt, as his men could not have fired at the Russians for fear of hitting their friends, and he and his party would, in all probability, have been captured, with the loss of their boat. As soon as he heard d.i.c.k's voice, he shoved off and pulled away for the ship, in the hopes of getting a.s.sistance.

Jack, however, saw that it would be useless to send a party on sh.o.r.e, as the Russians would to a certainty carry off their prisoners to a distance. As Billy stated that he saw a large number of men, the fresh party might very likely be overwhelmed. Jack naturally felt very much grieved at the loss of the midshipmen and gunner, although they were not likely to be otherwise than kindly treated; still the war might last for some time, and they would lose the advantage of the experience they were gaining--while he could ill afford to dispense with Needham's services, or lose Tim Nolan, a good seaman on whom he could always depend.

"The midshipmen are pretty sure to fall on their feet wherever they are carried," observed Mr Mildmay, "so we need not, I hope, be over-anxious about them."

Next morning, Jack sent a flag of truce on sh.o.r.e to inquire what had become of his captured officers and man, and to offer to send them any necessaries they might require. Before the boat returned, another steamer hove in sight, which proved to be the _Giaour_. Murray had orders to summon the _Tornado_, with any other vessels he might fall in with, in order that their boats might form an expedition up the river-- across which ran the great highroad leading to the Crimea. Information had been received that a large amount of stores and provisions were on their way to the garrison of Sebastopol.

"If we can cut them off, we shall commit incalculable damage--perhaps starve the garrison into surrender," Murray observed. He was, of course, sorry to hear of Archie's capture, but the two commanders agreed that they need not make themselves very unhappy about the matter.

Green, who had gone on sh.o.r.e with the flag of truce, returned, saying that he had been unable to fall in with anyone who could communicate information about the prisoners; and they had therefore to be left for the present to their fate.