It was a glorious day, with the air so bright, elastic, and inspiriting
that the young officers of the garrison felt their position irksome in
the extreme. For the Colonel's orders were stringent. The limits
allowed to officer or man outside the walls were very narrow, and all
the time hill, mountain, forest, and valley were wooing them to come and
investigate their depths.
It was afternoon when Roberts, Bracy, and Drummond, being off duty, had
strolled for a short distance along the farther side of the main stream,
and paused at last in a lovely spot where a side gorge came down from
the hills, to end suddenly some hundred feet above their heads; and from
the scarped rock the stream it brought down made a sudden leap, spread
out at first into drops, which broke again into fine ruin, and reached
the bottom like a thick veil of mist spanned by a lovely rainbow. The
walls of rock, bedewed by the ever-falling water, were a series of the
most brilliant greens supplied by the luxuriant ferns and mosses, while
here and there, where their seeds had found nourishment in cleft and
chasm, huge cedars, perfect in their pyramidal symmetry, rose spiring up
to arrow-like points a hundred, two hundred feet in the pure air.
Flowers dotted the grassy bottom; birds flitted here and there, and
sang. There was the delicious lemony odour emitted by the deodars, and
a dreamy feeling of its being good to live there always amidst so much
beauty; for other music beside that of birds added to the enhancement--
music supplied by the falling waters, sweet, silvery, tinkling, rising
and falling, mingling with the deep bass of a low, humming roar.
The three young men had wandered on and on along a steep track, more
than once sending the half-wild, goat-like sheep bounding away, and a
feeling of annoyance was strong upon them, which state of feeling found
vent in words, Drummond being the chief speaker.
"I don't care," he said; "it's just jolly rot of your old man. Wrayford
was bad enough, but old Graves is a tyrant. He has no business to tie
us down so."
"There's the enemy still in the hills," said Roberts.
"Yes, but whacked, and all the other tribes ready to follow the example
of those fellows who have come down to make peace and fight against the
rest who hold out. They're not fools."
"Not a bit of it," said Bracy. "They're as keen as men can be; but I
shouldn't like to trust them."
"Nor I," said Roberts. "They're too keen."
"There you are," said Drummond petulantly. "That's the Englishman all
over. You fellows keep the poor beggars at a distance, and that makes
them wild when they want to be friends. If every one had acted in that
spirit, where should we have been all through India?"
"Same place as we are now," said Bracy, laughing.
"Right, old fellow," said Roberts. "We've conquered the nation, and the
people feel that they're a conquered race, and will never feel quite
reconciled to our rule."
"Well, I don't know," said Bracy. "I'm not very well up in these
matters, but I think there are hundreds of thousands in India who do
like our rule; for it is firm and just, and keeps down the constant
fighting of the past."
"Bother!" cried Drummond pettishly: "there's no arguing against you two
beggars. You're so pig-headed. Never mind all that. These thingamy
Dwats have come down to make peace--haven't they?"
"You thought otherwise," said Bracy, laughing. "But, by the way, if we
two are pig-headed, aren't you rather hoggish--hedge-hoggish? I never
met such a spiky young Scot before."
"Scotland for ever!" cried Drummond, tossing his pith helmet in the air
and catching it again.
"By all means," said Bracy. "Scotland for ever! and if the snow-peaks
were out of sight wouldn't this be just like a Scottish glen?"
"Just," said Roberts, and Drummond looked pleased.
"Here, how am I to speak if you boys keep on interrupting?" he said.
"Speak on, my son," said Bracy.
"Well, I was going to say these fellows have come down like a deputation
to see if we will be friends; and if we show that we will, I think now
that all the rest will follow in the course of a few weeks, and there
will be peace."
"And plenty?" said Bracy.
"Of course."
"No, my boy; you're too sanguine, and don't understand the hill-man's
character."
"Seen more of it than you have," said Drummond.
"Possibly; but I think you're wrong."
"Oh, very well, then, we'll say I'm wrong. But never mind that. We've
done the fighting; the niggers are whopped, and here we are with the
streams whispering to us to come and fish, the hills to go and shoot,
and the forests and mountains begging us to up and bag deer, bear, and
leopard. I shouldn't be at all surprised even if we came upon a tiger.
They say there is one here and there."
"It is tempting," said Bracy. "I long for a day or two's try at
something."
"Even if it's only a bit of a climb up the ice and snow," put in
Roberts.
"All in turn," said Drummond. "Well, then, when we go back to mess this
evening, let's get some of the other fellows to back us up and petition
Graves to give us leave."
"No good," said Roberts; "I know him too well. I have asked him."
"And what did he say?" cried Drummond eagerly.
"As soon as ever I can feel that it is safe," said Bracy. "I was
there."
"Oh!" cried Drummond.
"He's right," said Roberts. "I don't believe that we can count upon
these people yet."
"Then let's have a thoroughly good fight, and whack them into their
senses. We're sent up here to pacify these tribes, and I want to see it
done."
"So do we," said Bracy; "but it must take time."
"Don't believe that any one else thinks as you do," said Drummond
sulkily; and they toiled on in silence till they came near the side of
the falling water, whose rush was loud enough to drown their approach;
and here they all seated themselves on the edge of the mere shelf of
rock, trampled by many generations of sheep, dangled their legs over the
perpendicular side, and listened to the music of the waters, as they let
their eyes wander over the lovely landscape of tree, rock, and fall.
The scene was so peaceful that it was hard to believe that they were in
the valley through whose rugged mazes the warlike tribes had streamed to
besiege the fort; and Bracy was just bending forward to pick a lovely
alpine primula, when he sniffed softly and turned to whisper to his
companions.
"Do you smell that?" he said.
"Eh? Oh, yes; it's the effect of the warm sunshine on the fir-trees."
"'Tisn't," said Drummond, laughing. "It's bad, strong tobacco. There!"
he said as the loud scratch of a match on a piece of stone rose from
just beneath their feet, as if to endorse his words, and the odour grew
more pronounced and the smoke visible, rising from a tuft of young
seedling pines some twenty feet below.
"Here, wake up, pardners," cried a familiar voice. "You're both
asleep."
"I wasn't," said a voice.
"Nor I," said another; "only thinking."
"Think with your eyes open, then. I say, any more of these niggers
coming in to make peace?"
"S'pose so. The Colonel's going to let a lot of 'em come in and help do
duty in the place--isn't he?"
"Ho, yus! Certainly. Of course! and hope you may get it. When old
Graves has any of these white-cotton-gowny-diers doing sentry-go in
Ghittah, just you come and tell me. Wake me up, you know, for I shall
have been asleep for about twenty years."
"He will. You see if he don't."
"Yah! Never-come-never," cried Gedge. "Can't yer see it's all a dodge
to get in the fort. They can't do it fair fighting, so they're
beginning to scheme. Let 'em in? Ho, yus! Didn't you see the Colonel
put his tongue in his cheek and say, `Likely'?"
"No," said one of Gedge's companions, "nor you neither."
"Can't say I did see; but he must have done."
The officers had softly drawn up their legs and moved away so as not to
play eavesdropper, but they could not help hearing the men's
conversation thus far; and as soon as they had climbed out of earshot so
as to get on a level with the top of the fall, where they meant to try
and cross the stream, descend on the other side, and work their way
back, after recrossing it at its exit into the river, Bracy took up the
conversation again.
"There," he said to Drummond, "you heard that?"
"Oh yes, I heard: but what do these fellows know about it?"
"They think," said Bracy, "and--I say," he whispered; "look!"
He pointed upward, and his companions caught sight of that which had
taken his attention.
"What are those two fellows doing there?" whispered Roberts.
"Scouting, evidently," said Bracy. "I saw their arms."
"So did I," replied Roberts. "Let's get back at once, and pick up those
lads as we go. One never knows what may come next. There may be
mischief afloat instead of peace."
At that moment Drummond gave Bracy a sharp nudge, and jerked his head in
another direction.
"More of them," said Bracy gravely; "yes, and more higher up. Well,
this doesn't look friendly."
"No," said Roberts. "Look sharp; they haven't seen us. Let's get back
and take in the news."
It was a difficult task for the three young Englishmen to compete with
men trained as mountaineers from childhood; but the living game of chess
had to be played on the Dwats' own ground; and for a short time the
party of officers carefully stole from rock to rock and from patch of
trees to patch of trees till Roberts stopped short.
"No good," he said softly. "I feel sure that the beggars are watching
us."
"Yes," said Bracy; "they have the advantage of us from being on the high
ground. Let's go on openly and as if in perfect ignorance of their
being near."
By this time the young officers were on the farther side of the stream,
below the falls, with it between them and the men they wished to turn
back and take with them to the fort.
"What do you propose doing now?" asked Drummond.
"I'll show you," replied Roberts, and, parting the underwood, he
threaded his way till he was close to the deep gully down which the
water from the falls raced; and then selecting the most open spot he
could, he placed his whistle to his lips and blew. The rallying whistle
rose up the mountain-slope towards the falls, like the note of some wild
bird startled from its lair among the moist depths of the gully.
To their great delight, the call had instant effect; for, unwittingly,
they had made their way to where they halted just level with the party
of their men who were not forty yards away. Consequently, before the
note had died away the voice of Gedge was plainly heard.
"I say, boys," he cried, "that's a whistle."
"Nobody said it was a bugle," was the laughing reply.
"But it means cease firing," said Gedge.
"That it don't, stoopid, for no one's shooting. Get out! Only some
kind o' foreign bird."
"I don't care; it is," cried Gedge. "Way ho! Any one there?"
"Yes, my lads," cried Roberts; "make for the fort at once. Follow the
stream down to the river, and join us there. Quick! Danger!"
There was a sharp rustling sound as of men forcing their way downward on
each side of the gully, and the next minute, as the place grew lighter,
consequent upon the trees being absent for a space of about, a dozen
yards, there was the sharp whiz as of some great beetle darting across,
followed by the report of a gun, which was magnified by echoes which
died away into the distance.
"Forward!" cried Roberts. "Steady! don't make a stampede of it. Keep
to all the cover you can."
Necessary advice, for the whiz of a second roughly-made bullet, seeking
but not finding its billet, was heard, followed by a smothered report.
"I say, this is nice," said Drummond: "and you two seem to be right. I
don't like it at all."
"Well, it's not pleasant," said Roberts, smiling.
"Pleasant? No. These people may not mean war, but only sport. They're
beating this part of the valley."
"And routing us up," said Drummond, "as if we were pheasants. I say; I
wonder whether pheasants feel the same as I do when they're beginning to
be driven to the end of a spinney?"
"Don't know," said Roberts shortly; "but I'm glad we came."
"Oh! are you?" said Drummond. "Well, I'm not. A little of this sniping
goes a very long way with me."
"Ditto," said Roberts shortly. Then, aloud, "How are you getting on
there, my lads?"
"Oh, fairly, sir, and--phew! that was close!"
For a bullet whizzed by the speaker's ear.
"Keep under cover. Steady!" said the Captain; and then the cautious
descent of the steep slope--more of a passage by hands as well as feet
than a steady walk down--was kept up, and diversified in the most
unpleasant way by shots, till the rocky shallow where the stream dashed
into the main river was reached.
Here the deep gully, down which the stream ran, had grown shallower till
it debouched, with the valley on either side reduced to a dead level and
the banks only a foot or so above the surface of the rushing water,
which only reached to the officers' knees when they stepped in. But,
unfortunately, the last of the cover had been passed, and a couple of
shots reminded the party of the danger they ran.
"Here y'are, sir," cried Gedge, reaching out his hand to Bracy and
helping him out. "Oh! why ain't I got my rifle?"
"Don't talk," cried Bracy as his companions leaped, dripping, out of the
stream.
"No; open out and follow, my lads," cried Roberts. "Forward! double!"
"Ugh!" grunted Gedge to his nearest comrade; "and they'll think we're
running away."
"So we are, mate."
"Yah! only our legs. I ain't running. Think I'd cut away from one o'
them black-looking, bed-gown biddies? Yah! go back and send yer clothes
to the wash."
The retiring party had separated well, so as not to present too good a
mark for the enemy, whose practice was far from bad. For the stones
were struck close to them again and again, and leaves and twigs were cut
from the low growth which here fringed the bank of the river, always in
close proximity to where the party ran, and teaching them that not only
were the hill-men who fired good shots, but many in number, the high,
precipitous ascent to the left being evidently lined with concealed
scouts.
"Forward there!" shouted Bracy suddenly, for Gedge began to slacken and
hang back.
"Beg pardon, sir," puffed the lad; "wouldn't you rayther lead?"
"Forward, you scoundrel!" cried Roberts angrily; and Gedge darted back
into the position in which he had been running before, with his two
companions, the officers having kept behind.
"Getting pumped, pardner?" said his comrade on the left.
"Pumped! Me pumped!" said Gedge derisively. "Hor, hor! Why, I feel as
if I'd on'y jus' begun to stretch my legs. Go on like this for a week
to git a happy-tight. But orsifers ought to lead."
"Advancing, matey," said the man on the right. "Fust inter action; last
out, you know."
"Ho, yus; I know," grumbled Gedge; "but 'tain't fair: they get all the
best o' everything. Here, I say, look out, laddies. We're getting
among the wild bees, ain't us? Hear 'em buzz?"
"Yes; and we shall have one of 'em a-stinging on us directly. There
goes another."
For bullet after bullet came buzzing by the flying party's ears, but
still without effect.
"I say," cried Gedge; "keep shying a hye back now and then to see if the
gents is all right."
"No need," said the man on his left. "We should know fast enough."
Meanwhile the three officers had settled down behind to a steady double,
and kept on their conversation as if in contemptuous disregard of the
enemy hidden high among the patches of wood to their left.
"Thought they were better shots," said Bracy. "Nothing has come near us
yet."
"Quite near enough," growled Roberts.
"Don't you holloa till you're out of the wood," said Drummond; "they can
make splendid practice at a mark not moving; but it's not easy work to
hit a running man."
"So it seems," said Bracy coolly.
"Here, I've been thinking that we must have passed a lot of these
fellows as we came along," said Roberts.
"Not a doubt of it," said Bracy; "fresh ones keep taking up the firing.
We're regularly running the gauntlet. Surely they'll soon hear this
firing at, the fort."
"Hope so," said Roberts. "We ought to have known that, the beggars had
advanced like this."
"Well, we have found out now," cried Drummond. "I say, you two; this
means that the war has broken out in real earnest. But I say,"--He
stopped suddenly.
"Say on," said Bracy merrily; "we can't stay to listen to your speech."
"What a fellow you are!" cried the subaltern. "I can't cut jokes at a
time like this. I was going to say--phee-ew--that was close! I felt
the wind of that bullet as it passed my face."
"Miss is as good as a mile," said Bracy cheerily. "We shall be having
men out on the opposite bank before long, ready to cover us; and they
will not have running objects to aim at. They'll soon crush out this
sniping."
"Hope so," said Drummond; "but I say--"
"Well, let's have it this time," cried Roberts.
"All right," panted Drummond; "if I go down, don't stop for a moment,
but get on. The relief can come and pick me up. I shall creep into
cover, if I can."
"Yes," said Roberts coolly--"if you can. Now, just look here, my lad;
you want all your breath to keep your machinery going; you've none to
spare to teach us our duty."
"Well said, Rob," cried Bracy. "Just as if it's likely. But you'd
better go down! I should like to see you!"
Crash! in the midst of some bushes, as a single shot succeeded a
spattering fire, and one of the privates went down just ahead.
"Almost got your wish, Bracy. Wrong man down."
As Roberts spoke he and Bracy dashed to where two of the privates had
pulled up to aid their comrade, who had pitched head first into the
clump of growth ahead of where he was running.
"Don't say you've got it badly, Gedge," cried Bracy huskily, helping the
men as they raised the lad, who stared from one to the other in a
half-dazed way.
"_Habet_," muttered Roberts, with his face contracting.
"Eh?" panted the lad at last, as he tried to pull himself together.
"Here--where is it?" cried Drummond excitedly. "Where are you hurt?"
"Oh, my toe!" cried the lad. "Ketched it on a stone outer sight, sir.
My! I did go down a rum un."
"Not wounded?" cried Bracy joyfully.
"Not me, sir! Yah! they can't shoot. Here, I say, mateys, where's my
bay'net? There it is."
Gedge limped to where it lay with the hilt just visible amongst the
shrubs, and he made a dart to get it, but overrated his powers. He
seized the bayonet from where it had been jerked by his fall, but went
down upon his face in the act, and when raised again he looked round
with a painful grin upon his lips.
"Got a stone in my foot, p'raps, gen'lemen," he said.
"Carry him!" said Roberts briefly; and the men were lowering their arms
to take the poor fellow between them, but he protested loudly.
"No, no; I can walk, sir," he cried. "One o' them just give me an arm
for a bit. Leg's a bit numbed, that's all. Look out, mates. Bees is
swarming fast."
For the enemy had stationary marks for their bullets now, and they were
falling very closely around.
"In amongst the trees there," cried Roberts; and the shelter ahead was
gained, Gedge walking by the help of one of his comrades, and then
crouching with the rest.
But the shelter was too slight, and it became evident that they were
seen from the shelves and niches occupied by the enemy, for the bullets
began to come thickly, sending leaves and twigs pattering down upon the
halting party's heads.
"We must get on," said Roberts after an anxious look out ahead.
"All right," said Bracy. "We may leave the scoundrels behind."
"Behind, sir? Yus, sir," cried Gedge, who had caught the last word.
"You go on, sir, and I'll lie down here till you sends some of the lads
to fetch me in."
"What's left of him," thought Bracy, "after the brutes have been at him
with their knives."
"Can you walk at all?" said Roberts quietly.
Gedge rose quickly.
"Yus, sir," he cried. "There, it aren't half so bad now. Felt as if I
hadn't got no foot at all for a time. Hurts a bit, sir. Here, I'm all
right."
Roberts looked at him keenly without speaking. Then he cried:
"Rise quickly at the word; take two paces to the right, and drop into
cover again. Make ready. Attention!"
The little manoeuvre was performed, and it had the expected result. A
scattered volley of twenty or thirty shots made the twigs about them
fly, the fire of the enemy being drawn--the fire of old-fashioned,
long-barrelled matchlocks, which took time to reload and prime.
"Forward!" cried Roberts again, and at a walk the retreat was continued,
the Captain keeping close beside Gedge, who marched in step with his
comrades, though with a marked limp, which he tried hard to conceal.
After a brief pause the firing started again, but fortunately the growth
upon the river-bank began to get thicker, hiding them from their foes;
though, on the other hand, it grew unmistakably plain that more and more
of the enemy were lying in wait, so that the position grew worse, for
the rushing river curved in towards the occupied eminences on the
retiring party's left.
"Beg pardon, sir," cried Gedge suddenly; "I can double now."
"Silence, my lad! Keep on steadily."
"But I can, sir," cried the man. "I will."
"Try him," whispered Bracy.
"Double!" cried Roberts; and the retreat went on, Gedge trotting with
the rest, but in the most unmilitary style, for he threw his head back,
doubled his fists in close to his sides, and, squaring his elbows, went
on as if engaged in a race.
"Looks as if he were running for a wager," said Drummond.
"He is," said Bracy coldly. "We all are--for our lives."
The way they were about to go had now so markedly come towards the face
of a precipice, from which puffs of smoke kept appearing, that it was
evident something fresh must be done, or the end would lie very near, no
mercy being expected from the foe; and as they went on Bracy kept
turning his eyes to the right, seeking in vain for a glimpse of the
rushing river, now hidden from their sight by tree and rock, though its
musical roar kept striking plainly upon their ears.
"Rob, old chap," he suddenly cried, "we must get down to the water, and
try to cross."
"Yes," said Roberts abruptly. "I've been thinking so. It's our only
chance, and I've been waiting for an opening."
"We must not wait," said Bracy. "It's chance, and we must chance it."
"Halt! Right face, forward!"
As Roberts spoke he sprang to the front in one of the densest parts,
where a wilderness of bush and rock lay between them and the river, and
led on, with his companions following in single file; while, as perforce
they moved slowly, they had the opportunity to regain their breath, and
listened with a feeling of satisfaction to the firing which was kept up
by the enemy upon the portion of the bosky bank where they were supposed
to be still running.
"Wish they'd use all their powder," said Drummond breathlessly.
"Why?" said Bracy.
"They've no bayonets."
"Only tulwars and those horrible knives--eh?" said Bracy harshly.
"Ugh!" ejaculated Drummond. "You're right; but if they came to close
quarters we could take it out of some of the brutes before we were done
for. It's horrible to be doing nothing but run till you're shot down."
"Not shot down yet, old fellow. There, don't talk; we may get across."
"May!" muttered Drummond. "But, my word! how they are firing yonder!
They're beginning to think we're hiding, and are trying to start us
running again."
"Will you leave off talking!" cried Bracy angrily. "Here, Gedge, how
are you getting on?"
"Splendid, sir. I could do anything if the pavement warn't so rough."
"In much pain?"
"Pretty tidy, sir. Sort o' bad toothache like in my left ankle. Beg
pardon, sir; are we going to wade the river?"
"Going to try, my lad."
"That's just what'll set me up again. Had a sprained ankle once afore,
and I used to sit on a high stool with my foot in the back-kitchen sink
under the tap."
"Cold water cure--eh, my lad?" said Drummond, smiling.
"That's right, sir."
"Steady there!" came from the front, where the leaders were hidden from
those behind. "Steep rock-slope here."
A rush and the breaking of twigs.
"Some one down," cried Bracy excitedly. "Any one hurt?"
Splash! and the sound of a struggle in the water.
Bracy dashed forward, forcing his way past the two men, his heart
beating wildly as he reached the spot from whence the sound came.
"All right," cried Roberts from below; and, peering down through a
tangle of overhanging bushes, Bracy saw his leader standing breast-high
in foaming water, holding on by a branch and looking up at him.
"I fell. Unprepared. You can all slide down. Lower yourselves as far
as you can, and then let go."
The distance was about thirty feet, and the descent not perpendicular.
"You go next," said Bracy to one of the men. "You can't hurt, it's only
into water."
"Let me, sir," cried Gedge.
"Silence," said Bracy sternly, and he watched anxiously as the man he
had spoken to set his teeth, made his way to the edge of the rock,
lowered himself by holding on to some of the bushes through which
Roberts had suddenly fallen, and then let go.
Hush--splash! and Bracy saw him standing in the water opposite to his
Captain.
"Next, Gedge," said Bracy.
Gedge sprang forward as if his leg were uninjured, lowered himself down
till his head was out of sight of those behind, and then, muttering the
words of the old school game, "Here comes my ship full sail, cock
warning!" he let go, glided down, made his splash, and the next minute
was standing beyond Roberts, holding on, for the pressure of the rushing
water was great. The others followed rapidly, Bracy last, and feeling
as if he had suddenly plunged into liquid ice, so intensely cold was the
water, which reached nearly to his chin. He glanced outward to get a
dim peep of the river they were about to try and cross, and another
chill ran through him, for it was like standing face to face with death,
the surface eastward being one race of swirling and rushing foam, dotted
here and there by masses of rock. There was a few moments' anxious
pause, and, above the hissing rush of the water, the echoing crack,
crack, crack of the enemies' jezails reached their ears, but sounding
smothered and far away. Then Roberts spoke:
"You can swim, Drummond?"
"Yes, in smooth water," was the reply. "I don't know about cascades."
"You've got to, my lad," said Roberts shortly. "What about your men?
You can, I know, Gedge."
"Yes, sir."
"You others?"
"I can swim a few strokes, sir," said one.
"Never was no water, sir, where I was," replied the other.
"A few strokes!" cried Roberts fiercely. "No water! Shame on you,
lads! No one who calls himself a man ought, to be in a position to say
such a thing. Well, we'll do our best. Don't cling, or you'll drown us
as well."
"I can get one on 'em across like a shot, sir," cried Gedge excitedly.
"Silence!" cried Roberts.
"But I done drowning-man resky, sir, in Victory Park lots o' times."
"Then rescue the drowning-man with the injured leg--yourself," said
Roberts, smiling--"if it comes to the worst. Draw swords, gentlemen.
I'll lead. You take hold of my sword, my lad, and take fast grip of Mr
Drummond's hand. Drummond, hold out your sword to Gedge. Gedge, take
Mr Bracy's hand. Bracy, you can extend your sword to the last. We may
be able to wade. If not we must go with the stream, and trust to the
rocks. Each man who reaches a shallow can help the rest. Ready?
Forward!"