Talking was not to be encouraged during this secret night trip up along
the strip of coast stretching between the camps of the Australian and
the New Zealand contingents of the fighting Territorials. If there
arose any necessity for exchanging remarks, great care was to be taken
to whisper in the lowest tone possible.
Arturus, the Greek guide, had told the boys there was every likelihood
of their meeting detachments of the Turks somewhere on the way. The
enemy moved about more or less, seeking new positions which they
believed would be to their advantage. More than this, they were very
fond of night attacks, and would go to great trouble to surprise the
entrenched invaders.
On this account, then, the boys had made up their minds to be surprised
at nothing. They hoped to get through in safety, and would do
everything in their power to bring about such a desirable result.
Several things favored them, they had figured. In the first place the
night was rather dark, though when their eyes became accustomed to
their surroundings they were able to see fairly well. Then there was
the fact that both boys were good at this sort of thing, being well up
in most of the rules of woodcraft; so that they were not apt to stumble
clumsily along, and constantly threaten to betray their presence to any
lurking foe.
Best of all, Jack considered, was the fact that they had engaged
the services of a skillful guide in the person of Arturus. He knew
every foot of the ground, for most of his life had been spent on the
Gallipoli Peninsula. Consequently they would have the advantage of
being led around certain gullies that might have proved barriers or
traps to anyone unacquainted with the vicinity.
Jack had amused himself during the afternoon in seeking a position that
was a little elevated, where he could get something of a view of the
territory beyond. Here, with the aid of his binoculars, he had tried to
figure out what might be the easiest way of advancing.
When, soon after they had departed from the camp, he found that the
guide was beginning to turn toward the edge of the water, Jack was not
much surprised. Indeed, he had wondered why this might not prove the
easiest method of covering the space separating the two camps.
Upon mentioning his belief to Arturus, Jack had learned that part of
the trail did lead along the sandy stretch that hugged the shore. The
only trouble was that some of the Turks were in the habit of coming
down to the water during the night, and this being the case they were
likely to stumble upon the enemy at any minute.
A sharp lookout was necessary to prevent discovery. No matter how
lonely their surroundings might seem they must not be off their guard.
Amos had been duly impressed with the fact that silence was golden in
this case, and all comments he might feel inclined to make would have
to be left until another time.
Presently they could hear the sound of the waves running up on the
sandy beach. It chanced to be an unusually quiet night. Even out on the
deep water there seemed to be nothing doing, though far away the boys
could catch the flitting gleam of searchlights playing at tag with the
darkness, as the vessels of the fleet stood guard.
Had the wind chosen to rise and rattle the leaves of the stumpy trees,
as well as dash the rollers against the shore with more or less of a
resounding clamor, it would have served their purpose much better.
Still, they had to take conditions as they found them, and make the
best of it.
Every rod placed behind them counted. Arturus had assured them it was
not more than a mile and a half at the most which they had to cover
before reaching the vicinity of the other camp.
Now a distance like that may seem a mere trifle when the road is
good, and the traveler has daylight to show him what obstacles he
must surmount. When he finds it necessary to grope his way along
over the roughest of ground, avoiding many threatening pitfalls,
listening constantly for signs of lurking foes, and meeting with every
conceivable manner of trouble, the case becomes a more serious one.
Amos had started with a light heart. He fancied they would certainly
be able to tide over the gap inside of an hour or two. Looking back he
could remember several instances when he and Jack had done such a caper
as this without exerting themselves unduly. He therefore felt that
before the end came they would surprise the guide with the abundance of
their knowledge concerning Indian ways. Darkness had little terror for
Amos at starting time.
They had not gone very far, however, when he began to realize that he
was up against a pretty hard proposition, a much tougher one than he
had imagined could confront them.
There seemed to be some sort of rough road along the shore. It could
not have been much of a thoroughfare in its palmiest days, and long
neglect had caused it to become a hollow mockery, had one attempted to
drive any sort of vehicle that way.
For a short time after leaving the camp Arturus had been leading them
along this road. Now he dropped down and sought the shallow beach, and
Jack guessed that the going would be better there.
In this he found himself correct, though they had to keep close to
the little bluff, and stop to listen every minute or so for signs of
hostile forces ahead.
Amos was trying to figure out what distance they had covered. The only
way he knew of accomplishing this was according to the steps they took.
He had worked that all out, knew the number of feet in a mile, and
counting two to a step believed he could tell when they had passed the
half-way mark.
When, according to his deductions, they had actually made one-third of
the distance, his hopes began to mount higher. Why, after all, this was
not so very bad; he felt positive they could get to their destination
in due course of time; and thinking thus Amos was actually patting
himself--figuratively of course--upon his back.
Then something happened as usual to throw down all these fine castles
in the air. Arturus came to a sudden pause. He held out both hands as
though to prevent either of his charges from advancing another step.
Standing or half crouching there they strained their ears to listen.
Low sounds reached them as the night air took a new slant just then,
striking directly in their faces.
There was the mutter of voices for one thing, and then came a queer
clinking noise, followed by more grumbling sounds. Jack jumped to the
conclusion that they must have stumbled upon a nest of the enemy, who
for some reason had taken up a position at this particular spot where
the scrub grew thickest, and they could more easily lie in ambush.
The boy wondered what reason the Turks could have for hiding here;
and what that strange clinking sound meant. Possibly Arturus, who
was better acquainted with such things, would be able to understand
it all. He had hardly come to this conclusion when he felt the Greek
guide pushing him gently back. This Jack knew meant they must retreat
for a consultation; and taking hold of his chum’s arm, he commenced a
retrograde movement.
Amos did not like it. He evidently feared the Greek guide had been
seized with what might be termed in boy’s parlance, “cold feet,” and
meant to give up the undertaking. That showed how poorly Amos had sized
up the young Greek; Jack knew better, and was perfectly willing to
continue to trust the pilot of the secret expedition to the end.
When they had gone back a little way Arturus bade them halt, and in a
low whisper started to explain what it all meant.
“It appears that the Turks have brought one of their biggest guns down
to the shore here since I was over the trail last,” he told them. “It
is a battery hidden in the rocks and brush. Some time they hope that a
warship it come close to the shore in the daytime. Then a shot from the
big gun sink her easy. So they hide here, and wait their time.”
“But does that spoil our trip, Arturus?” asked Amos fretfully.
“Not at all. We must only go around instead of following the beach, or
the old trail. It takes us longer, to be sure, but after all what is
time when we have the rest of the night before us? You come along with
me, and I show you how it can be done.”
Of course this intelligence pleased Amos immensely. His heart grew
light again. After all it was going to be only one of those little
troubles which they must surmount before they could hope to attain
their cherished end. The more they had to battle with these impediments
the sweeter victory would be finally.
They accordingly climbed up the little bluff, taking care not to make
too much noise, though Arturus did not seem to believe the Turks
manning the hidden big gun battery could be very watchful.
Having accomplished this part of their task, the guide led them
further back from the shore line. It was fearfully rough. At times they
were almost compelled to get down on their hands and knees in order to
make progress; but in spite of all this they persisted diligently, and
in the end reached what Arturus must have considered a reasonably safe
distance from the battery.
Here he changed his course, and once more headed up the shore,
intending thus to make a half circuit, so as to come out upon the
neglected road above the enemy’s position.
By this time Amos had changed his mind not a little. He figured that
when everything was considered this night’s adventure would take its
place among his most difficult feats. Truth to tell, he could not
remember the time when he had undergone such a strenuous “crawl” as
this was turning out to be. His hands were scratched by thorns and
sharp-pointed rocks, while his knees threatened to be placed in the
same category. In spite of it all, Amos did not venture to complain--he
only shut his teeth tightly together, and mentally vowed to keep up the
fight until he dropped; for he believed the goal to be near at hand
now, and victory was worth all that he suffered and even more.
After a long siege of it the boys noticed that again their course was
changed. This seemed to tell them they must have passed the battery in
the brush and detached rocks, so that it would be safe to edge their
way down to where the going would be somewhat better.
Once they arrived at that long disused road, it was to be hoped they
might continue along it to the end, for it would likely fetch them to
the camp which the New Zealand troops had succeeded in making above.
This they knew was close to the water’s edge, for thus far it had not
been possible to improve the position the Territorials had seized on
first landing.
Finally they struck the old road, and Amos mentally shook hands with
himself as he figured on easier progress. This certainly was a night
long to be remembered. He wondered if there could be any other queer
experience awaiting them before the goal was attained.
Hardly had Amos allowed himself to think along these lines when there
came a sudden glare of white light. It was as though a dozen full
moons had been uncovered from dense clouds overhead, sending their
concentrated rays down upon the lonely shore of Gallipoli.
Looking up in a startled way they could see a moving object faintly
outlined against the star-studded heavens. A constantly increasing
shaft of dazzling light poured down from this hovering object, and
seemed to center upon a spot just a little way in their rear.
Jack guessed what it meant almost instantly. He realized that it must
be some kind of aeroplane carrying a searchlight, though he had not
known of such a thing before. Swiftly Jack figured out the rest of it.
During the day just passed, while soaring over the peninsula before or
after the battle for the trenches, this air-pilot must have discovered
the hidden battery in spite of the care the Turks had taken to conceal
the big gun.
No doubt the necessary information had been sent to the commander
of the fleet who could arrange plans looking to the smashing of the
battery while darkness lay upon land and sea.
Out there a mile or two, doubtless, a battleship was ready to open fire
at the proper time. The aeroplane hovering above was signaling to show
just where the battery lay. Imagine the sudden fright of those Turkish
gunners when that astonishing glow so suddenly fell around them, and
remained stationary.
Before Jack could open his lips to mention what had flashed through
his active mind there came a flash and a dreadful boom far out at sea.
The unseen war vessel had discharged one of her guns, having the exact
range, and being guided by the friendly light from above.
Amos involuntarily dropped down flat on the ground, in which action he
was immediately copied by the two others. They were none too soon, for
the earth fairly quaked under the mighty explosion that followed. The
shell had burst very close by, and Jack was of the opinion that the
estimations of the British gunner must have been remarkably accurate.
If the Turkish battery had managed to escape that first explosion there
would very likely be more coming along. The intense white light from
above continued to cover the spot in a most tantalizing way; and there
was no means for shutting it off. The guide called out just then:
“Come, we must make off as fast as we can before another shell falls.
This time it may be closer to us, and we may be torn to pieces. Hasten,
everyone. Do not mind little things like that,” he added, as Amos in
his extreme haste fell over some obstacle, and measured his length on
the rough ground.
They had not gone much more than forty feet when again came that flash
out at sea. Once more they threw themselves flat in hopes of being able
to escape the flying missiles better when in this recumbent position.
The dreadful explosion was as awe-inspiring as the first had been; and
Jack noticed that if anything this shell landed closer to where that
big Turkish gun had been hidden from sight, with the intention of some
day surprising an incautious vessel of the Allied fleet.