It was a glorious change from the terrible inactivity of waiting to
energetic action, and the feeling was shared by all.
Lupe leaped out of the chariot, the driver involuntarily shook the reins
to urge the ponies forward forgetful of the fact that they were held on
either side, and the beautiful little animals tried to plunge onward,
but feeling the check upon their bits, snorted and began to rear while
both Marcus and Serge had to make a struggle to control the desire
within their breasts which urged them to break forward into a run.
But the knowledge of the need of caution prevailed, and glancing to
right and left in search of watching enemies, they had the satisfaction
of seeing the chaos of rocks rising above their heads and quite
concealing them, though on the other hand their progress became more
painful, their way more burdened with stones.
But it was glorious work to Marcus. These masses of rock were only
difficulties in the way waiting to be mastered. It was quite refreshing
to leave the leading of the horses to the driver and add their strength
in pulling, pushing, and now and then seizing the spokes to hoist a
wheel over some stony bar.
Their progress was slow towards the far end of the amphitheatre, but
every score of yards was something gained, and all worked eagerly till
at last the lower end of the amphitheatre was reached, where the rocks
closed in again and a small ravine was before them, whose bottom was the
bed of a mountain torrent along which a shallow stream hurried, hardly
above the soles of the adventurers' sandals, though the smooth rocks of
the bed and sides showed plainly enough that there were times when a
furious flood dashed along, laden with smaller stones and gravel, whose
effects were to polish the bigger rocks in their way.
"Better not talk," growled Serge, as they began to make quicker
progress. "I don't suppose anyone is here; they'll all have gone to the
front; but you never know, and every bad word is picked up by the rocks
and sent flying far away till it drops plump into somebody's ear.
Steady's the word, boy. Keep your little chap still. I don't suppose
this bit of a streamlet keeps like this. I expect the narrow bed opens
out soon, for the hills seem to grow smaller and smaller here, and I am
hoping that we shall come upon level ground so that we may get a gallop
to stretch the ponies' legs."
"Ah, I hope so," cried Marcus, eagerly. "Now you are beginning to talk,
Serge, like a man."
"And that means, boy, that I was talking a bit ago like some old woman,
I suppose. Well, part of a soldier's duty is to take care. Steady you,
sir, and don't splash the water up like that," the old soldier continued
softly to the pony whose head he held. "It's all very nice for you, and
I dare say the water feels nice and pleasant to your hoofs; but keep
quiet. You don't have to polish the rust off your armour--I do. I wish
to goodness we could get on good dry ground."
Like the rest of mountain torrents, the one whose bed they were
following zig-zagged in all directions, so that even from their old
point of vantage they had been able to see but a very little way along,
and were quite content with the knowledge that the rocks rose up some
fifteen or twenty feet above their heads, amply sufficient to shelter
them from the sight of the enemy who lay away on either side, while now
as they journeyed along the rocky bed, with the rattle of the wheels
multiplied by the echoes, nothing was visible a hundred yards ahead, and
as fast as one angle was turned there lay another a short distance in
front.
But they were descending towards the plains; the plashing stream as it
hurried along taught them that, and at the end of about a quarter of a
mile of little interrupted progress they were cheered on by the fact
that the rocks on either side grew lower, rapidly ceasing to afford them
protection, and before long hardly rising to their shoulders.
There was another turn, and then another, and then Marcus cried eagerly:
"The hills are seeming to get farther away, Serge, and we must soon be
out in the plain. I wonder what's beyond that turning."
"Open ground, I should say, my lad," said the old soldier, gravely; "but
we must take care. We want the open ground for the horses, but not for
ourselves."
"I don't understand you," cried Marcus, sharply.
"I spoke plainly enough, boy. I meant this: no shelter for us, don't
you see, and if the enemy look back some of them may turn and come in
pursuit."
"Ah, of course," cried Marcus. "Well, if they do, and catch us, you
will have to fight, Serge, and drive them back."
"That's right, my boy, and I'll do my best: but if I do, and get the
worst of it, you never mind but go right on."
"Yes," said Marcus, drily, "when you are ready to come too."
Serge grunted with satisfaction, and then, possibly from the solemnity
of the desolate place along which they travelled, they tramped silently
along over the rocky bed, their footsteps and those of the horses being
the only sounds as they neared the sharp angle where the stream bed
seemed to open out.
Marcus said afterwards that Serge should have been more cautious, and
Serge retorted that Marcus was captain and ought to have sent on a scout
in front. But as it was, the scout who acted, sent on himself, and that
scout was Lupe, who, attracted by the openness of the rocks in front,
suddenly bounded forward with a cheery bark, sending the water flying,
and exciting the ponies into starting forward at a canter.
Almost involuntarily the holders of their reins let go and, acting as if
on one impulse, caught at the sides of the chariot and sprang in,
steadying themselves in their position as the heavy vehicle dashed on
along the shallow bed, which was now wonderfully free of stones, while
the driver participating in the dog's excitement, uttered a low cry and
shook his reins, so that a minute later the chariot swung round the
angle into where the ravine suddenly came to an end and a low level
valley opened out. Right at the edge of the stream, and not far in
front, a cluster of rough camp shelters seemed to spring up before them,
and from out of the huts where they had been sheltering from the sun, a
body of about two score spear-armed men suddenly appeared.