THE SNIPER
It was not until thirty-six hours later that the Waffs moved out of
camp for the purpose of delivering a surprise attack upon von
Lindenfelt's position. From N'gere a strong force of Pathans,
accompanied by a mule mountain battery, was marching in a
north-easterly direction to cut off, if possible, the Huns' retreat,
while the Rhodesian Light Horse was operating between M'ganga and the
Karewenda Geberge in order to keep contact with any German troops
likely to attempt to reinforce von Lindenfelt's garrison. To still
further encompass the hostile position a force of Belgians was
approaching from the westward. Even if these resolute and energetic
troops failed to be in for the actual fighting, they would most
effectually round up any stragglers, who would otherwise contrive to
escape to the hinterland, where strong bands of Huns still maintained
guerrilla tactics.
Almost as soon as it was light the seaplane rose from the surface of
the river and flew westwards to note the respective dispositions of the
other troops operating against M'ganga. In the absence of wireless
Colonel Quarrier could receive the airmen's report only by means of a
written message dropped from the seaplane, while before the storming
troops were in position the airmen would have to return to their
temporary base, replenish petrol and then fly off to bomb von
Lindenfelt's stronghold.
Progress was slow as far as the Haussas were concerned. Although there
were no indications that the Huns expected an attack so promptly they
had made certain preparations. The only approach from the south-east
was by means of a narrow path through well-wooded and undulating
country, and for miles from M'ganga the wily Germans had beset the road
with pitfalls and booby-traps. There were caltrops by the
hundred--sharp-pointed spikes stuck into the ground, their tips
cunningly hidden by dead leaves--which were responsible for a few
casualties as the Haussas' bare feet came in contact with the barbs.
These devices the blacks countered by means of implements shaped like
exaggerated hoes which they pushed in front of them.
Other defensive measures were heavy logs suspended by boughs
overhanging the path by means of light but strong wires. An unwary
footfall would release a catch which in turn would cause the baulk of
timber to crash to the earth. There were old muskets, charged to
bursting point with slugs and nails, which were fired by similar
devices, while on three occasions fougasses, or land-mines, were
exploded, fortunately without causing casualties. The Haussas, not to
be outdone by their Askari foes, had taken the precaution of driving
oxen well in front of the advance guard, and although six beasts had
been killed by infernal machines, the troops succeeded in crossing the
belt of forest with a loss of five men slightly wounded.
"The explosion of those fougasses has knocked on the head our chances
of delivering a surprise attack," remarked the company commander to
Wilmshurst. "It will be a frontal attack against a prepared foe.
Let's hope the Huns won't bolt."
"That's the general opinion, sir," replied the subaltern. "The men are
simply longing for a scrap. Fritz has thrown away one good chance. He
might have played Old Harry with us if he had posted a couple of
companies in ambush in the forest."
"I wasn't sorry to get clear of the place," admitted the major. "A
hundred men might have been lying in wait in those underglades and our
flankers wouldn't spot 'em. Hullo, here's the seaplane."
Flying at a comparatively low altitude the machine approached rapidly
"down wind." In the clear atmosphere the concentric red, white, and
blue circles that indicated its nationality were visible from a great
distance, while presently the features of the observer could be
distinguished as he leant over the side of the fuselage.
Presently a small object to which coloured streamers were attached was
dropped from the seaplane. Greatly to the curiosity of the blacks, who
watched the descending message with undisguised wonderment, the object
did not explode on reaching the ground as they fully expected it to do;
and it was with an absurd display of caution that Tari Barl and Blue
Fly went to receive it.
"The C.O--sharp!" ordered Wilmshurst. "Don't hold the thing like a
snake--it won't bite."
Tari Barl departed on his errand, and returned presently, looking very
crestfallen.
"What's wrong, Tarry Barrel?" asked the subaltern.
"Colonel him call me one time fool, sah," he reported. "Him tell you
come see him all in dashed hurry quick."
"I wonder what Tarry Barrel has been doing?" thought Dudley as he
hastened to report to his C.O.
Colonel Quarrier was laughing, so were the adjutant and the regimental
sergeant-major. In the former's hand was the unrolled scrap of paper
on which the airmen's message was written.
"It's all right, after all, Mr. Wilmshurst," said the colonel. "Your
runner is a bit of a blockhead, as I think you'll admit. Evidently
under the impression that these coloured ribbons were a present to me
from the skies, he handed over the streamers, while the case containing
the writing, which had been soiled when it fell to the ground, he
carefully cut off and threw away. As you are here you may as well
inform your company commander the news: the --th and --th Pathans are
in their prearranged positions. There will be a twenty-minutes'
bombardment by the mountain battery in conjunction with an attack by
the seaplane. At four forty-five the Waffs will advance in three lines
to the assault. That's all, Mr. Wilmshurst."
The subaltern saluted and withdrew. It was now three o'clock and an
hour and three-quarters were to elapse before the battalion went into
action.
"Looks as if we've cornered the beggars, Mr. Wilmshurst," remarked the
major, when Dudley had communicated the C.O.'s message. "I suppose
they are still there," he added.
The two officers searched the crest of the hill through their
field-glasses. So elaborate and skilful were the enemy defences that
the powerful lenses failed to detect any trace of the rifle pits and
sand-bagged parapets of the trenches. Nor were any troops visible.
The top of the table-land looked as deserted as an unexplored land in
the Polar regions.
Wilmshurst lowered his binoculars. He was about to make some reply
when to the accompaniment of a shrill whistling sound his helmet was
whisked from his head, falling to the ground a good ten feet from where
he stood.
For some minutes the two officers regarded each other, the major
anxiously the other whimsically.
"Hit?" asked the major laconically.
"No, sir," replied Wilmshurst.
"Jolly near squeak," continued the other. "I think we'll choose a
little less exposed position to resume our observations."
Dudley retrieved his helmet. A couple of clean-cut holes marked the
entry and exit of a bullet, the missile having missed the subaltern's
head by a fraction of an inch.
"We've drawn their fire, sir," he exclaimed. "They are still there."
"A sniper at eight hundred yards, I should imagine," observed the
company commander. "A jolly good shot for a Hun. We'll try our luck
again."
Making their way to the depression in the ground where the Haussas of
"A" and "B" Companies were lying, the two officers set a couple of men
to work to rig up a dummy soldier. When complete the effigy was slowly
moved so that from the hostile position it gave the appearance of a
Haussa brazenly and defiantly moving out in the open, while a dozen
officers swept the ground on their front with their field-glasses to
try to detect the faint flash of a sniper's rifle.
A puff of smoke rose from behind a bush at a distance of half a mile,
and almost immediately following the sharp crack of a rifle a bullet
"knocked spots" off the effigy.
Without hesitation twenty or more Haussas let fly in the direction of
the puff of smoke.
"What are you aiming at, men?" shouted the major.
The score of blacks grinned unanimously. In their minds they had no
suspicion but that they had acted promptly and efficaciously.
Again the dummy was held aloft, and again the same thing happened.
"I've spotted him, sir!" exclaimed Wilmshurst. "Caught sight of the
flash about fifty yards to the right. Fritz, old sport, you're
exposed."
While the riflemen were keeping up a hot fire upon the bush that they
supposed was concealing the sniper the company-commander ordered Bela
Moshi to turn a machine gun upon the position that Wilmshurst had
spotted.
Before twenty-four rounds had been let loose a man sprang three feet in
the air, and fell inertly upon the ridge that had but imperfectly
protected him.
"Dead as mutton," reported Wilmshurst, after bringing his glasses to
bear upon the ill-starred Hun. "He nearly had me, though," he
soliloquised, tentatively fingering the double perforation in his
helmet.
There was no lack of volunteers to examine the sniper's lair.
Regardless of the risk of being potted at by other enemy riflemen Bela
Moshi, Tari Barl, and Spot Cash crept forward, taking advantage of
every available bit of cover.
In twenty minutes the Haussas returned, reporting in characteristically
native terms that the German's head had been literally riddled with the
burst of bullets from the Maxim. They brought his rifle and
ammunition, his field glasses and a small electric battery. In
connection with the latter wires were run from the sniper's lair to the
bush from which the puffs of smoke had been seen. Here small charges
of black powder had been placed so as to be exploded from a safe
distance and thus deceive the Haussas as to the rifleman's actual
position. The Hun was a bit of a strategist, but he had overreached
himself. It was the dense smoke from the black powder that had given
him away. Had he used the so-called smokeless powder the Haussas might
have expended hundreds of rounds without discovering the cheat.
Wilmshurst examined the weapon that had so nearly done him in. It was
an improved Mauser, bearing the German Government proof mark and the
date 1917, and was fitted with the latest approved type of telescopic
sight, while on the muzzle was fixed a small metal cylinder that
effectually silenced the report.
"That's strange, sir," he remarked to the major. "We distinctly heard
the report."
"We did," agreed the company commander. "I cannot understand it unless
the Boche for some reason fired several rounds with the silencer
removed. If so, why?"
Before the discussion could be carried further a dull, booming sound
came from behind the table-land of M'ganga, while at a little height
behind the German position appeared the mushroom-like cloud of white
smoke as the shrapnel burst.
"Good!" ejaculated the company commander, replacing his binoculars.
"We've had the orchestral selection; the curtain rises on the First
Act."