Fix Bay'nets Part 26

"Couldn't use 'em if they was, sir."

"Halt! Take me on your back at once, sir," cried Bracy, panting with anger and pain.

"Can't, sir. Who's a-going to halt with them firing at us like that from behind? Ain't I 'bliged to keep ree-treating?"

"Obey my orders, sir. I tell you I shall be easier to carry on your back."

"Oh yes, sir, a deal easier to carry, and a nice deal easier to hit.

Aintcher got it bad enough as it is?" said Gedge sulkily.

Bracy was silent for a few moments as he felt his suspicions realised.

Gedge was carrying him in that awkward fas.h.i.+on so as to shelter him from any better-aimed bullet that might come. To make quite sure, though, he drew a deep breath and spoke again:

"I am wounded, sir, but I will be obeyed."

"All right, sir; soon as ever we get out o' shot."

"But you are hurting me horribly; and can't you see that, carrying me like this, you may receive the next bullet?"

"Oh yes, sir; I can see," said Gedge coolly; "but you be quiet, and I won't hurt you more'n I can help."

Bracy's voice had lost all its anger, and it was in no tone of command that he said:

"Set me down, my lad, and hold my arm. I'll try to walk beside you while you take a shot or two at those cowardly brutes."

"Ah, that's just what I'd like to do, sir; but it would on'y be waste o'

time. They'd hit us, too, if we stood still for me to fire. It's our keeping moving that helps. 'Sides, I know it would only make your wounds break out worse, and s.h.i.+ft the bandage. You keep quiet, for I ain't got no breath for talking."

Bracy was silent, and slowly and steadily Gedge trudged on, growing more and more exhausted, and looking to right and left for some cavernous hole in which he could take refuge so as to screen his burden and defend him so long as he had a cartridge left.

"And even then," he muttered softly, "there's the bay'net. Wonder how I could get on in fair fight against one of the n.i.g.g.e.rs with his tullywar.

Too much for him, I fancy, for I am good at that game. Urrrr!" he snarled again, for half-a-dozen shots were fired at them almost together, but this time from lower down the defile in front, where the enemies who had fled were gathering again in force.

"That was a near un, sir," said Gedge as a bullet whizzed just over his head. "Well sir, I beg pardon, sir, and hope you won't report me for disobeying my sooperior orficer. I was a bit waxy and warm with a-carrying of yer; for you are a bit heavy, sir. Now, sir, please, I'm a-going to set you down gently and take you up on my back."

Bracy paid no heed, but gazed down the narrow gorge, from whose sides more shots were fired.

"D'yer hear, sir? You're most a-choking o' me with that there arm."

"Forward!" said Bracy between his teeth. "Mind, there's a great rift there. Don't stumble."

"I'm a-going to s.h.i.+ft you first, sir. Once you're on my back I can straddle that easy."

"Yes, Gedge, I know," said Bracy as firmly as he could; "but don't insult me any more."

"Insult yer, sir? I wouldn't do it. How!"

"By thinking your officers want to shelter themselves behind their men.

Forward, my lad, unless you find a place where we can shelter till our comrades come back."

"There aren't no shelter, sir, and there aren't no more mercy for them Dwats if we gets clear of this, which I don't think we shall. There, sir! It's all over, I suppose. Ain't hit, are yer?"

"No. But that volley."

"Yes, sir, there's any number waiting for us. Here, we must walk the gauntlet back again now. We may meet our chaps coming."

The firing was going on along the sides of the gorge, but just then there was another crash, a regular volley, and Gedge uttered a hoa.r.s.e yell of excitement.

"It's hoo-roar, sir," he panted, "on'y I can't shout. That's our reserves coming up, and firing to keep the beggars' fire down. See, they've stopped now. Oh, if my rifle wasn't slung! Look at 'em. One-- two--three of the cowardly beggars scuffling up yonder like great white rabbits, and on hands and feet, too."

Cras.h.!.+ again. A sharp volley from much nearer, and Gedge stopped short to gaze with his companion at the three hill-men away in front, a couple or three hundred feet above the level where Bracy's bearer stood forgetting his dangerous wound and his pangs as he felt horror-stricken at the terrible sight to his left.

There were, as Gedge said, three hill-men, crawling rapidly up a long shelf to reach a cl.u.s.ter of stones for shelter--a shelter they had left to get better aim at the struggling pair down below. And as the climbing Dwats were watched directly after the last volley, one who was last started up into a standing position, threw up his arms, and his long jezail fell from them down into the defile, while he balanced himself for a few moments and then dropped, turning over once, and disappearing from the watchers' eyes. The next moment the top one came to a stand by a great stone, and rolled over and over till he reached the steep precipice, down which he plunged, the horrible thud with which he struck the stones coming plainly to Bracy's ears.

There was still another white figure crawling up the narrow shelf, but he had stopped short; and as Bracy and his companion gazed, the poor wretch seemed to collapse and lie closer down to the rock. Just then another shot rang out, and the body gave a jerk, but did not move again.

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Gedge. "It's very horrid, sir, but it was their turn, and our lads can shoot. Come on, sir. I think we shall do it now."

He started off towards the body of their friends, who were coming rapidly on, but before they had gone a score of yards the firing from the enemy recommenced, and--spat! spat!--the bullets struck the stones close at hand.

"Oh, I say, sir, this is too bad!" groaned Gedge. "I did think we should do it now. Never mind. Britons never shall be slaves, and I will do it after all."

There was a rattling fire opened at once on the sides of the gorge, completely crus.h.i.+ng that of the hill-men; and a few minutes after, as Gedge tramped on with his load, it was to be met by a burst of cheers, and a score of his comrades came racing on to his help. It was just then that a final shot came from somewhere behind, and poor Gedge started violently, staggered forward, and the next moment he would have gone down heavily with his burden but for the ready help of a dozen willing hands.

Directly after a distant cheering was heard. Roberts and his company were coming back.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

WOUNDS.

The enemy had been driven off with heavy loss, but the little victory had been dearly-won. Several men had been wounded, and most serious to all seemed to be the fact that among them was the gallant young officer who was liked by every man in the regiment. So it was that the march back to the great fort was made in silence; and when a few of the enemy, encouraged by what they looked upon as a retreat, hung about the rear and hara.s.sed the retiring column with shots from the heights, they paid dearly for being so venturesome. For Captain Roberts, leaving a little party in hiding to wait till the enemy showed in their pursuit, listened with a grim smile upon his lip till there was a sudden outburst of firing, and then tramped on with the remainder of his company, keeping as much as he could by the mule ambulance which was bearing his friend back to the fort.

Within half-an-hour the little firing-party overtook the rear of the column, and Roberts halted till they came up to him.

"Well, Sergeant?" he said.

"All right now, sir," said Gee, who looked what the men called ugly. "I think we've brought 'em all down."

"You're not sure, of course?"

"Well, pretty nigh, sir. There ain't been a shot since."

"Good. Be on the lookout. I hate for our poor fellows to be hara.s.sed like this."

"It's horrid, sir; but, begging your pardon, sir, how's Mr Bracy?"