Yussuf the Guide Part 32

"There is time for neither, effendi," said Yussuf, taking out his revolver. "They will be upon us in a minute, and to run would be to draw their fire upon us."

"Run!" exclaimed Mr Burne; "no, sir. As I'm an Englishman I won't run.

If it was Napoleon Bonaparte and his army coming, and these were the Alps, I would not run now, hungry as I am, and I certainly will not go for a set of Turkish ragam.u.f.fins or Greeks."

"Then, stand firm here, excellencies, behind these stones. They are mounted; we are afoot."

The little party had hardly taken their places in the shadow cast by a rock, when a group of horse and footmen came into sight. They were about fourteen or fifteen in number apparently, some mounted, some afoot, and low down in that deep gorge the darkness was coming on so fast that it was only possible to see that they were roughly clad and carried guns.

They came on at a steady walk, talking loudly, their horses' hoofs ringing on the stony road, and quite unconscious of anyone being close beside the path they were taking till they were within some forty yards, when a man who was in front suddenly caught sight of the group behind the rocks, checked his horse, uttered a warning cry, and the next moment ample proof was given that they were either enemies or timid travellers, who took the party by the rocks for deadly foes.

For all at once the gloomy gorge was lit by the flashes of pretty well a dozen muskets, the rocks echoed the scattered volley, and magnified it fifty-fold, and then, with a yell, the company came galloping down, to rush past and reach the open slope beyond.

How it all happened neither Mr Burne nor the professor could fully have explained. It must have been the effect of Yussuf's example, for, as the bullets flew harmlessly over the party's head, he replied with shot after shot from his revolver, discharging it at the attacking group. As he fired his second shot, Mr Burne's fowling-piece went off, both barrels almost together, and the professor and Lawrence both fired as the group reached them, and after them, as it pa.s.sed and went thundering by and down the slope out beyond the entrance to the gorge.

"Load again quickly," cried the professor; "they may return. There is one poor wretch down."

His command was obeyed, empty cartridges thrown out and fresh ones inserted; but the trampling of horses' hoofs was continued, and gradually grew more faint, as the little party descended from their improvised fort. They ran down, for something curious had occurred.

As the band of hors.e.m.e.n charged, their company seemed to divide in two, and the cause appeared to be this:

One of the mounted men was seen to fall from his saddle and hang by the stirrup, when his horse, instead of galloping on, stopped short, and five other horses that were seen to be riderless stopped, after going fifty yards, and cantered back to their companion and huddled round him.

"Why, there's Ali Baba!" cried Lawrence excitedly, as he ran down and caught his little steed by the bridle.

"And the pack-horses!" cried Mr Burne quite as excitedly, as he followed.

"Enemies, not friends, effendi," said Yussuf quickly.

For all had seen at once now that they had recovered their lost horses, it being evident that the travellers, by taking the short cut, had got ahead of the marauding band, for such they seemed to be; and they had possibly made the task the easier by halting somewhere on the way to let their horses feed.

But there was another cause for the horses keeping together, and not following those of the strangers in their headlong flight, for, on coming up, the reason for the first one stopping was perfectly plain.

Hamed, the pack-horse driver, had been made prisoner, and, poor fellow!

secured by having his ankles bound together by a rope which pa.s.sed beneath the horse's girths. When the charge had been made he had slipped sidewise, being unable to keep his seat, and gone down beneath his horse, with the result that the docile, well-trained animal stopped at once, and then its comrades had halted and cantered back.

"Is he much hurt, Preston?" said Mr Burne eagerly, as the professor supported the poor fellow, while Yussuf drew out his dagger and cut the rope.

"I cannot say yet. Keep your eyes on the mouth of the gorge, and fire at once if the scoundrels show again."

"They will not show again, effendi," said Yussuf. "They are too much scared. That's better. The horses will stand. They know us now. Take hold of your bridle, Mr Lawrence, and the others will be sure to stay."

Lawrence obeyed, and rested his piece on the horse's back, standing beside him and watching the mouth of the defile, while the others carried the injured man to the side and laid him down, the professor taking out his flask which was filled with spirit.

"Yes," said Yussuf, acquiescing. "It is not a drink for a true believer, but it is a wonderful medicine, effendi."

So it proved, for soon after a little had been poured down Hamed's throat the poor fellow opened his eyes and smiled.

"It is your excellencies!" he said in his native tongue; and upon Yussuf questioning him, he told them faintly that he was not much hurt, only a little stunned. That he was seated by the fount, with his horses grazing, when the band of armed men rode up, and one of them struck him over the head with the barrel of his musket, and when he recovered somewhat he found himself a prisoner, with his legs tied as he was found, and the horses led and driven down a narrow defile, out of which they had made their way into a forest of shady trees. Later on they had made a halt for a couple of hours, and then continued their journey, which was brought to an end, as far as he was concerned, by his falling beneath his horse.

"What is to be done now?" said the professor.

"Eat," exclaimed Mr Burne, "even if we have to fight directly after dinner."

"The effendi is right," said Yussuf smiling. "If we go on, we may fall into a trap. If we go back a little way here till we find a suitable spot, the enemy will not dare to come and attack us in the dark. Can you walk, Hamed?"

The poor fellow tried to rise, but his ankles were perfectly numbed, and there was nothing for it but to help him up on one of the horses, and go back farther into the gloomy ravine, which was perfectly black by the time they had found a likely place for their bivouac, where the horses would be safe as well, and this done, one of the packs was taken down from its bearer and a hearty meal made by all, Yussuf eating as he kept guard with Lawrence's gun, while Hamed was well enough to play his part feebly, as the horses rejoiced in a good feed of barley apiece.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

THE USE OF A STRAW HAT.

"There," said Mr Burne, as he lit a cigar, and sat with his back to a stone; "if anybody in Fleet Street, or at my club, had told me I could have such an adventure as this, I should have said--" Here he paused.

"What, Mr Burne?" asked Lawrence after a time.

"Tarradiddle!" replied the old gentleman shortly, and he took out his handkerchief to blow his nose, but promptly suppressed the act, and said:

"No; wait till we get somewhere that is likely to be safe."

That word "safe" occurred to everybody in the silence of that dark and solemn gorge, whose sombre aspect was enough to daunt the most courageous; but somehow that night, in spite of the riskiness of their position, no one felt much alarmed.

There were several things which combined to make them feel cheerful.

One was the company, for the knowledge of being there with a trusty companion on either side was encouraging.

Then there was the calm confidence given by the knowledge that their enemies had run from them like a flock of sheep before a dog.

Lastly, there were the satisfactory sensations produced by the recovery of their horses and belongings, and consequent enjoyment of a good meal.

Taken altogether, then, after proper arrangements had been made to secure the horses, and for a watch being kept, no scruple was felt about lying down to sleep, everyone with his weapons ready for use in case of an attack, which after all was not greatly feared.

Lawrence wanted to take his turn at keeping guard, but the professor forbade it.

"No," he said; "you have done your day's work. Sleep and grow strong.

You will help us best by getting vigorous;" and hence it was that the lad lay down in the solemn stillness of the vast place, gazing up at the stars, which seemed dazzlingly bright in the dark sky, and then it seemed to him that he closed his eyes for a moment, and opened them again to see the mountain slopes bathed in suns.h.i.+ne, while the birds were twittering and piping, and the black desolate gorge of the previous night was a scene of loveliness such as he could not have imagined possible there.

"Shows the value of the sun, Lawrence," said the professor laughing; "and what a fine thing it would be if some of our clever experimentalists could contrive to bottle and condense enough suns.h.i.+ne to last us all through the winters."

Just then Yussuf came up through the dewy gra.s.ses and flowers with Lawrence's gun over his shoulder.

"Well," said the professor, "what next--a good breakfast, and then start?"

"Yes, effendi," said the Turk, "but the other way."

"Other way?"

"Yes, effendi; the band of rascals are lying in ambush for us about a mile distant."