Gil the Gunner Part 33

"Afraid not, doctor. I heard the captain say that we march directly. I couldn't even ride if I had a horse. Hadn't you better put me out of my misery at once?"

"If you talk nonsense like that to me, sir," cried the doctor, "I'll give you the nastiest dose you ever had in your life."

"But I can't walk."

"Of course not; but there are plenty of good men and true to carry you, so hold your tongue, and get better as fast as you can."

"But--"

"Silence, sir! or I'll put a bandage on your mouth, as well as on your arm."

Poor Craig smiled at me, and closed his eyes.

Half an hour after our men were found all refreshed and rested, and looking ready to do any deed of valour, or follow their leader to the death. The order was given, and in the lightest of light marching-order, save that there was the litter to carry, on which poor Craig had been laid, when one of the sentries still on guard, but with orders to fall in on the rear when we marched, reported the approach of a party of the people of the city.

Brace ordered the men to lie down while he focussed his gla.s.s, and examined the men from the edge of the tope, afterwards handing the gla.s.s to me as I watched the white-clothed party about a quarter of a mile away, evidently making straight for the wood.

"What do you make of them, Gil?"

"Sepoys," I said; "nine of them, all with muskets and bayonets, evidently coming to occupy this place."

"Yes," he said; "we must repulse them. Gil, this is a G.o.dsend. I want every man I have to fight. These are scoundrels from one of the revolted regiments."

"And this is to be a bit of practice for our men?"

"No, boy; we can trap the dogs without fighting. Can't you see what I want?"

"No."

"Bearers for poor Craig's dhooly. Here they are--two sets; one for relief."

I uttered a cry of delight, and then after making sure by which track the sepoys would come up to the tope, a dozen men were placed in ambush with orders not to move till the native soldiers had pa.s.sed them, and then to cut off their retreat when they found enemies in front.

The arrangements were cleverly made, our men lying down among the bushes; and, in perfect ignorance of the reception awaiting them, the sepoys came on with their muskets shouldered; and in a careless, easy-going way, as they came on talking loudly, they drew and fixed bayonets.

"They think some poor creatures have taken refuge here," whispered Brace. "The bloodhounds!"

I lay there with my sword drawn, and the knot tight about my wrist, my heart beating, and a curious sensation of dread troubling me, for I was going to face armed men for the first time in my life.

But I had no time for thinking; the sepoys were close at hand, and as they reached the edge of the tope, one, who seemed to be their leader, gave the order, and the men lowered their bayonets, and were about to open out to search the tope, when Brace sprang up right in their way.

What followed did not take a minute. The first movement of the mutineers was to turn and flee, but their leader yelled at them savagely, and dashed at us with his levelled bayonet, when a shot from Brace's pistol rang out, and the man threw up his piece, bent back, fell, and clutched at the broken twigs upon which he had fallen, while, uttering a fierce yell of rage, the others came on.

But Brace was equal to the occasion. He shouted an order to our lads, and then one in Hindustani to the sepoys, who, on seeing a party of our men spring up behind us, stopped short, and then turned to flee, but only to find themselves face to face with the dozen men by whom they had pa.s.sed.

"Down with your arms!" roared Brace, rus.h.i.+ng at them. And with a sullen growl, seven of them threw down their muskets, but the eighth made a fierce thrust at Brace, which would have been deadly, had he not deftly turned it aside to his left with his sabre, and then striking upward with the hilt, he caught the man a terrible blow in the cheek, and rolled him over stunned.

Our men gave a cheer as they closed in round the sepoys, and the next minute two stout gunners were breaking the bayonets from the muzzles, snapping some off, and doubling the others completely back before taking the muskets by the barrels; and then _crash, crash, crash_, the stocks were splintered off by blows against the largest trees, while the sepoys stood together closely guarded, their faces turning of a horrible drab tint, as their eyes rolled in anxious quest from face to face, for they evidently expected moment by moment to hear the order for their execution.

One poor wretch, with his lips ashy, glanced up at the trees, and then wildly round, as I interpreted it, to see if any one was bringing ropes; and a shudder ran through him, and he closed his eyes, but opened them widely, showing a ring of white about the iris as the doctor strode up.

"Soon got a job ready for me, then, Brace?" he said.

"Poor wretch!" was the reply. "I am sorry I shot him."

"I'm not," said the doctor, going down on one knee. "Why, man, his bayonet was getting close to your breast, and I hate a bayonet wound; it generally beats me. Humph!" he added coolly, after a brief examination of the fallen man, who was lying motionless, "so does this," and he rose.

"Dead?" said Brace, with a look of pain in his face.

"Quite. Come, soldier, it was in self-defence."

"Yes," said Brace slowly; "but I never killed a man before, doctor, even in self-defence."

Then, drawing himself up, he turned to the sepoys, and giving the regular orders, they obeyed, took a few steps, and then, as if moved by the same spirit, halted, and threw themselves upon their knees with their hands outstretched for mercy, the man whom Brace had temporarily stunned by his blow, uttering a loud appeal, for all thought their end was near.

"Stand!" cried Brace, sternly; and then he told them that if they were faithful and obedient their lives should be spared.

They were grovelling at his feet on the instant, and a driver behind me laughed.

"Well, I don't think I'd kiss the captain's boots like that to save myself," he said. For one of the men was actually kissing the muddy boots Brace wore.

At a second command, they sprung to their feet, and, obeying orders with alacrity, they were drawn up in line, where Brace once more addressed them, announcing that they would be treated without mercy if they attempted to escape.

Then poor Craig's litter was pointed out to them, and four raised the handles to their shoulders, while the others were placed in front. A guard was detailed to keep watch over them, and armed with carbines, with orders to shoot down the first man who tried to escape.

A minute later our men were in their places; the order was given, and we left the tope on the side farthest from the city, and descended toward the low, cultivated ground, marched steadily toward the village where Brace and I had pa.s.sed the night, there to take up the track made by the wheels of our limbers, guns, and tumbrils, a long, wearisome task we felt; for the enemy had many hours' start, and they were mounted, while we were on foot.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

My toilsome marches through a country that was generally deserted, we came to village after village in following the track of those guns; and generally it seemed as if the force of mutineers frightened the simpler ryots away from their tiny farms and rice-grounds; for the villages were generally empty. When they were not, our appearance was sufficient to send man, woman, and child flying; for already the land was being delivered up to the horrors of war. Ny Deen's men plundered as they went, and helped themselves to all they required; while we, in turn, were forced to follow their example; and where food was not given, we were obliged to take it.

Our marches ought to have been made by night, so as to avoid the heat of the sun; but this was impossible, for the track of the guns would have been lost, and hence we had to journey on by daylight, rarely finding any difficulty, for the wheels made distinctive marks in the dusty roads; while in the open country, where Ny Deen made short cuts, the deep ruts were so plain that, had we been mounted, we could have galloped after them.

It was very rarely that we could get any information from a native; but when we did, it was invariably to learn that the enemy was a full day ahead; and, in spite of our efforts, he always keep that distance.

I remember that terrible broiling march with a shudder, for our men suffered horribly from heat and thirst, often from want of food, while our constant dread was lest any of the poor fellows should go down with sunstroke.

But we were spared that, though every night, when we halted, the doctor confided to me his opinion that it was miraculous.

Craig was very weak and ill, and more than once he asked Brace to have him laid down under a shady tree to die, so that better use might be made of the bearers.

"Impossible, my good fellow," Brace used to say. "I can't spare you-- the smartest sergeant in the troop."

"Smartest, sir?" repeated Craig, with a piteous smile. "A helpless invalid, too weak to lift a sword, let alone use it, or sit a horse."

"Wait, Craig, and you will sit a horse yet, and help me to redeem this terrible reverse."