The Air Patrol: A Story of the North-west Frontier

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

  NURLA BAI SLIPS THE NOOSE

  And now began the strangest game of chevy chase that was ever played.In a few minutes Bob and the Gurkha were flying northward. As theyapproached the area upon which the Kalmucks were assembled, Bob steeredto the right, so as to cross the position obliquely. Some of the menwere in the act of covering the aeroplane with their rifles, when thesight of a bright red object descending from the sky struck them with asort of paralysis. The coffee tin fell almost midway between them andthe Pathans. Dust and splinters of rock flew in all directions, and theKalmucks, with one consent, scampered along the track towards the mine.Bob listened for rifle-shots; he knew that the Pathans' obedience wouldbe put to a severe test when they saw their enemies in flight. Not ashot was fired.

  The Kalmucks did not yet perceive the real object which Bob had in view.After running a short distance, they halted again, unable to decidewhether it was safer to advance or retreat. When they saw the aeroplanesoaring towards them from the northward, they broke apart, each manstriving to find some crevice or nook among the rocks where he mightshelter himself. All believed that the Englishman's purpose wasslaughter. But when another bomb was dropped on their southward side,not near enough to do them harm, some of them, as they ran, began tosuspect the meaning of the device. For three or four miles they werethus driven down the track. Wherever the gorge was wide enough, Bobwheeled backwards and forwards across it in their rear, swooping downwhenever he saw them lagging, with the result that they did not wait foranother bomb, but hurried along like a flock of frightened sheep. Onceor twice they took shots at the aeroplane, but gave it up when it waspatent that their marksmanship was unequal to the feat of hitting theflying target. And all the time the Pathans marched steadily behindthem, much amused at the sahib's method of shepherding, but a littlechagrined because they were not allowed to assist.

  Meanwhile Bob had been thinking out his further proceedings. He mustnot let the Kalmucks draw too close to the mine. Lawrence could notarrive yet for several hours; it was important that he should comesafely home without a collision with the enemy. When, therefore, theyhad arrived within about two miles of the mine, he decided that it wastime to arrest their course. They could no longer be in doubt about themeaning of his signals hitherto--he would give them another. Flyingahead, then wheeling round, he dropped a tin, this time in front ofthem. At the explosion they halted, and after a brief consultationbegan to move on. Another bomb, falling in front again, but now alittle closer, conveyed its warning; like fog signals on a railway-line,these explosions plainly indicated that the track was not clear. Theyhalted again, and posted themselves behind rocks, facing up-stream, toguard against attack by the Pathans.

  How long they would remain stationary Bob could not tell; but he thoughthe had them sufficiently well in hand to give him time to fly to themine and act on another idea that had occurred to him. On reaching thehouse, he ordered Shan Tai to put up in two or three baskets a quantityof food, then scribbled a note bidding Lawrence push forward at hisutmost speed. This he placed under the lid of a tin weighted withstones, but free from caps or dynamite. Then telling Gur Buksh to keepa careful watch on the track southward, and fire if the Kalmucks showedthemselves at the turn half a mile away, he went back to the aeroplane,carrying the tin, and set off down the river. He was anxious thatLawrence should arrive before dark. In the daylight the dynamite bombsmight be relied on to bar the road to the Kalmucks; but they mighteasily take advantage of the darkness to slip past the mine, if not bythe track, at any rate by the hill-path above, and the bombs would losehalf their terrors. The possibility of a collision between the Kalmucksand his brother's party filled him with anxiety; for the former,infuriated by their chevying, would wreak their vengeance upon thesmaller band coming up-stream.

  Bob discovered Lawrence and his men taking a rest about half-way betweenthe mine and the broken bridge. They greeted him with a cheer. He flewfor some minutes up- and down-stream in the search for a landing-place,but the track being too narrow here, and the neighbourhood too rugged,he swooped down, and as he passed over the group, he got Fazl to drophis tin within a few feet of them. The Gurkha uttered a cry ofincredulous amazement when he heard the order, but Bob hastily explainedthat the tin contained only a chit. Too busy himself with steering towatch the result, Bob asked Fazl what had happened, and he reported thatthe tin, rolling down the bank towards the river, had been retrieved byLawrence Sahib himself.

  Bob flew straight back to the mine, thence over the Kalmucks, who werestill halted where he had left them, and beyond them to the Pathans. Thecountry was here much less rugged, but it was some little time before hefound a spot where he could alight without risk, nearly half a milesouth of the party. On landing, he and Fazl between them carried thebaskets of food to the Pathans.

  "The sahib is a light to our eyes," said the head man. "The men werebecoming restless."

  "I dare say. Well, here is some food for them. This will keep up theircourage. I am glad to see that they have obeyed my orders, and beforelong I hope we shall all be safe at the mine."

  "Allah be praised!" cried the man. "Food is what we need, and mybrothers will delight in the sahib's care."

  Indeed, Bob could have hit upon no more effective means of attaching thePathans to his cause. This evidence of the sahib's thoughtfulnessprofoundly impressed the men, and as they made ravenous onslaught ontheir rations they were loud in praise of their young master, whom itwas good to serve.

  By this time Bob was very tired of his continual journeys up and downthe river; his petrol, too, was running low, and it was with a feelingof great relief that he set off on what was to be his last flight formany a day. When Lawrence had returned, Bob meant to hold a seriousconsultation with him as to the possibility of holding the mine. If itwere decided that this was hopeless, he would have to make immediatearrangements for evacuation. The thought of leaving the aeroplane gavehim a pang. That he must leave it seemed inevitable, for he felt thathis presence would be necessary as leader of the march. He might,indeed, fly miles ahead, alight, and wait for his little force to reachhim; but it seemed more important to share his brother's difficultiesthan to secure the safety of the aeroplane.

  After replacing the machine in its shed, he returned to the house andcalled for dinner. For several hours there was nothing to be done. Whenhe had finished his meal, he lit his pipe and settled himself in an easychair to think over the position. It was the first opportunity of restand quiet meditation since Nurla Bai's defection had so fatallydisturbed the peaceful life of the settlement. Of his uncle he couldnow think only as of one irrevocably lost. It was the end of mining inthe Hindu Kush. Whatever the immediate future might bring forth, it wasclear that Lawrence and he must seek some other career. And when hereckoned up the chances, he felt more and more doubtful whether eitherof them would escape from this valley of tragedy with their lives.

  Yet Fate had been kind to them, even through the instrumentality ofNurla Bai. But for that man's villainy, there would have been nopursuit down the river, no discovery of the army encamped forty milesaway. They would have had no warning of the approach of this greathost, and defence and flight would have been equally impossible. Suchchances as they had of weathering the storm were due to Nurla Bai.

  Bob's thoughts centred on that wily Kalmuck. His presence among the menhalted half a mile off was puzzling. Bob did not guess that Nurla Baiand his henchman had been among a band who had crossed the river in thenight, and attacked Lawrence and his Pathans. These two men alone ofthe party had not recrossed when the rest were beaten back. They hadslipped up the bank under cover of the darkness, and marched all nightalong the track. Warned by the sound of horses' hoofs they had hiddenuntil the Pathan reinforcements had passed, then hurried on to the mine.Arriving there at dawn, they had instigated the attack on the Pathans,of whom Nurla Bai had led the pursuit.

  The knowl
edge that the Kalmuck was within half a mile of him suggestedto Bob the possibility of capturing him and bringing him to justice.The punishment of the offender would do more than anything else totighten the bonds between himself and the Pathans. Remembering theKalmuck prisoners whom Gur Buksh had taken, Bob hit on a plan forgetting Nurla Bai into his power. He would send one of them as a heraldto the miners, promising to allow them to depart northwards if theywould deliver up their arms and hand over Nurla Bai and Black Jack.With the Sikhs on one side of them, and on the other the Pathans, eagerfor an opportunity to wipe off old scores, they must recognize theirhelplessness, and probably would be willing to purchase the safety ofthe whole band at so cheap a price.

  About two o'clock in the afternoon, therefore, Bob sent for one of theprisoners, and with Fazl as interpreter, gave him his instructions. Ifthe terms offered were accepted, Nurla Bai and his man were to come tothe mine under escort of not more than four of the party, unarmed. Thedrawbridge was lowered, and raised again after the man had departed onhis errand.

  Bob waited patiently for the result of this mission. Lawrence ought toarrive about four o'clock, by hard marching. By that time the Kalmucksshould have made up their minds. Of course, under Nurla Bai's influence,they might reject his terms, preferring to wait for darkness to givethem an opportunity of creeping past without surrendering either theirleader or their arms. In either case Lawrence would then be safe, andthe doings of the Kalmucks need give him no further concern. Nurla Baiwould escape his deserts, but that could not be helped.

  Less than an hour after the envoy's departure, a group of six men wereseen approaching the mine from the Kalmucks' encampment. In a fewminutes Bob was able to recognize among them Nurla Bai and Black Jack.Somewhat surprised, after all, at their compliance, he congratulatedhimself on the satisfactory working of his plan. It was not long,however, before he saw that his jubilation was premature. The men wereapparently unarmed, but calling Gur Buksh to his side, Bob ordered himas a precautionary measure to place the Sikhs at the inner end of thebridge, and cover the Kalmucks with their rifles, so as to guard againsttreachery. The whole staff of domestic servants and the few Pathans leftat the mine assembled in the compound to watch the proceedings. Bobordered the Pathans to lay aside their rifles, for their rage againstNurla Bai was such that he could not trust them to refrain from firingon their foe, even though he was unarmed.

  The Kalmucks came opposite the bridge. At Bob's command Fazl shoutedhis instructions across the river. When the drawbridge was lowered,Nurla Bai and his man were to cross. The escort were to return to theircompanions, and explain that later on, at a signal given by rifle-shots,they were to come forward ten at a time, hand their weapons to the Sikhsstationed at the bridge end to receive them, and pass down the track.The miners made no response, but stood motionless on the farther bank.

  At a word from Bob, the bridge-man turned his windlass, and the bridge,with much creaking, began slowly to descend. The end had almost reachedthe platform on which it rested when, with a suddenness that tookeverybody by surprise, Nurla Bai and Black Jack dived off the bank intothe river, sheltered by the descending bridge. Next moment severalrifle-shots rang out; the Sikhs had fired, rather because they felt thatthey must do something than because there was any real chance of hittingthe fugitives. Then they ran along by the wall, to watch for the twomen to reappear.

  Bob followed them; the crowd of servants and Pathans, shouting withexcitement, rushed in the same direction. Ditta Lal waddled breathlessin the rear.

  At this, the narrowest part of the valley for many miles, the currentrushed through the gorge like a mill-race. Nurla Bai had chosen hismoment well, reckoning on the rapidity of the stream to bear him out ofharm's way. Some seconds passed before a black head was seen bobbing onthe surface of the swirling flood a hundred and fifty yards away.

  "Don't fire!" shouted Bob.

  He was only in the nick of time, for the Sikhs already had their riflesat the shoulder, pointed at the black object in the water. Withsoldierly obedience they kept their fingers from the trigger, thoughthey were amazed at the order. Bob was astonished at himself. Hiscommand had been almost involuntary; only after he had spoken was heconscious of the motive impelling him. It was a sportsman's admirationfor pluck and resourcefulness. Of course the Kalmucks had tricked him,but he was young enough to admire their courage more than he resentedtheir trickery.

  In another moment the head had disappeared. It was now too late tochange his mind, even if he had wished it.

  "They are gone!" screamed the Babu. "Sir, you have allowed them tobunk. Why this fatal hesitation? Why this neglect of preciousopportunity? You cast pearls before swine, sir--and by pearls I meanmercy and ruth and all that. They will turn again and rend you. Sir, Irepeat----"

  Here Bob cut in. As a rule he was disposed to humour the Babu, whom hefound amusing at times, and whom he believed to be well-intentioned.Now, however, he had neither time nor patience to argue, even if anyamount of argument could have made the Bengali understand his point ofview.

  "Get back to your stores," he said sternly, and Ditta Lal, who wasalways abashed and rendered speechless by a rebuff, shuffled offdisconsolately.

  Bob was not disposed to let the two Kalmucks escape altogether. Noamount of pluck or cleverness could wipe out his recollection of theircrimes. To bring them to justice was a duty he owed himself and thePathans. Less than a minute after they had disappeared he ordered twoof the Sikhs to cross the bridge and pursue them along the track.

  "Don't shoot them: march them back to the mine," he said. "There I willdeal with them."

  The men set off to do his bidding. Meanwhile the four miners of NurlaBai's escort had remained where they stood when their leader took hisplunge. They fell back when they saw the Sikhs approaching them, cryingout that they had been ignorant of Nurla's intention. Bob saw no reasonto doubt them, but as he sent them back to rejoin their fellows up theriver he reflected that he had done wisely in arranging to let only afew men pass at a time.

  He had little doubt that the two fugitives would be caught. For adistance the stream ran too swiftly for runners on the bank to keep upwith it, but farther north, with the widening of the channel, the rateof the current diminished. Then, whether the men continued swimming orclimbed up to the track, they would be equally at the mercy of theirpursuers. The threat to shoot them could hardly fail to bring abouttheir surrender; while if they trusted to their speed along the track,they would fall into the hands of Lawrence and his party, who must nowbe very near. He therefore dismissed the crowd, ordered Gur Buksh tokeep good watch both up- and down-stream, and returned to the house tosnatch a brief nap until his brother arrived.

  It was a few minutes before five when Chunda Beg woke him, and told himthat the chota sahib was at hand. He ran down to the bridge, and sawwith great thankfulness that Lawrence and all his party were safe. Buthe was disappointed to notice that, though the two Sikhs were amongthem, they were without Nurla Bai.

  There was great shouting and handshaking among the crowd when the wearymen rode over into the compound.

  "Jolly glad to see you, old chap," said Bob to his brother. "You lookawfully biffed. Chunda Beg has got a good meal ready for you; just cutinto the house and have a rest while I dispose of a little matter inhand--then I'll come and tell you what has been going on."

  Lawrence was only too glad to rest. He had never in his life felt soutterly tired. The Pathans, too, hardy and capable of long endurance asthey were, showed signs of the fatigue of their double march and thefight _en route_. They took their horses into their own section of themine, and, throwing themselves on the ground, were soon asleep.

  Meanwhile Bob was arranging for the passage of the Kalmucks down-stream.He posted half of the Sikhs at the wall, ordering them, without reserve,to fire on the miners if there was any sign of mutiny among them. Thenhe sent Gur Buksh with the rest to the farther end of the bridge toreceive the men's arms as they came up. Just befor
e half-past five therifle-shot was fired as a signal to the first batch of ten men toapproach. Very soon they were seen marching sullenly towards the mine.They had been without food during the day, and hunger is a famousreducing agent. At the bridge they handed over their weapons withoutdemur to the havildar and his Sikhs, and passed on.

  Within an hour the whole party had been thus disarmed and sent on theirway. When the last of them had disappeared, Bob sent a Sikh to bring inthe Pathans who had been waiting with such patience up-stream. Dusk hadalready fallen over the depths of the valley, and it was dark before themen marched over the bridge amid uproarious greetings from theirfriends.

  Bob felt that he had reason to be satisfied with his day's work. Hisbrother was back; he was surrounded by Pathans of whose loyalty anddevotion he was now assured, and he had got rid peacefully of themalcontents whose presence would have been a continual menace. Only onething disappointed him: the failure of his men to capture Nurla Bai andBlack Jack. The Sikhs had pressed rapidly along the track until theymet Lawrence and his party; but neither on land nor water had theycaught a glimpse of the fugitives. The Kalmucks had already shownsurprising resourcefulness; there could be no doubt that they haddiscovered some hiding-place in the bank or on the hill-side above thetrack. As a sportsman, Bob gave them ungrudging admiration: as asoldier he was chagrined, for Nurla Bai not only ought to have receivedhis punishment, but he might have proved a useful hostage in the future.