The G.A. Henty

by G. A. Henty

  There was no difficulty in finding shelter, for in many places belts of high rushes bordered the lake. Entering one of these for some little distance, and pressing down a lot of the rushes to make a dry bed on the damp earth, the lads lay down and were soon fast asleep. The sun was blazing high overhead when they awoke.

  “My eye, isn’t it hot!” was Jim Tucker’s first exclamation. “It is enough to roast a fellow alive.”

  “It is hot,” Jack agreed; “and the worst of it is there isn’t anything to eat.”

  “No, and there is not likely to be,” Jack replied, “till we get to Alexandria. There are the guns of the fleet still at it. It is evident that the forts have not surrendered. I don’t see how we can possibly get along past those forts on the beach to the west as long as they hold out, besides it is not likely that there has been a landing from the ships yet, and the rabble of Alexandria will be plundering and killing. We shall be safer anywhere than there.”

  “So we should,” Jack agreed. “But there is one thing quite certain, we cannot stop here without food or water. We might perhaps do without grub for a day or two, but certainly not without water. There is maize and grain ripe in the fields, so we shall do well enough for eating.”

  “I suppose they must have wells. People must drink here, Jack.”

  “I suppose there must be wells,” Jack said doubtfully. “But, you see, the water in this lake is salt, and I should say they get no fresh water anywhere near, because the ground is so sandy. I rather expect they get it in small channels from the fresh-water canal.”

  “Well, anyhow, we can get water there,” Arthur Hill said. “I vote we go back there again. Not of course anywhere near where the Egyptians are; though I do not know whether that would make much difference, for we should be on one side of the canal and they on the other. Still, we had better go beyond them; then we can, as you say, keep ourselves going by picking maize or corn or whatever we can find for a day or two, till we hear the firing cease.”

  “There are sure to be some boats somewhere on this lake,” Jack said, “and we might get hold of one and go across to Alexandria some night, and reconnoitre. If we find there are no sailors or troops there, we can take to our boat and pull back again. I think it would be better to do that than to try to work round by the sea-shore, for I believe they have fortifications running across from the sea to the lake, so as to prevent the place from being attacked by a force landing beyond the forts.”

  “Well, I vote we set out at once,” Jim Tucker said. “I am frightfully thirsty. There are very few houses as far as I can see; if we keep a sharp look-out we ought to be able to manage so as not to meet anyone. If any peasant does run against us and ask questions, so much the worse for him.”

  The others agreed, and they at once started across the country, which was only cultivated here and there. They laid their course so as to strike the canal at a point some miles higher up than that at which they had left it. They only saw a few peasants in the fields, and made detours so as not to come near any of these. On the way they picked a dozen heads of maize, but were too thirsty to attempt to eat them. After three hours’ walking the vegetation became brighter and greener, the cultivated fields thicker, and in another half hour they stood on the bank of the canal. They went down to the edge, knelt down and took a long drink.

  “Shouldn’t I like a dip!” Arthur Hill said.

  “We will have one, Arthur, when it gets dark; it would never do to bathe now. I do not see a soul about, but still someone might come up on the further bank at any moment, and our white skins would betray us at once. Now we have had a good drink we can hold on. We will go back again now, and sit down among the bushes and eat our corn.”

  When they had finished their meal the boys agreed that maize eaten raw was not by any means desirable food; however, it satisfied their hunger, and they sat discussing their plans until evening. They agreed that Arthur Hill’s plan was certainly the best.

  “We will give them one more day,” Jim Tucker said. “I vote we stop here to-night, then have a good drink in the morning and then start back again, keeping along the canal here until we are close to the lake; then we will have another good drink and start out and walk along the lake until we find a boat, then we will hide away somewhere near it and cross after it gets dark.”

  It was agreed that this plan should be carried out, and after a good night’s rest they started again next morning. They kept down by the foot of the bank of the canal, and followed it until they saw the lake stretching away on the left, then they went up and had another drink.

  “Hurrah!” Arthur Hill exclaimed, as he picked up a broken earthenware pot, which had apparently been thrown out by some passing boat; “this will hold a quart of water. That will give us a drink each to-night.”

  As they walked they had heard the heavy guns still booming over the sea, and felt by no means certain that the troops had yet landed. However, they determined not to put off their expedition across the lake if they could find a boat. Carrying their jar of water carefully with them, they struck across to the lake and followed it as before, keeping a careful look-out for boats. They had proceeded about two miles along its edge, when they saw the stern of a boat projecting beyond the rushes that fringed the water’s edge, and pushing more rapidly forward they came upon a beaten path through the reeds, and following this came upon a low flat boat, very roughly constructed.

  “It is not much of a craft,” Jim Tucker said; “but it will do for us capitally. Now, we have only to lie down and take things quietly until dark. I fancy it is about three o’clock in the afternoon now by the sun.”

  They lay down among a clump of bushes a short distance from the lake, and as soon as the sun had set went back to the boat again. They had already made another meal, and had finished their maize and water. They stood by the boat waiting until it should become perfectly dark, and looking across the tranquil sheet of water at the distant town, over which the smoke still hung heavily, and as the sky darkened flashes of fire could be seen. They were at last just going to get on board when they heard an exclamation of surprise behind them. Looking round they saw two natives, who had evidently come down with the intention of going out in their boat.

  CHAPTER XIII

  AMONG FRIENDS

  The astonishment of the two natives at seeing, as they supposed, three women standing with their boat, was no less than that of the boys at being thus suddenly surprised. Suspecting no harm, however, they at once moved forward, asking in Egyptian, “What are you doing here with our boat?”

  “Down with them, boys?” Jim Tucker exclaimed, and at once threw himself upon one of the boatmen, while Jack and Arthur instantly sprang upon the other.

  Wholly unprepared for the attack, the men were thrown down almost without resistance.

  “Get some rope from the boat, Arthur!” Jim Tucker exclaimed.

  Leaving Jack to hold the prostrate man, Arthur Hill jumped on board the boat, and in a minute returned with two pieces of rope. With these the arms and legs of the natives were soon firmly tied.

  “Now, what are we going to do next?” Jim Tucker asked.

  “It would not do to leave them here,” Jack said. “If they managed to untie each other they would give the alarm, and if we had to come back we should be caught. If they could not manage to untie each other they might lie here and die. I think we had better take them with us.”

  “I suppose that will be the best plan,” Jim agreed. “I do not know that it will make much difference in the end, for they must be left tied somewhere; still, it would certainly make it safer for us.”

  Accordingly the men were lifted into the boat and laid down in the bottom. Then the boys threw off the female garments, and taking the long poles punted the boat out into the lake. The water was so shallow, that it was not until they had gone more than a mile from shore that they laid in the poles and took to the clumsy oars. An hour’s rowing, and the shore began to rise high in front of them. As they approached
it they stopped rowing, and listened attentively.

  “Now, before we go any nearer we had better gag these fellows,” Jack said. “If they were to set-to to shout as soon as we had landed, our chance of getting back again would be at an end.”

  They tore off two strips from the cloths, rolled them up, and put them in the prisoners’ mouths, putting some lashings across so that they could not get them out; then they put the men so far apart in the boat that they could not touch each other, and lashed them in these positions. This done they again wrapped themselves in their women’s garments, and quietly rowed to the shore. They had but little fear of finding anyone here. The natives, if no landing had been effected from the ships, would be all engaged in the work of plundering; while if the English had taken possession of the town they would probably be keeping in their houses. No one was near when they landed, and fastening the head-rope of the boat to a stone they pushed her gently off again.

  “If anyone should come along,” Jim said, “it is too dark for them to see those fellows lying in the boat. Now, we must take our bearings accurately as we go along, so as to be able to find the boat again if things go wrong with us.”

  They had landed half a mile beyond the town, and now made their way towards it. As they came to the houses a few people were about, but no one paid any attention to the three veiled figures. The glare of light was a sufficient indication to them of the direction they should follow, for they had agreed that if a landing had been made the sailors would be certain to be at work trying to put a stop to the spread of the flames.

  Presently they came to the edge of the district swept by the fire. The walls for the most part were standing, although in many cases they had fallen across the road. The heaps of rubbish inside still glowed, and now and then little tongues of fire leapt up. On they went, making their way very cautiously until they reached a wide open space surrounded by ruins.

  “This is the great square,” Jack said. “Look, there is the fountain still playing in the middle. There are some fires there too, and a lot of people round them.”

  “Let us wait a bit. If they are Egyptians we shall be in a nice mess.”

  They stood for some time, afraid to approach closer, then they heard a burst of laughter.

  “That must be English,” Jack said. “I don’t believe Egyptians ever laugh like that.”

  “I don’t think so either. Let us move a bit closer; but mind, we must be ready for a bolt if we find we are wrong.”

  They went quietly forward, and again stood irresolute. Presently they heard a voice call “Tom Jones!” and heard the reply “Aye, aye, sir!”

  “It is all right!” Jim exclaimed joyfully, and they at once hurried forward. They soon arrived at the fire, round which three or four naval officers were sitting. The boys tore the veils from their faces and threw back the cotton cloth from over their heads, and a general exclamation of surprise broke from the officers as they saw the heads of three European boys.

  “Hallo!” one of them exclaimed. “Who are you, and where do you spring from?”

  “We were wounded and carried off last month, on the day of the rising,” Jim said, “and have been kept prisoners ever since, sir. We got away the night after the bombardment, and have just arrived. We belong to the barque Wild Wave; we are midshipmen on board her.”

  “Well, I am glad you have got out of their hands,” the officer said; “but I cannot do anything for you now. These rascals keep on setting the town on fire in fresh places, and we are just starting to put one out that began half an hour ago.”

  “What is this?” an officer asked, hurrying up to the spot.

  “Three lads, Lord Charles, who have been kept prisoners by the Egyptians for the last month, and have just escaped. They belong to a merchant vessel, and were captured at the rising.”

  “Please to march off your men at once, sir; I will overtake you in a minute or two. Well, lads, what can I do for you?”

  “Well, sir, you might give us something to eat, perhaps,” Jim suggested. “We have had next to nothing for the last three days.”

  “Come along with me,” Lord Charles Beresford said, and he hurried with them to another party of sailors at the further end of the square.

  “Give those lads something to eat and drink,” he said. “You had better stop here until I come back, lads, then I will see what can be done for you.”

  A kettle was boiling over a fire, and before many minutes the lads were supplied with a basin each of cocoa and a lump of bread, and felt as they ate their supper that their troubles were at an end. It required, however, more than one bowl of cocoa and a considerable quantity of bread before their appetites were appeased.

  While taking their supper the boys gave to the officers gathered round them a sketch of the adventures they had gone through.

  “Now that you have done your supper,” one of the officers said, “I suppose the next thing you want is some clothes. The question is how to get them.”

  “Yes, sir; it is awful going about like this.”

  “Well, you are rather objects,” the officer agreed with a laugh; “but I do not see what is to be done for you at present. You see, all this part of the town is burned down, and the shops in the other parts are all locked up and deserted, and most of them have already been broken into and robbed. We have no time to see about that sort of thing at present; our time is entirely occupied in fighting the fire, and in preventing these scoundrels from lighting fresh ones. There were seven or eight fresh outbreaks to-day. However, you must stop here for the present. Lord Charles Beresford will not be long before he is back, I daresay.”

  In another half hour the party of sailors returned, having pulled down two or three houses, and prevented the flames from spreading. Their commander at once came up to the boys, followed by a sailor bringing a large bundle.

  “I have not forgotten you, youngsters. One of the houses we pulled down was a clothier’s, which had by some good luck or other escaped being looted, so I told the men to pick out half a dozen suits and as many caps, and bring them on. They would only have been taken by the natives directly our backs were turned. No doubt you will find something there to fit you.”

  With great joy the boys seized the bundle, and going a little distance off examined its contents. After a good deal of trying on they each found things that fitted them fairly. Feeling vastly more comfortable in their new attire, they rejoined the sailors.

  “I expect your ship has left long ago,” Lord Charles said. “Your best plan will be to go round in the morning to the consul, Mr. Cookson. He has established himself in a temporary office just beyond the range of the fire. One of my men will show you the way. Most likely your captain will have left some message with him in case you turned up again. After you have seen him you can, if you like, come back here; I daresay I shall be able to find something for you to do. Or if you like you can be sent off to one of the steamers, where the refugees are on board.”

  “We would much rather stay here, sir, if we may,” Jim Tucker said. “We will do anything that you like to set us to.”

  As they sat by the fire talking with the officers the boys learned what had happened in the town. As soon as it became evident that the fire of the ships of war was mastering that of the forts the troops and the populace began the work of plunder. The European stores were all broken into; everything portable was carried away and the furniture broken and smashed.

  Fire was applied in scores of places. A considerable number of the poorer classes of Europeans had remained in their houses, being afraid to desert their possessions, and many of these houses were broken into by the mob and the inmates massacred.

  It was calculated that upwards of five hundred were killed. The clerks at the Anglo-Egyptian Bank had determined to stay and defend it, and as soon as the work of plunder and massacre began a number of Europeans made for this point, and the little garrison was swelled until it numbered nearly a hundred men. The place had been attacked by the mob and soldi
ers; but had held out gallantly and beaten off the assailants, who had before long scattered to points where plunder could be more easily obtained.

  At night a steam-launch from the fleet entered the harbour. Two or three men had landed, and making their way through the burning streets returned and reported the town was empty.

  The next morning at daylight a force had landed and driven the plunderers from the European part of the town, while the ships had battered the forts that still held out. The following day a strong force of marines came ashore and patrolled the streets. At the sight of the British uniforms many doors were opened, and the wretched inmates, who had for forty-eight hours being trembling for their lives, made their way down to the water-side and went off to the ships. In the evening, a short time before the boys arrived, four hundred and fifty men had been landed from the British ships, and one hundred and twenty-five from an American man-of-war, and these at once set about the work of re-establishing order.

  In the morning a sailor conducted the boys to the house where Mr. Cookson had established himself. As soon as they gave an account of themselves to him he shook them heartily by the hand.

  “I am glad to see you back in safety, lads. Your captain was in a great way about your loss, and hunted high and low for you. He traced you to the spot where the riot began, but could learn nothing more; and as none of your bodies could be found, we had hopes that you had not been killed. Of course he could not delay his vessel here, and went on to Smyrna. He was going to look in here again on his way back; but as he has not done so, he probably got a freight and had to sail straight home. He asked me if you did turn up to let you have any money you required, and to do all I could for you. I can let you have the money, but I cannot do much else beyond sending you on board one of the ships outside to wait there until there is a chance of sending you home.”

  “Thank you very much, sir,” Jim said. “We shall be glad of some money, but we do not want to go on board ship. Lord Beresford said he would give us something to do here.”