CHAPTER XIX
A STRATEGIC RETREAT
There was no doubt that the hiding-place of the fugitives was nowdiscovered, and that they must prepare to defend their position andtheir lives; for, knowing the character of the Mullah, they could nothope to escape from attack. Sooner or later, and as quickly as theycould overcome their fears of the spot, the fierce followers wouldadvance into the ravine and pour their bullets into the entrance to themine. Indeed, in view of the fanatical hatred in which they held theinfidels, it was more than probable that they would gather together in abody and throw themselves with the utmost ferocity upon the fugitives.But we must leave the little party for a few moments and once more flyto the coast and see how the preparations for invasion were progressing.
The reader will recollect how a force had collected at Berbera, and,following in the wake of Jim's expedition, had marched across thelowlands and reached the highlands by the very pass in which the latterhad so severely defeated the tribesmen. The rendezvous of the Britishtroops had been Bohotle, which had already been strongly reinforced, andfilled with supplies calculated to last at least six months. As astrategic base, this was the very best that the country offered in theseparts, for it was practically on the fringe of the Hoad, and guarded thewells at which the last store of water could be obtained. From thatpoint onwards a march of at least six days must be contemplated, acrossa waterless desert, before the invading force could reach the Mudugpasture lands in which the Mullah had made his home. From the fartherfringe of the desert, two days at most would be occupied in marchingupon the Mullah's stronghold, and after that much depended uponcircumstances. If the enemy stood and faced the troops boldly, as he hadboasted he would, there was every hope that short work would be made ofhis army, and that the same fate would befall him as had happened to theKhalifa in the Soudan. On the other hand, he or his men might suddenlybecome fearful of this small band marching against him, and might flyinto the interior. If that were to happen, much would depend uponwhether the force which had already set out from Obbia, and that whichhad left the Abyssinian frontier, were able to cut off his retreat andcompel him to come to action. For the moment, no one could tell how theaffair would turn out, but the troops at Bohotle were in the finestspirits, and confident of success. Making little of the privationsbefore them, therefore, they welcomed the notes of the bugle whichsounded the reveille on the morning selected for the advance, and fellinto their ranks with faces which showed their enthusiasm. Had theirleader but known the precarious position of Jim's zareba, and the factthat our hero himself, together with three friends, was at that momentawaiting the attack of the Mullah's whole force, he would have pushed onwith even greater haste, for his men were fit and ready for anyexertions. But though he was aware of the marching of a small expeditioninto the interior, and knew what its object was, he had received notidings of the fortune or misfortune which had befallen it, andtherefore, in accordance with the arrangements which he had so carefullydrawn out, he did not venture to begin his march across the Hoad beforethe date which had been agreed upon. Now, however, the time for actionhad arrived, and with a feeling of enthusiasm which was not less thanthat displayed by his officers and men, he gave the order to march, and,having seen the advance guard leave the camp, sat there upon his pony inthe glare of the morning sun, watching critically as each battalion andeach portion of the transport corps passed him. Then waving a farewellto the unlucky ones who were to remain behind to garrison Bohotle, andwho gave him a ringing cheer in return, he set his beast into a canter,and in due time took his post at the head of his men.
The expedition which had been gathering at Obbia and elsewhere on theAbyssinian frontier had also set out on the date agreed upon, and wereeven then pushing forward as rapidly as possible in the hope of comingto close quarters with the Mullah.
With this knowledge, let us return to the fugitives in the mine. Seatedupon the edge of their trench, with their faces glued to the embrasureswhich perforated the low bank of sand in front of them, our hero and hiscomrades had kept their eyes intently fixed upon the Somali scouts, andhad seen, with a thrill of excitement, that these men had alreadyguessed their whereabouts.
"They are signalling to the others," said Jim with an effort to keep hisvoice steady. "I suppose we must soon expect to have a large forceattacking us."
"That just depends upon how long it takes for the news to spread,"remarked the colonel, his calmness quite unruffled by the suddenexcitement. "Unless those fellows who are waving and shouting from thetop of the hill can be seen a long distance away, it seems to me that itmay be many hours before the others are informed of our discovery, andconsequently no serious attack will be made upon us for the present."
"The deduction is a good one, but, unfortunately, the facts are notprecise," interposed John Margetson, in tones which showed that the turnevents had taken had not been without its effect upon him. "I am quitean old resident in this country, you must remember, and I shall tell youone of the many things which I have learnt. It is the power thesenatives have of transmitting news to one another across long distances.Those beggars whom you see up there, apparently waving their arms in areckless manner, are, nevertheless, fully alert and quite aware of whatthey are doing. Just as we in the Navy use semaphores to convey our newsto distant vessels, so do these Somali fellows roughly send theirmessages to one another by means of their arms. Look at that chap upthere! He is standing alone on the summit of the hill, so that hisfigure is against the sky-line, while his comrades are taking care tokeep well away from him, so that those who are looking on at a distanceshall not be confused. You may take it from me that there is anothernative, a mile or more away, upon a second hill, and still anotherelsewhere. By their means the order to concentrate at this ravine willflash across the country, and the swift ponies which these Somalispossess will quickly bring them to the spot."
"Then we must make up our minds for an early fight," said Jim calmly;"and, so far as I can see, we are fully prepared, and have no need to domore than sit where we are, awaiting developments. We've fed, and feelcontented. For my part, having so recently had a brush with the nativetribesmen, I feel confident that our chances are good, and that, so longas our ammunition lasts, we can defy these people."
"That's just the way to take it, my boy," sang out Colonel Hubbardcheerily. "Recklessness in a soldier is, as a general rule, inexcusable,for he should take good care to count the odds. But I freely admit thatthe forlorn hope has on many occasions gained us a victory, though it isnot advisable. But there is nothing like going into an engagement withfull belief in yourself, for then you have every determination to besuccessful. As to the power these beggars have of signalling, it is aninteresting piece of information, and one of which I was quite unaware.But the news does not absolutely astound me, for I have met with asimilar thing elsewhere. For instance, look at the Kaffirs, who inhabita land in which we have been so recently fighting. They have someextraordinary means of conveying tidings to one another. Indeed, theresult of large engagements, and even of small skirmishes, was known bythese people a hundred and more miles away long before our telegraphistshad been able to send it over the wires. But we must not occupy ourattention with these matters at the present moment, for there is nodoubt that we are in for a struggle. I therefore propose that we inspectarms at once."
Acting on this suggestion, all the available weapons were broughtforward and their merits discussed. Then the ammunition was carefullycounted out and put in a convenient spot. It was found that the partyowned two modern rifles which Jim and Ali Kumar had brought with themfrom the zareba, and for which a large store of cartridges wasavailable. Then there was the muzzle-loading gun which John Margetsonhad thoughtfully carried away from the store-hut, together with aquantity of powder and a bag of slugs, while in his belt he stillretained the revolver which Jim had handed to him. As for the colonel,his son had presented him with the second revolver, so that each one ofthe party was fully armed, while there was one firearm over in case ofac
cidents. In addition, they possessed the long double-handled nativesword, in case of attack at close quarters.
"It seems to me that we are excellently provided," remarked Jim, whenthe inspection was completed. "If we are careful not to throw away ashot, our ammunition should last for a considerable time. The bag ofslugs will be the first to require replenishing, and in that case Ishould imagine a few chips from one of these stone slabs would answerthe purpose just as well. But--I say--look at those fellows!"
The group of Somali warriors, who had been standing upon the hill-topsignalling to their friends, had become greatly enlarged, and within avery short space of time some two hundred men were stationed there,staring down into the ravine, and looking with suspicion at the entranceto the mine. But as yet not one had dared to enter the haunted valley,though they did not hesitate to crowd together at the opening, as if inthe act of doing so.
An hour later their numbers had increased to quite double, while amovement amongst them showed that some leader was expected. That itshould prove to be the Mullah himself was not wonderful, for he hadpromised to help his followers to capture the runaways. His charger wassoon seen upon the sky-line, while a figure stood with the reins hookedover his arm, listening to the words of his scouts.
"Now something will happen," said the colonel calmly. "That rogue willfind some means by which to quiet his followers' fears, though I doubtwhether he will dare to lead them in person. See! He is haranguing them,and to show that there is no danger to be apprehended, he is descendinginto the valley alone. By Jove! With those rifles we could knock himover to a certainty. But fair play's a jewel, and for myself, I confessthat I don't care to fire at a man unless I know that he is about to dothe same to me; it's too much like murder to sight a weapon for a nativeclambering down the slope of a hill and pull the trigger on him. All thesame, the prejudice is a silly one, for were we to drop him in histracks, the chances are that his followers would decamp, and in thatcase the expeditions which are about to march into the country wouldfind that they had little work to do. Look at the ruffian!"
Clambering down the steep slope of the hill, it was not long before theMullah had gained the centre of the ravine, where he stood for some fewmoments, observing the paved road which traversed it. Then he turned tohis followers, and called loudly to them to come and join him.
"Slide down, and have no fear!" he shouted in reassuring tones. "Thestory that this place is haunted is an old woman's tale, made only tofrighten the children. But you are brave men, and there are yourenemies, the infidel dogs, who have had the insolence to come hither. ByAllah! I swear to you that no harm shall befall you, and I call upon youonce more to join me, and then to rush with all your fury upon themine."
For a short space of time it was clear that his followers hesitated, buton the Mullah's repeating his assurances, they began to descend one byone, and then came sliding and running down in a body. Very soon theywere collected together in the centre of the ravine, and at a shout fromtheir leader they advanced towards the mine.
"Now, Jim," whispered the colonel, "we're in your hands, for you are thesenior officer at present."
"Then hold your fire till I give the word," was the calm response, "andthen you can blaze into them for all you are worth."
Standing on the stone pavement at the bottom of their trench, each ofthe defenders carefully adjusted his weapon, Jim and Ali taking care tothrow open the catch of their magazines, while John Margetson placed thespare revolver close at hand, so that, when his gun was discharged, hewould still have something to fall back upon. Then, in absolute silence,and without allowing any portion of their figures to be observed, theywaited with fast-beating hearts for the attack of the enemy. It cameeven sooner than they had expected, for, spurred on by the Mullah'swords of encouragement, and by their own fanatical hatred of theinfidel, the mass of Somali warriors came bounding towards the mine,those on the outer edge crushing towards the centre in their desire totake a part in the battle. As a result, they became closely jammedtogether, and arrived at the arched entrance in this formation.
"Fire!" cried Jim, when they were only a few yards away.
Instantly the guns of the defenders rang out and poured a perfect hailof missiles into the enemy. At such a close range it was impossible tomiss one's aim, and therefore the losses sustained by the Somalis werevery great. Indeed, so unexpected was the volley, and so disconcertedwere they at the fall of their comrades, that all at once stopped theirmad rush at the mine, and stood there aghast at the slaughter, andhesitating how to act. The breathing-space thus afforded was taken fulladvantage of by Jim and his friends, for, instantly reloading, they senta second volley into the attackers. Its effect was excellent, for,finding that more of their fellow-warriors were falling, and that as yetnot one of them had caught sight of the enemy, the Somalis gave vent toa howl of dismay, and retreated at the top of their speed. Nor did theypause until they had clambered from the ravine to the top of the slopeoutside.
"That will make them think twice about the matter," said the colonel,with a chuckle. "And just look at their leader! He took particular carenot to join in the attack, and was the very first to scramble away to asafe distance. However, a humbug, such as he is, will soon stir up thetribesmen again by reminding them that we are few in numbers, and thatthe score against us is a heavy one. Then, no doubt, we can expect asecond attack, and, if I know their wily commander at all, he will adoptdifferent tactics."
How true the prophecy of the colonel was destined to be was soon foundout, for, after retiring out of sight for a short period, the Somalisagain appeared on the surrounding heights. Then they dropped silentlyinto the ravine, and, lying down in the long grass at the foot of thehills, began to pour a hot fire into the mine. Soon, indeed, the air wasalive with their slugs and bullets, which came whistling in through theopening. But, thanks to the trench which John Margetson had suggested,the defenders ran no danger of being hit, but sat down at the bottom,placidly listening to the uproar. For half an hour the fusilladecontinued without cessation, and, indeed, at the end of that time,became even louder and fiercer.
"It sounds as though they had been strongly reinforced," remarked Jim,whose coolness had never for a moment deserted him. "I'll just take alook through one of our peep-holes and see what is happening, for itwould never do to make the sudden discovery that they were rushing uponus again."
Accordingly, taking every precaution not to expose himself to thebullets, he cautiously raised an eye to one of the embrasures, andclosely inspected the ravine. He found that what he had thought had justoccurred, for even then scores of men were climbing over the hill-tops,to slide at once into the valley beneath. Down below a large force ofSomalis was gathered, and these, it was easy to perceive, were filledwith excitement, and eager for the attack. They were shouting to oneanother, and brandishing their weapons.
"We can expect a second rush in a few moments," said Jim, sinking intothe trench again; "there are scores of the enemy, and it seems to methat we shall be wise if we at once take steps to arrange for a retreat.I cannot think that our four weapons will be sufficient to keep themout. No doubt we shall kill a number of them, but all are in suchdesperate earnest that those who survive will come on, in spite of theirlosses, and once they get to close quarters with us, we shall be donefor. I suggest, therefore, that a couple of us go and investigate thosepassages, while the others keep watch here. Then, as soon as the advancebegins, a shout will bring us together again."
"A good soldier should always arrange for an orderly retirement,"remarked the colonel thoughtfully, "for it is not always wise to burnyour boats behind you, or destroy your bridges. I must confess that inthis case we shall be wise to do as my son suggests, for it will help usto fight the harder if we possess the knowledge that retreat ispossible. At the same time, I am quite sure that we are men enough tostand to our guns to the very last, and, in spite of a means ofretirement, to stick to our position so long as it is tenable."
"Hear, hear!" sang out John Ma
rgetson, who, as the danger increased,seemed to become more cheerful. "Both of you have made most excellentproposals, and, as they do not need seconding, I shall show my approvalby at once volunteering to form one of the exploring party."
"Then Jim had better go with you, my friend. I will remain here withAli, and when you hear a shout, come back to us as fast as you can."
The question having thus been settled, and it being evident that therewas no time for delay, the two who had been selected for the enterpriseleft their weapons on the edge of the sandbank, and, crawling from thetrench, crept to the left, where they were quickly out of the range ofthe bullets. Then they sprang to their feet and ran to the fire, whichstill smouldered, and, snatching a couple of the largest brands, steppedtowards the many openings which ran from the entrance-hall into theworkings of the mine.
"Which one?" asked John Margetson, holding his torch aloft. "All are ofexactly the same size and appearance, so that it is difficult to make achoice."
"Then I vote for the central arch," cried Jim. "Come along."
Darting across the intervening space, which was swept by a cloud ofbullets, they plunged into the dark opening, and then, with firebrandsheld well in front of them, advanced at as rapid a pace as possible.They found themselves in a tunnel, which was of sufficient height toallow them to stand easily. A glance on either side showed them that thewalls were composed of bare rock, or of sandstone, while the roof wassupported at short intervals by buttresses of stone on either hand, andby a girder of the same material stretched from summit to summit. Likethe hall and the ravine outside, the floor was paved with square blocks,but in parts these had caved in, and the recesses were filled with darkpools of water. Elsewhere falls of the roof and of the sides had takenplace, and obstructed the passage, but in no place did it close itcompletely. Indeed, in view of the fact that hundreds of years hadprobably passed since the workings had been constructed, their conditionwas marvellous, and reflected the greatest credit upon those who hadslaved at their construction.
But Jim and his comrade had little time for observing all these points,for they were conscious that their pressing needs would admit of nodelay. Avoiding, therefore, the depressions and crevices in the floor,and clambering over the mounds formed by fallen rocks and _debris_ fromthe roof above, they pushed on at a pace which brought them many abruise from projecting obstacles. But they never seemed to heed them,and, scrambling along, had quickly traversed some two hundred yards ofthe tunnel. At this point they came to a crossway, where a passage ranto right and left.
"I should think that our best plan will be to take the direct road,"said Jim, coming to a halt. "However, we will just see where these twotunnels lead to. You take that on the right, John, while I go to theleft. If after walking some twenty yards you find nothing extraordinary,return at once, and meet me here."
Without discussing the question further, they separated at once. Whenthey met again in the space of a couple of minutes, each reported thatthe crossway opened into a parallel tunnel a few yards away, and intostill another farther on.
"Then it looks as though the openings from the entrance-hall ran on intothe hill, diverging slightly, and connected at this point by across-cut. Evidently our path lies right ahead."
"You've hit the right nail this time, without a doubt," answered JohnMargetson. "Forward is the word."
When they had advanced some two or three hundred yards farther, theexplorers suddenly came to a spot where the workings converged, and herethey found a chamber which was larger even than that at the entrance.From it again there were many exits, into which they dared not venture.However, they had already gone far enough to learn that, should theenemy prove too strong for them, they had a way of retreat which wouldenable them to elude pursuit for some time.
"I doubt even whether these Somali beggars would dare to follow us asfar as this," said John Margetson; "and if they do, I think we canguarantee that they shall be thoroughly scared. But I am firmly ofbelief that by pushing on we should come to an exit on the other side ofthis enormous hill, for the air here is perfectly pure and good, whichis wonderful, when you come to consider the age of these workings. Itlooks, in fact, as though there was a perfect system of ventilation, aprecaution which the ancients were too wise to neglect. Hullo! That wasa shout."
At that moment a loud cry reached their ears, the sound, indeed, seemingto be collected together and enlarged by the solid walls of the mine.There was no doubt that it came from the two defenders who were watchingthe Mullah's followers, and at once Jim and his companion took to theirheels, and raced back at their fastest pace. Arrived at theentrance-hall, they flung their brands into the fire and darted acrossthe floor to the trench, in which they at once took their places.
"You have returned in the nick of time," remarked the colonel, inunruffled tones, "for those fellows outside are on the point ofattacking. You can hear for yourself that the firing has ceased. Buttell me, what luck have you had?"
"Splendid, father. We've explored the central tunnel, and find that itruns on for a considerable distance before coming to a meeting-place inthe centre of the hill, from which a second series of workings emerge.If we have to fly, there will be plenty of room in which to playhide-and-seek, and always a chance of turning upon our followers andpunishing them."
"Then we put the command in your hands as before, my boy, and leave itto you to give the word to retire. But, remember, all of you, thatammunition is valuable, and that you must not forget to carry everycartridge away with you."
His last words were interrupted by a perfect babel of sounds which camefrom the ravine, and each of the defenders at once sprang to hisposition, and, looking through the embrasure, saw that the enemy hadbegun to advance. This time they had taken the precaution to observesome order, and collecting together into a long, tongue-like band, camerushing up the central road towards the entrance of the mine. As before,Jim waited calmly until they were within easy range, and then gave theword to fire. Immediately a volley flashed from the sandbank, and anumber of the natives fell. Then the defenders emptied their magazinesinto the closely packed ranks, and set to work with all haste to loadagain. For the second time they repeated the process, causing great lossto the enemy. But, in spite of that fact, the latter still rushedforward with marvellous pluck, and with loud shouts. Leaping over thebodies of the fallen, shrieking with pain, and tumbling headlong to theground in their haste, they struggled fiercely to get at the infidels.Arriving at the deep cutting which the stream had made through thepathway, the foremost leapt it successfully; but those behind were notable to see it till right upon its edge, and, pushed by those whofollowed them, fell into the abyss with wild shrieks. Soon some thirtyof them had met with this fate, and the gulley was full to overflowing.But their comrades never paused, never even hesitated, but, roused tofury by the loss of their friends, and by the stinging hail of bulletswhich still swept amongst them, came on with fierce determination, andin such huge numbers that it quickly became clear that there was nostopping them.
"Give them a last volley!" shouted Jim, raising his voice above the din."Now, all together, and afterwards let us bolt."
Waiting till all were prepared, the four defenders rapidly emptied theirmagazines into the enemy, until the barrels of their weapons were so hotthat they blistered their fingers. Then snatching up the piles ofammunition which they had placed close at hand, they scrambled from thetrench, and, running swiftly across the entrance-hall, dived into thecentral tunnel, for all the world like rabbits taking to their burrows.
"Halt!" cried Jim sharply, at this moment. "Without a torch we shall belost. Wait here till I get one."
Returning, he ran to the fire, and quickly secured four flaming brands,then he rejoined his comrades, noticing as he was about to enter theworkings that the cries of the attackers had suddenly ceased, and thatthey had all come to a halt outside the mine, as if too fearful to enterit. But scarcely had the fugitives traversed more than a hundred yardsof the tunnel, when loud shouts and c
ries again rent the air, and beingmagnified by the enclosing walls, came echoing and reverberating intothe working. Indeed, the natives had at last overcome theirsuperstitious terrors, and, rendered desperate by the baffling tacticsof the infidels, had flowed into the entrance-hall till it was packedwith humanity. Then a second pause ensued, for the passages which led oninto the hill looked dark and forbidding. However, a leader wasforthcoming, who, imitating Jim's example, snatched at one of the fierybrands, and, having peered into each one of the tunnels in succession,finally waved to his comrades to divide and search all of them.
Meanwhile the fugitives had sped on without a pause, and very soonarrived at the large chamber, which seemed to be the heart of theworkings. And here they halted to listen for sounds of the pursuers.
"It is perfectly clear," said the colonel, seating himself to regain hisbreath, "that these fellows have overcome their fears, and are in hotchase. It occurs to me at the same time that the movement we have madewas a most excellent one, for the very fact that there are so manychannels leading into the hill will cause the Somalis to divide up intoparties. Then in the darkness they will lose one another, and in thatway will fall easy victims to our rifles, if they happen to come up withus. My advice is that we sit here for a little while, and then takematters more easily, for we shall require all our powers later. Perhapswe shall find an exit, and in that case we shall be obliged to travelfast to the zareba."
Accordingly the party crossed to the other side of the chamber, andentered the tunnel which stood opposite to that from which they had justemerged. Then lowering their torches, so that the flames could not beeasily observed, they sat down to await events. Presently they becameaware that some, at least, of the natives were close at hand, andprepared to push on, or repel the pursuers, as circumstances shoulddictate. But there was no need for interference on their part, for asthey peered into the depths of the chamber, the glowing end of afirebrand suddenly appeared, the feeble light enabling them to perceivethat five men only accompanied the bearer. They were on the point oflevelling their rifles at these intruders when there was a shout fromone of the side tunnels, and before the onlookers could realize what wasabout to happen, a second party of Somalis rushed into the open space,and mistaking the first for the flying infidels, threw themselves withspear and sword upon them.
"I almost expected a catastrophe of that sort," whispered the colonel;"and it is very probable that it may occur elsewhere, for our pursuersare too angry to be cautious. I think we may safely leave them tothemselves and push on now deeper into the mine."
Acting upon this advice, the party stole silently away into thedarkness, leaving the Somali warriors struggling desperately with oneanother. A trudge of nearly half a mile brought them to a point whichseemed to be the farthest limit of the mine, for here galleries ran inevery direction, and a glance at the rough surfaces of the walls showedthat the workings had been deserted in a hurry, and not because gold wasno longer to be found. Indeed, had it been possible, the threeEnglishmen would have gladly stayed to investigate the matter, for therewere numerous interesting relics scattered about. But to delay thenmight have brought disaster to the party, and, therefore, they at oncebegan to search for an exit.
"I feel sure we are not far from the open air," cried Jim, suddenlycoming to a stop in the centre of a wide space, from which the tinygalleries cut into the hill. "Come here, and you will feel quite adraught blowing upon your heads, and----By Jove! Look at my torch!"
He held the brand above his head, and as he did so the dull red endbegan to glow brightly, and then, fanned by an invisible stream of airwhich played upon it, it burst into a brilliant flame, which effectuallylit up the surroundings.
"A grand find, my boy!" shouted the colonel, for the first time showingsome trace of excitement. "By the aid of that flaring brand we shallfind our way to liberty. Push on, and when you see the light die down,you will know at once that we are moving in the wrong direction."
Jim needed no further encouragement, but, with his rifle grasped in onehand, strode forward, keeping his eye fixed upon the torch. And all thewhile he could feel the cold air blowing upon his face as it rushed intothe workings through the ventilating shaft. Soon he came to a largesquare orifice, and entering it without hesitation, he went on tillalmost stopped by the pressure of the atmosphere. Following him closely,his companions were struck with wonder at the draught and watched inamazement as their torches kindled even brighter and sent long flames tothe roof above.
"It is almost beyond belief," murmured John Margetson, breaking in uponthe silence, "and I cannot realize how it is that the ventilation of themine is managed. In a coal-pit there would be an up-cast and a down-castshaft, with some arrangement at the former to cause the air to rush inthat direction. But here we have come across nothing of the sort."
"It would take a week to discover the cause," answered the colonel, "butI have been through similar mines, and have come to the conclusion thatthe people who constructed them were most capable engineers. Hullo!What's that?"
As he spoke, the party came to an abrupt halt, and gave vent to cries ofdelight, for away ahead of them was a square patch of light, the goalfor which they had been aiming.
CHAPTER XX
BACK TO THE COAST
"The exit! A means by which we may make good our escape from the mine,leaving the enemy utterly baffled!" shouted the colonel, as the squareof brilliant light suddenly came into view, permitting, for the secondtime since his rescue from the Mullah's village, his usual composure togive way to the excitement of the moment. "Phew! What a breeze! It is asmuch as one can do to force a path towards the opening, for the draughtcomes singing in like a magnified gale, and fairly makes one stagger."
"Clever beggars, those old fellows who engineered the concern," gaspedJohn Margetson, turning his face from the stream of air, so as tobreathe more freely. "This is undoubtedly their ventilating shaft; and,George! how fond they must have been of a breeze. The hottest day in thetropics would be cool if spent in this tunnel, while in the winter----"
"A case of freezing," laughed the colonel. "The gale fairly sweeps andrushes in, and the atmosphere must reach to the farthest corner and nookof the mine, and clear it thoroughly. It is marvellous."
"It is fine, I admit," said Jim at this moment, joining in theconversation curtly; "but talking will not help us to get away fromthose fellows--will it, father?"
"Quite right! The lad speaks the truth, and we deserve to be reproved,"was the smiling answer. "There is a time for everything, and at thepresent moment we have to think of our lives, and of the comrades whomwe hope to join. But I will return here one of these days, when theMullah has had his licking; and then how I shall enjoy exploring everyinch of this place! But forward! What is the next move, Jim?"
"Let us get to the opening and take a look out, father. Till then Icannot say. We may find that the Somalis are already there, expectingour arrival, and in that case we shall have to retire to the workingsagain. If not, we must hold a council, and discuss what we must do toget to the zareba. Of course, we might make for the coast alone; but,then, that would be leaving my friend in the lurch, for he is waitingfor us patiently."
"It would be the act of cowards," cried the colonel. "Our duty is tosave ourselves, and to join hands with this gallant young fellow who hasaccompanied you into the country. Let us get ahead, my dear lad, for Imust admit that this tunnel, at first so cool and invigorating, is nowsomewhat too cold for my liking. And then, the breeze comes in with sucha rush that it is difficult to breathe, and talking is no easy matter."
"Then on we go," said Jim shortly, turning to the opening at once, fromwhich, like his companions, he had been glad to keep his face away.
With torches held aloft, and spouting long streams of brilliant flamefrom their glowing ends, the little party sped on up the incline whichled to the patch of daylight, their thoughts all the while bent upon thepossible chances of ultimate escape. All realized that they had perhapsa thousand fanatical foes t
o deal with, and that many, many miles ofrolling country intervened between themselves and the zareba away inthe desert. Could they hope to make their way there without discovery?Was it not more than likely that before their weary feet had carriedthem more than a tenth of the distance, these fierce warriors would beupon them? But there was little use in imagining such things, and asnothing could be known for certain till the opening of the air-shaft wasreached, they all hastened forward at as fast a pace as possible,gasping for air, with bodies leaning forward upon the column of windpouring into the mine, fighting their way through its very centre.
"Hurrah!" cried Jim at length, as his hand came in contact with thesolid arch of masonry which marked the entrance. "The open sky again.And now for a look round."
"Be cautious, master," came Ali's voice at this moment. "You have toldme that these men who cry to Allah have scattered in search of therunaways. It may well be that some are even now close at hand, and willsee you the instant your head appears. Be careful, therefore, I beg ofyou, for we cannot hope for such good fortune a second time."
"He needs no warning, this leader of ours," said John Margetson, haltingbeside our hero. "Has he not already shown his cuteness? Leave him tomanage the matter alone, friend Ali."
"The words are filled with truth, sahib, and I am sorry," answered thenative follower humbly. "I should know of his caution and wisdom evenbetter than you do, seeing that I have marched beside him for many aday. But this danger has made me nervous. Never in my life before have Ibeen in such peril, not even when the tribe attacked us in the pass onour way hither. Let my fears be my excuse, and forgive me. From thismoment I shall maintain silence."
Jim very cautiously looked about him, pushing the blades of grass asideto enable him to see clearly. As there were no trees or bushes toobstruct the view, he was soon able to inform his comrades that not asingle one of the enemy was in sight.
"They are all on the other side of the hill, rushing into the workings,"he said with a smile of relief; "and now it becomes a question as towhether we should move in the direction of the desert, or whether weshould remain here till matters have calmed down. This is too serious adecision for me to arrive at alone, and therefore I call all of you into help me."
"Hum, a very difficult situation," said the colonel, pushing his way tothe front and carefully surveying the surrounding country. "I see hillsand valleys for a few miles, and then, as you have told me, a dead levelextends to the zareba. This is the most dangerous point in our escape,for if we leave the mine, we throw comparative safety away. On the otherhand, we cannot hope to remain here for long. Our provisions will soonbecome exhausted, and, moreover, once having overcome their fears, andhaving dared to enter the workings, these Somali warriors will penetrateto its farthest corners in search of their prisoners. Be sure of this:if the news of an advancing English column has angered the Mullah, thisimpudent and successful attempt to rescue prisoners from under his veryeyes will rouse him to fury, and he will turn aside from the invadingforce in order to capture us. I confess that I hesitate. Here is a havenfor a time. Out there, sunny and sweet as the country looks, it promisesdisaster."
"He who hesitates is lost," whispered John Margetson in his ear. "Listento me, colonel; and you, too, Jim. To remain here is impossible. Thatis how I read it, for in an hour we shall be discovered by thesearchers. Therefore, there can be no question. That is our way.Forward, my friends."
He pointed across the rolling expanse of grass, and would have emergedfrom the shaft, had not Jim detained him.
"Steady," he said quietly. "To hop out there into the open may be tocommit the greatest of errors. A glance at you would convince one of theenemy that you are the escaping sailor; and then what a shout therewould be!"
"Well? That would be the end of the matter."
"Quite so," responded Jim coolly. "But look at me. Am I not like theaverage Somali warrior?"
"Jove! The lad has a way to help us," shouted the colonel. "Silencewhile we listen to him. A Somali, my boy? Why, your disguise isundoubtedly excellent."
"Then I shall take advantage of the fact, father. Stay here, all of you,while I slip out. If I am seen, I shall be just one of the Mullah'sfollowers, and all the while shall be on the look-out so as to see howwe can best escape. Ta, ta. Wait till I return."
Before they could stretch out a friendly arm to detain him, Jim wasoutside the shaft, and was running up the slope of the hill. Anxiouslydid his comrades await his return, and more than once they were temptedto throw caution to the winds, and, giving way to their impatience, torush into the open in search of their leader. But the calmness of thecolonel held them back.
"Trust the lad," he said, his head held proudly in the air. "He has doneas well as any man, and has shown that he has pluck and plenty ofbrains. Give him a full half-hour before we make any movement. Ah, whatare those sounds?"
"The dogs in search of us," said Ali, placing his hand to his ear, andfacing down the shaft. "These walls carry the sound as does the tubewhich they have in Aden. Have I not listened at one end to hear thesound of a comrade's voice? Have little fear, masters, for those menwill hardly dare to follow us into this shaft."
"Hush! Here is someone coming towards us!" exclaimed the colonel, in awarning whisper at this moment. "I think it is Jim; but it may not be.He is evidently hunting for the entrance."
"It is the lad, sure enough," cried John Margetson, staring out of theshaft. "Look at the condition of his linen clothing. No self-respectingfollower of Allah would dare to go abroad in such a dress. He istravel-soiled, and there can be no mistake as to his identity. I shallcall to him."
Thrusting his arm clear of the opening, he waved it, and called gentlyto Jim. A second or two later Jim appeared at the entrance of the shaft,his dusky features radiant with smiles.
"Good news!" he cried eagerly. "Not one of the enemy on this side, sofar as I have been able to observe, but all are in the ravine beyond,trying to screw up their courage to enter the mine as some of theircomrades have done."
"Then they do not suspect that we are on the farther side," said thecolonel, in tones of relief. "Nevertheless, the question of escape isstill one of difficulty."
"I think not, father," answered Jim quietly. "We have a clear fieldbefore us, and scarcely forty miles to cover."
"But, good gracious! that will take us a day and a half at least," criedhis parent.
"On foot--yes," said Jim gaily. "But on horseback, say a day at themost."
"Horseback! What do you mean?" burst in those who were listening to him,eagerly pressing about their young leader.
"Listen," was the smiling rejoinder. "I said that the followers of theMullah were on the farther side of the hill, but I did not tell you thatthey had taken their animals to the ravine. Obviously, in such a smallplace, there would some overcrowding, for there is not too much room forthe warriors themselves."
"Then where are they, my boy?" demanded the colonel.
"Come with me," was Jim's quiet answer, "but be careful not to showyourselves over the corner of the hill. The horses are grazing quietlyin a little nook, a small valley which cuts into this long hill, andthey are practically unwatched. That was a point about which I took adeal of trouble, and I ascertained without a doubt that only one man wasstationed as a guard over the beasts. He, like his comrades, is alleagerness to help in our capture, and as I watched him, he was for everstaring into the ravine, and shouting words of encouragement to hisfellows. He is the only man we have to fear at the present moment."
"Then he is the only one who shall taste one of our bullets," said JohnMargetson brusquely. "This fellow must not be allowed to give the alarm,and though I do not like the action, still it is imperative that weshould shoot him. Otherwise he will give the alarm, and we shall havethe whole host galloping after us."
"Running, you mean," replied Jim, with an easy laugh. "You see, we wantmore than a few ponies. A dozen are useless to us, for the remainderwould carry the enemy in the same direction, and a long cha
se is a hardone, you know."
"But you don't propose----" gasped the colonel, staring at his son inbewilderment.
"Oh, yes, I do, father! If we are to escape, we shall have to take thebulk of the ponies for a few miles with us. A mile would not do, forthese natives can run very fast. But after, say five miles, all but avery few would have fallen off, and the remainder we could easilyaccount for. If we ride away, and leave the animals to the enemy, weshall be captives before the afternoon."
For a minute all stared at their young leader in amazement at the daringof his plan; then smacking his thigh, as if to give expression to histhoughts, John Margetson broke the silence.
"The Mullah will die of rage!" he gasped, while a smile of delight litup his sun-tanned features. "Never before has he been so treated, andnow to see his prisoners ride away, taking every horse he possesses,well----"
Evidently the thought was too much for the gallant mate, for he lapsedinto silence, and writhed, as if his feelings were too much for him. Asfor the colonel, with the keenness of a trained soldier, he at oncegrasped the importance of the proposed movement.
"It is a capital plan," he said, with decision. "Every pony must comewith us, and this fellow who watches them must be shot without mercy.Give me your rifle, Jim. I am too old a campaigner to have any qualms,and in such a case as this the act is justified. Now, what next?"
"Forward," said Jim quietly. "When we reach the top of the hill, Aliwill stop where he is, and we others shall turn to the right. Thirtyyards from Ali, John Margetson will come to a stop; another interval,and father will do the same. All will wait till I am in position. Ishall wave my arm, and then we shall all move to the ponies. Select acouple of the finest, and tie their halters together. Then mount, andset the remainder in motion. They are well-trained beasts, and will giveus no difficulty."
A glance was sufficient to show that his comrades comprehended hiswords, and at once turning, Jim led the way to the top of the rise.
"Ah!" an exclamation burst from all of the fugitives at the sight ofsome two hundred horses grazing in a small valley below.
"All the mounted men that the Mullah happens to have within call,"murmured John Margetson. "No doubt the remainder are at the attack ofthe zareba. Now for the fellow who is looking after the horses."
"He has gone to take a look at his comrades," said Jim. "Forward again.Ali, you stay where you are."
Turning to the right, the three Englishmen at once hurried forward, andobedient to the orders of their young leader, John Margetson and thecolonel halted when they had gained the correct distance. Jim kept ontill he was at a point slightly beyond the horses. Waiting only to makesure that the animals were now surrounded, he waved his hand to hiscomrades and at once walked quietly towards two spirited-looking ponies,which promised to be amongst the strongest and swiftest there.
"Likely little beggars," he said to himself. "If they will allow me, Iwill become their owner for the time being."
A few paces brought him beside one of the animals, and with a bound hewas in the saddle. Then grasping the halter of the other, he made a turnwith it through the bridle of the pony he rode. Then he began to roundup that part of the troop between him and his comrades.
"Look out!" came a shout in the colonel's voice; and turning swiftly,Jim saw a figure bounding across the grass towards him. Snap, bang! wenta rifle, and a bullet discharged by the colonel whistled past the headof the pursuing Somali warrior. Bang! A second had no better effect, andere a third could be attempted the man was upon our hero. Quick aslightning Jim dived his hand into his waistcloth, only to discover thathis father had his revolver. He was apparently unarmed, while the Somalibore a flashing spear, and a huge sword at his girdle. "Ah, the sword!"thought Jim, and instantly recollected that he had thrust the weaponinto the belt tied about his left forearm.
How it happened Jim never knew, but in the shortest space of time he wasriding forward, driving part of the troop before him, while behind,huddled upon his face upon the grass, was the Somali warrior, a murmured"Allah" on his dying lips.
"A great stroke! Bravely and coolly done!" shouted the colonel, who hadlooked on anxiously, expecting the worst to happen, and blaming himselffor his want of skill. "A running man is no easy object when one ismounted upon a fresh pony such as his; but all's well. It was a stroke!The lad has a head, and can look well to himself. I thought the spearwas through him, and almost shouted, but he ducked at the very instant,and then--ah, I saw the blade go well home. But those fellows may haveheard the shots, and if so, we shall soon be followed."
"Forward!" came Jim's voice at this moment; and instantly all began tourge the troop of animals into a trot. Leaping from their saddles, theypicked stones from the earth and then pelted the beasts, shouting atthem till their trot broke into a gallop.
"Now keep them to it, and if they try to stop, make a rush at them,"shrieked John Margetson, sitting his pony in an attitude which showedclearly that he was no horseman. "Forward! To the zareba!"
It was a time of wild excitement, and each of the fugitives entered intothe spirit of it thoroughly. Exhilarated by the quick movement over therolling hills and valleys, with the smell of the horses in theirnostrils, and the dust of four hundred heels in their eyes, they racedover the grass, driving the frantic animals before them. A thunderoussound filled the air as the animals galloped, but loud as it was itfailed to drown that shout which came from behind.
"Allah! Allah! They have escaped us, and are riding away! Back! Leavethe mine, and run! Money and a high place will be given to those whocome up with the infidel!"
It was the Mullah who had heard the shots aimed at the sentry, and hadclimbed to the top of the hill to ascertain the cause.
"Our friend, the Mullah, my late master," shouted the colonel, lookinggrimly over his shoulder. "Let them run, for to those who happen to comein touch with us we will give more than the Mullah can promise. Death tothem, my friends! Forward, for liberty and comrades are there."
Waving his weapon in the air, he looked at each of his comrades in turn,and smiled at them encouragingly. Then, with a shout at the animalsdirectly in front of him, he sent them ahead at an even greater pace.
An hour later, when the little band of fugitives turned in theirsaddles, and brought the horses to a standstill, not one of the Mullah'sfollowers was in sight, all having fallen out from the chase.
"We'll give the poor beasts a breather now," said Jim, dropping to theground and going to his father's side. "We have put a good ten milesbetween us and the enemy, and I fancy we can say 'good-bye' to them."
"But there must be no delaying," burst in John Margetson. "Though wehave prevented immediate pursuit, there will be other horses in thevillage, and by now these are tearing in this direction. I advise thatwhen we have waited for some ten minutes we select the best of theseanimals, and then press them forward. They are fine and wiry beasts, andwill make little of the forty miles if ridden fairly. We will loosen thegirths, and throw away all but the saddle and bridle, so as to relievethem of any unnecessary weight. Then, by changing from animal to animal,say every half-hour, we shall be able to reach the zareba without morethan an occasional halt."
Acting upon his words, the little band at once set about discardingthose of the ponies which seemed to be in bad condition. Twenty of thefinest were kept, and having been relieved of all forage-bags and otherimpediments, were driven ahead of the others.
"The tracks will be plain to the enemy," said Jim, looking at the widetrail of trampled grass which the troop had left behind it; "so it willbe useless to hide these remaining animals by driving them into aravine. After all, till someone can escort them back, or the Mullah'smen can run as far as this, the horses will be of no service to them.Are we all ready? Then on we go."
Leaving the bulk of the horses panting upon the road, they set offagain, and did not draw rein save to change from one animal to another,or to give the beasts a few moments' rest. By evening they werecantering over the sandy stretch of desert
, and ere long they were insight of the oasis where Tom and the remainder of the expedition hadbeen quartered.
"Now what shall we find?" said Jim, coming to a halt, and shading hiseyes. "The falling sun makes it difficult to see, but everything seemsquiet over there, and I can catch sight of none of the enemy."
"An ominous sign," whispered John Margetson. "What if these fanaticshave butchered every one of those who accompanied you from the coast?"
"Then we must act alone and for ourselves," said the colonel.
"There will be no need, my masters," came a voice at their elbows atthis moment. "Your servant, Ali Kumar, is used to these desert sunsets,and can see where others are blinded by the glare. A flag flies from thesummit of one of those trees, and men are coming out to greet us. Theyare friends. Yes, our comrades are safe and well."
"Then forward to meet them," cried Jim. "I can place full reliance onwhat Ali says."
Riding on again, it was not long before the fugitives met Tom and thenative followers. Shouts and cries of welcome greeted them, and theywere at once escorted back to the zareba.
"And now tell us the news," said Jim quickly. "We have little time torest, and if the enemy are not near at hand, we shall push ahead atonce."
"Then you have nothing to fear," answered Tom, with assurance. "TheMullah's followers have left us, and I have just been able to ascertainthat they had had news of the approach of the English forces, and hadbeen withdrawn to repel them. Meanwhile, I am glad to say that we havegiven an excellent account of ourselves. Thanks to the preparationsmade, when the enemy advanced we beat them back with ease. Time andagain they rushed to the attack, but the barbed wire kept them at adistance, and our rifles mowed them down. How many we accounted for Icannot say, but large numbers were killed. In fact, they soon began tolose heart, and I fancy they were glad when the order suddenly reachedthem that they were to withdraw. And what of you?"
"That you shall hear later," said Jim. "The order now is to retire.Strike camp at once. Load the beasts, and prepare to march in an hour atmost."
So rapidly were the orders carried out, and so eagerly did the nativesfly to obey them, that within the time mentioned the whole of theexpedition was marching north, _en route_ to the coast. Camels staggeredalong with tanks of sweet water upon their backs; others carriedfresh-cut grass; while the remainder were laden with ammunition and foodfor the men. Ten days later all arrived at Berbera, where they attracteda great deal of attention. Having rewarded the followers with gifts ofcamels, and having taken farewell of Tom and of Ali Kumar, Jim, hisfather, and John Margetson took ship for England, where they arrived indue time.
"Back, and alive!" gasped Mr. George Hubbard, when the colonel and Jimput in an appearance at his house. "It is astounding! I had expected tohear nothing more of you, and your arrival lifts a weight from my heart.How could it be otherwise when the news just comes to hand that aportion of the British expedition was hemmed in a few days ago by theMullah, and, falling short of ammunition, suffered very heavy losses?However, though this reverse has put a stop to the campaign for amoment, it is certain to be renewed again, and then this Mullah will becrushed. Indeed, the cables have told us that, since the disaster toour own troops, the Abyssinians have come in contact with this host ofSomali plunderers and have inflicted severe losses upon them. But sitdown and let me have the yarn. Dear, dear! I declare that Jim is asbrown as a berry, and looks quite a man."
That the colonel was of the same opinion was evident, for very few dayshad passed ere he paid a visit to those in authority, and returned withsmiling face and a big blue official envelope.
"Open it," he said, handing it to Jim. "It is your commission in my oldregiment, given you for the information which you were able to gather inSomaliland. In two months you and I will be on our way to India, thereto join our brother officers."
To say that our hero was delighted is to express the matter mildly. Hewas almost more excited than he had been when planning his father'srescue. From that moment all was bustle, for his uniform and many otherthings had to be obtained. In due time, however, the two set sail forIndia, and entered the Suez Canal. At Aden they left the ship for a fewhours to find Tom and have a chat with him. As for John Margetson, hesoon settled down to the routine of life in charge of a ship. Neither henor the colonel, however, will ever forget those days when they were inthe grip of the Mullah.
THE END
In the grip of the Mullah: A tale of adventure in Somaliland Page 19
