Part 33 (1/2)
”Sit tight!” echoed Phineas, somewhat at a loss.
”Just lie as we are, and never give them a shot back unless a man exposes himself. When'll the moon go down?”
It was a question of some importance, and our hero breathed more freely when he heard that the morning would come and still find the moon in the sky.
”Then we shall have light right through,” he said in tones of relief.
”Don't forget; not a shot unless you see a man. Just lie still under cover. Ching, guess you could manage to light a fire and get some grub cooking.”
The Chinaman smiled on them all. Cooking, after all, was his forte, not fighting, though he was no laggard where that was concerned, having already shown that he possessed courage. He rose from his p.r.o.ne position, re-arranged his pigtail, and set about the preparation of a meal for the whole party with just the same calmness and method as he was wont to employ in Phineas's kitchen. Within five minutes he had collected sufficient driftwood to make a fire, and had laid it at the bottom of a little hollow. In double that time he had a billy slung over the flames, so that very soon a most appetizing steam pervaded the place. Then he wagged his head in a manner all his own and declared that the meal was ready.
”And we for it,” said Jim, rising from the position he had taken beside Tomkins. ”See here, Ching. Dish out an allowance for each man, and bring it to him. It won't do to leave our stations. We'll grub right where we lie, and so be ready.”
It was a wise precaution to take, for none could say when the enemy would attempt a second rush. Meanwhile bullets streamed from the jungle, now from this point, and then from that, a splash of flame lighting up the dense shadows for an instant. But of late the firing had become far less rapid, while the characteristic crack of the Mausers which Jaime and his rascals employed had ceased altogether.
”Simply showing that they are otherwise engaged,” said Jim, discussing the affair with Phineas and Tomkins. ”They are, no doubt, hunting for a likely spot from which to make a charge; and to my mind there's one spot above all others which they are likely to select. Look away over here.
This rocky eminence runs on into the jungle, so that a band das.h.i.+ng out there would not have to come uphill. It's level ground all the way.
Again, it happens to be a shorter cut from the jungle, and will give us less time to put in our shots. That's my opinion.”
Tomkins surveyed his surroundings in silence for some little while, as he ate his steaming rations methodically and unconsciously. He showed not the smallest trace of alarm, though he must have known, better perhaps than any of the others, how desperate were the fortunes of the party. But the man had such a reputation for brusqueness and straight speaking that Jim felt sure that if he disagreed with what he had just expressed as his opinion, Tomkins would promptly say so, and that with the utmost bluntness.
”Guess you'd better make a change in the posts we're filling,” he said at last. ”Ef there's a rush, it'll come from 'way over there where you've been pointin'. That bein' so, better fix it to pour in a fire that'll choke 'em. There won't be too much time, and it'll want to be magazines, and shooters to follow if they get within distance. Pity we couldn't place a mine to blow 'em to blazes, or have a gun to shoot direct at the varmint. But guess our rifles'll make hay with 'em; the boys here'll make them n.i.g.g.e.rs sit up lively.”
He relapsed into a moody silence, and went on eating his meal, his eyes roving along the edge of the jungle; but he was ready as soon as Jim called him. Our hero placed the four police behind a ma.s.s of boulders facing the part from which attack was feared, and then stationed Tom and Sam and Ching behind them.
”You'll just lie here with Mr. Phineas,” he said, ”and if there's a rush you will be ready to come to the help of the one who's most attacked.
You can see that the policemen are three yards good from one another, so that it may well happen that one will be more pressed than his comrades.
For the rest, you'll keep an eye all round, and look after Sadie.”
Very quietly the men moved into their positions, crouching low as they went, so that the enemy might not see them. Then, each man having selected a niche through which he could fire, and Jim also having discovered one for himself in their centre, all lay absolutely still, awaiting developments.
”Look out for trouble, boys,” sang out our hero a good half-hour later.
”Their bullets are beginning to come along again, and I should say that we guessed right when we decided their rush would come from over in this direction. Do you hear that? A Mauser for sure, and there's another and another. That shows where the leaders are.”
Tomkins, who lay next him, gave vent to a hoa.r.s.e chuckle. ”That 'ere Jaime thinks he's a fine dog, he do,” he called back. ”See what trouble he took to throw us off the scent from the beginning. Now he's manoeuvring a rush, and telling us just where we may expect it because he must go and blaze with his own rifle. Ah! That was a man; I saw him come from the jungle direct before us. Gee! The game's beginning.”
The words had hardly left his lips when a couple of dark figures leaped from the cover, brandis.h.i.+ng weapons over their heads. An instant later twenty dusky natives had joined them, while in their centre were the figures of three white men plainly distinguishable under the moonlight.
There came a loud shout across the clearing; then, as if shot from the same gun, every one of the figures bounded towards the spot where Jim and his friends were lying.
”Magazines,” growled Tomkins, dropping his cheek on to the b.u.t.t of his weapon. ”Let 'em have it.”
”Fire!” shouted Jim.
Bang! His own rifle was the first to discharge a missile; but the others followed swiftly, and within the minute five men were engaged in sending a shower of bullets at the enemy. Never before had Jim worked so energetically. No sooner was the trigger pressed than his hand gripped the bolt and threw it open. Click! The empty case flew back over his shoulder, while another rose from the magazine as if by magic to replace it. Bang! He pushed the lever home, and down went his eye to the sights so quickly that it never seemed to have left them. As for the enemy, they came forward at an astounding pace, without pause or hesitation. In spite of the number which fell out of their ranks and went cras.h.i.+ng to the ground, the remainder came on steadily. Then a second party followed, as if to reinforce their comrades. Phineas gave a shout instantly.
”Get along into the firing line, boys,” he called to Ching and Sam and Tom. ”I'll stop back here and make sure that none are trying to come from behind. Then I'll join you.”