Part 32 (1/2)

The four-inch was now poking a lean snout out of the door which had been smashed open by the mortar, and stretched along, laying her on the centre of the darkness, was Jack Jaikes, cursing the Providence which had not given him eyes like Rhoda Polly's.

”Now,” said my mentor hastily, ”tell them now is the time. They can't miss if they fire into the brown! Right in the centre of the gap in the line of that white chimney.”

The discharge of the big gun beneath us quite made us gasp. It shook Rhoda Polly's aim, and this time No. 27 went off pretty much at random.

But what we saw within the gap opposite made up for everything. The sh.e.l.l burst under the mortar or perhaps within it--I could not distinguish which. At any rate, something black and huge rose in the air, poised as if for flight, and then, turning over, fell with a clangorous reverberation into the house behind, smas.h.i.+ng down the white chimney and causing the blue-coated National Guards with which it was filled to swarm out. Some took to their heels and were no more heard of in the history of the revolt of Aramon. Others pulled off their coats and fought it through in their s.h.i.+rts.

Dennis Deventer waved his hat, and all except Jack Jaikes yelled. He was busy getting the gun ready for a second discharge. But Dennis stopped him.

”Jackie, my lad,” he said, ”no more from this good lady the day--get up the mitrailleuses. They had only that one big fellow and you have tumbled him in sc.r.a.p through the house behind. I don't know how you sighted as you did.”

”I did not,” said Jack Jaikes grumpily--”only where Rhoda Polly told me.”

”Well, never mind--that job's done,” said the Chief soothingly; ”hurry with the machine guns. They will take ten minutes to get over that little surprise and wash it down with absinthe. Then we shall have to look out. They will come, and if we have not their welcome ready, they will come to stay.”

At this point I begged for permission to come down and join Jack Jaikes'

gang.

I was no use up there, I said, Rhoda Polly could see all round me. She must call down the news, as there was no time to teach her the Morse.

”Well, come along then,” said Dennis, and I did not stop even to say good-bye to Rhoda Polly. At last I was going to have a chance.

When I got to my gang Dennis Deventer was speaking.

”I will give you what help I can by sending men from the north wall and that next the river. I don't expect any a.s.sault there. But I cannot weaken the defence along the side of the Chateau orchard. That is where we are weakest, and where I must go myself. For they are sharp enough to know it. I leave you in charge here, Jack Jaikes. Keep the men steady and don't allow swearing in the ranks!”

CHAPTER x.x.xIII

”h.e.l.l UPSIDE DOWN!”

There was strangely little exultation. Each man felt the tussle was yet to come and nerved himself for it. The big square lay out silent under the moon, splashed with the shadows of the pollarded poplars, the benches upturned, a tree or two uprooted, and beyond all the black gash knocked in the row of white houses. It had a strange look, sinister, threatening, all the more so because it had always been so peaceful and well-ordered--like a man's tranquil life till the day Fate's mortal-sh.e.l.l bursts and there is no more peace for ever and ever.

”Now mind, you fellows,” said Jack Jaikes, ”fire low and steady. They are ten times our numbers, but we will fight in shelter and we have these beauties!”

He patted the three mitrailleuses in turn. He had taken charge of the middle one himself, and set his friend Allerdyce and young Brown to command those on either side. We stood at attention, each man knowing that the time could not be long.

Far down towards the Chateau we heard the rush and jar of an attack. A similar noise came from farther up the wall towards the fitting shops.

”Jehoshaphat, they are flanking us!” exclaimed Jack Jaikes. And before anyone could interfere--supposing that any had so dared--Jack Jaikes had stepped outside the wall into the c.u.mbered Cours of Aramon. I took the liberty of following. Away to the right we could see nothing, except the clouds of smoke drifting up or being tossed by the rough sudden swoop of the blast, stooping down out of the moonlit heavens and the night of stars.

Jack Jaikes must have been conscious of my presence, but he did not order me back. He was talking to himself and he wanted a listener. As Bacon says, he wanted a friend with whom to toss his ideas as a haymaker tosses hay.

”Down there by the Chateau doesn't matter,” he said, looking that way long and earnestly, ”Dennis Deventer is there--with MacIntyre and the whole Clydebank gang--little to fear there. Listen, young fellow, how the machine guns are barking--_U-r-r-r-rh!_ I wish ours were talking too, but that mortar shot rather scared them--though it ought not--easy thing to rush a four-inch gun firing sh.e.l.l at that distance and with their numbers. One hole in the line, and then you are upon her.

But--see, young un, there they go b.u.t.ting in at the corner of the wall yonder. We must give them a volley. Fellows, run out the mitrailleuses--my own one first. Easy there over the stones! Now the others!”

Presently with the three machine guns we were standing completely shelterless in the Cours of Aramon with half a dozen darksome streets and alleyways gaping at us truculently. ”Turn them to the left,” he shouted. ”Farther out, Allerdyce! Keep your alignment, you Brown--swearing's forbidden, but think that ye hear Donald Iverach at it!”

The light little guns with the pepperpot snouts were swiftly swung round in the direction of the scaling ladders and the hurrying clouds of men.