Part 7 (1/2)
He opened and closed his fingers of both hands four times, meaning that the hostile post consisted of five Germans and forty native troops.
”They saw you?” asked the subaltern.
”Dem no look,” replied the sergeant. ”Too much busy make eat.”
”How far away?”
”One tousand yards, sah,” declared Bela Mos.h.i.+.
Writing his report on a leaf of his pocketbook Wilmshurst gave the paper to Tari Barl with instructions to deliver it to the company commander.
Quickly the major's reply was received. The hostile post was to be surrounded, but no action taken until the order was given for the concentrated rush upon the Huns holding the kopje.
As rapidly as due caution allowed the enveloping of the outpost was completed. From his new position, less than four hundred yards from the spot where the unsuspecting Huns were bivouacking, Wilmshurst could keep them under close observation.
Three of the Germans were middle-aged men, bearded, swarthy, and dressed in coffee-coloured cotton uniform, sun helmets and gum boots.
The other two were quite young men, whose attention, despite the heat, was mainly directed towards the Askaris. Evidently some of the stores had gone adrift, for the young Huns were browbeating a number of natives, punctuating their forcible remarks by liberal applications of their schamboks, while their elders looked on in stolid but unqualified approval.
”Dem make for one-time good shot, sah!” whispered Bela Mos.h.i.+, calmly setting the backsight of his rifle. ”Blow Bosh-bosh him head-bone inside out an' him not know anyting.”
”Go steady, Bela Mos.h.i.+,” cautioned the subaltern. ”Pa.s.s the word for the men to fire one volley over their heads--but not before I give orders--and then rush them with the bayonet. We want them alive, remember.”
A whistle rang out faintly away on the left. The call was repeated much nearer, while distinct blasts rose through the heated air. It was the signal for the advance.
Almost as soon as Wilmshurst put his whistle to his lips a crisp volley from the rifles of his platoon rent the welkin, then with fierce shouts the khaki-clad, barefooted Waffs leapt to their feet, their bayonets glittering in the sun.
At first, too utterly astonished to realise that they were hopelessly trapped and outnumbered, the Huns stood stock still, gazing stupidly at the converging ring of steel. The Askaris for the most part attempted to bolt, but finding their retreat cut off, grovelled in the dust.
”Hands up!” shouted Wilmshurst.
The three bearded Huns obeyed promptly and meekly. Of the others one held up his arms with sullen reluctance, his flabby face distorted with rage. The fifth, dropping on one knee, picked up a rifle and levelled it at the on-rus.h.i.+ng British officer.
”The fellow's showing pluck, by Jove!” was the thought that flashed through Dudley's mind. Like all brave men he admired courage even in a foe. The fact that running over rough ground and firing a revolver at fifty yards did not give him much chance against a steadily held rifle entered into his calculations.
Before the Hun could press trigger a score of rifles spoke. The Waffs, on seeing their young officer's danger, took no chances, and the German, his head and chest riddled with bullets, toppled over stone dead upon the ground. As he fell his fingers closed convulsively against the trigger of his rifle and the bullet intended for Wilmshurst sung past the subaltern's left ear.
A loud yell from the other young Hun proclaimed the fact that he, too, was. .h.i.t. A bullet fired at the resisting German had been deflected, pa.s.sing through the fleshy part of his comrade's left arm. It was hard luck on a surrendered prisoner, but on these occasions luck, both good and bad, crops up at every available opportunity.
”Sorry, Fritz,” exclaimed Wilmshurst apologetically. ”Accident, you know.”
There was no time for explanation. Directing a Haussa to attend to the Hun's injury and ordering others to round up and disarm the prisoners Wilmshurst hurried his men to the storming of the kopje.
On all sides the Waffs were climbing the slopes, yelling and cheering vociferously, but not an answering shout came from the rocky summit.
It required enormous restraint on the part of the foe to withhold their fire, while already the Haussas had pa.s.sed the zone where a volley at comparatively short range would have played havoc with them.
The silence on the part of the enemy seemed incomprehensible unless, not having sufficient numbers to hold the edges of the flat-topped hill they had concentrated at one spot, where with machine-guns they could rake the skyline as the Waffs breasted the top.
Over the position the exultant troops poured, the one fly in the ointment being the fact that their rush had met with no resistance. In extended order they re-formed and dashed across the plateau--a rapidly contracting line of khaki tipped with steel.