Part 15 (1/2)
”Do such thoughts burn your brain?” said he ”A threat to a bully-to a fool, folly-to a drunkard, drink-to each, his own! Be going now!”
So I saluted hi worse, if that were possible, butI kne that my back was toward Gallipoli, where the nearest British were, yet h and I did not doubt ould strike a good blow yet for our friends, although I had no least idea who Wass If I had known-eh, but listen, sahib-this is a tale of tales!
CHAPTER V
If a ht let him run; but if he stole my horse, he and I and death would play hide-and-seek!-RANJOOR SINGH
That dawn, sahib, instead of lessening, the rainstor seen As I led my twenty men forward I looked back a time or two, and once I could di on the sea Then the fiercest gust of rain of all swept by like a curtain, and it was as if Europe had been shut off forever-so that I recalled Gooja Singh's saying on the transport in the Red Sea, about a curtain being drawn and our not returning that way My twentyhalf-asleep
By and by, with heels sucking in the h had spoken and I turned along it It had been worn into ruts and holes by heavy traffic and now the rainI was able to h the storm what looked like a railway station There was a line of telegraph poles, and where it crossed our road there were buildings enough to have contained two regiht, with rain swirling hither and thither, it was difficult to judge I halted, and sent a ers and stamped to keep life in ourselves, until at the end of tenon his way to be crowned My twenty were already speechless with unhappiness and hunger, but he had instilled soiendheim close beside hi in hope of our capture within an hour, and in that case he was doomed to disappointment He was destined also to see the day when he should hope for our escape But fro the risk we ran and Ranjoor Singh's great daring I say this for Tugendheim, that he knew and respected resolution when he saw it
When I had pointed out what I could see of the lay of the land, Ranjoor Singh left endheiuards I looked about for shelter, but there was none We stood shi+vering, the rainpools at our feet that spread and became one So Islack about it, they grureatly because our prisoner was marched away to shelter, whereas we must stand without I bullied them assun-dried bricks, so that when three-quarters of an hour had passed and a h there was a little waret the column started
”Come!” said the trooper ”There is food, and shelter, and who knohat else!”
So ent best foot first along the road, feeling less than half as hungry and not weak at all, now that we knew food was almost within reach Truly a ry ere at once, less weary, and vastly less afraid; yet, too er!
Ranjoor Singh ca up his hand, so I an to look about It was certainly a railway station, with a long platform, and part of the platforreat shed with closed sides, and through its half-open door I could s to the heart To our right, across what ht be called a yard-thus-were ; in others I could see Turkish soldiers sprawling on the straw, but they took no notice of us Three of the low sheds were eh pointed to theo and rest in those sheds If any one asks questions, say only 'Allah!' So they will think you are Muhammadans If that should not seem sufficient, say 'Wass! As you value your lives, say nothing ht fools than be hanged before breakfast!”
So all but twenty of the men went and lay down on straw in the three ereat shed with closed sides Therein, besides reat baskets filled with loaves of bread,-not very good bread, nor at all fresh, but staff of life itself to hungry men He bade the men count out four loaves for each and every one of us, and then at last, he gave me a little information
”The Germans in Sta” I stood gnawing a loaf already, and I urged hi until all the men should have been fed ”They detrain Dervish troops at this point,” said he, ”and march them to the shore to be shi+pped to Gallipoli, because they riot and make trouble if kept in barracks in Skutari or Stamboul This bread was intended for two train-loads of them”
”Then the Dervishes will riot after all!” said I, and he laughed-a thing he does seldoht cover up our tracks even better than this rain”
”Is there no officer in charge here?” I asked him,
”Aye, a Turkish officer,” said he ”I heard the Germans coht have found a German in his place He hed again
”But the telegraph wire?” said I