scattering volley far below.
“Any one touched?” cried the Captain.
“No, sir; no, sir.”
“I think that chap were, sir,” whispered Gedge, who was reloading close to Bracy’s side. “I didn’t have much time to aim, sir, and the smoke got a bit before my eyes, but he dropped back precious sudden. But oh, dear me, no!” he went on muttering, and grinning the while at his comrades, “I didn’t see no one up there. I’d got gooseb’ries in my head ’stead of eyes. Now then, look out, lads; it’s shooting for nuts, and forty in the bull’s-eye.”
“Hold yer row; here’s the Colonel coming,” whispered the man next him.
“Keep well under cover, my lads,” said Bracy as the clattering of hoofs was heard.
“Right, sir,” said one of the men.
“Why don’t you, then?” muttered Gedge.
“Silence, sir!” snarled Sergeant Gee, who was close behind.
“All right,” said Gedge softly; “but I don’t want to see my orficer go down.”
For, regardless of danger, while his men were pretty well in shelter, Bracy was standing right out, using a field-glass.
“Cover, cover, Mr Bracy,” cried the Colonel sharply, and as he reined up he was put quickly in possession of the facts.
“Shall we have to go back, Sergeant?” whispered Gedge.
“You will – under arrest, sir, if you don’t keep that tongue between your teeth.”
“All right, Sergeant,” muttered Gedge. “I only wanted to know.”
He knew directly after, for the Colonel cried sharply:
“That’s right, my lads; keep close, and fire the moment you see a movement. You six men go over the side there, and fire from the edge of the road.”
The section spoken to rose and changed their positions rapidly, and as they did so a couple more blocks of stone were set in motion from above, and struck as the others had done, but did not break, glancing off, and passing over the men’s heads with a fierce whir.
“Cover the advance with your company, and change places with the rear-guard when they have passed. Steady, there, my lads,” continued the Colonel to the next company of the halted regiment; “forward!”
He took his place at their head, and advanced at a walk as coolly as if on parade; and the first movement seemed like a signal for stone after stone to be sent bounding down, and to be passed on their way by the long, thin, bolt-like bullets from the covering company’s rifles, which spattered on the rocks above and kept the enemy from showing themselves, till, finding that every stone touched in the same place and glanced off the projecting shoulder half-way up, they became more bold, irritated without doubt by seeing the soldiers continue their course steadily along the track in spite of their efforts to stop their progress.
“That’s got him,” cried Bracy excitedly as he watched a man, who at the great height looked a mere dwarf, step into full view, carrying a block upon his shoulder.
This he heaved up with both hands above his head, and was in the act of casting it down when three rifles cracked, and he sprang out into space, diving down head first and still grasping the stone, to pass close over the marching men, strike the stony edge of the shelf, and shoot off into the deep valley below.
The horrible fall seemed to impress the covering party strangely, and for a brief space nothing was heard but the irregular tramp of the passing men.
“That’s put a stop to their little game,” whispered Gedge.
“Look out! fire!” growled the Sergeant; and a couple more of the enemy fell back, after exposing themselves for a few seconds to hurl down stones.
“Serve ’em right, the cowards,” said Gedge, reloading. “If they want to fight, why don’t they come down and have it out like men?”
“I say,” whispered his neighbour on the left, “you hit one of them.”
“Nay, not me,” replied Gedge.
“You did.”
“Don’t think so. Fancy I hit that beggar who pitched down, stone and all. I felt like hitting him. But don’t talk about it, pardner. One’s got to do it, but I don’t want to know.”
“No,” said Bracy, who overheard the words and turned to the lad, “it’s not pleasant to think about, but it’s to save your comrades’ lives.”
“Yes, sir, that’s it, ain’t it?” said the lad eagerly.
“Of course,” replied Bracy.
“And I ought to shoot as straight as I can, oughtn’t I?”
“Certainly.”
“Hah!” ejaculated Gedge, and then to his nearest comrade, “I feel a deal better after that.”
The stony bombardment continued, and Bracy watched every dislodged block as it fell, feeling a strange contraction about the heart, as it seemed certain that either it or the fragments into which it splintered must sweep some of the brave lads steadily marching along the shelf, horribly mutilated, into the gulf below.
But it was not so; either the stones were a little too soon or too late, or they struck the side and glanced off to fly whirring over the line of men and raise echoes from far below. For, after certainly losing four, the enemy grew more cautious about exposing themselves; and as the minutes glided by it began to appear as if the regiment would get past the dangerous spot without loss, for the baggage mules and heavily-laden camels were now creeping along, and the covering party at a word from Captain Roberts became, if possible, more watchful.
It was about this time that Bill Gedge, who tired seldom, but with the effect of keeping the stones from one special gap from doing mischief, drew the Sergeant’s attention to that particular spot, and, hearing his remarks, Bracy lay back and brought his field-glass to bear upon it.
“It ain’t no good firing at a pair o’ hands coming and going,” said Gedge. “I want to ketch the chap as is doing that there bit o’ brick laying.”
“Bit of what!” cried Bracy.
“Well, I calls it bricklaying, sir. You see, I’ve watched him ever so long, sticking stones one above another, ready to shove down all together. I think he means to send ’em down on the squelchy-welchies.”
“The what?” cried Bracy, laughing.
“He means the camels, sir.”
“Oh. Yes, I can see,” continued Bracy. “Looks more like a breastwork.”
Even as he spoke there was a puff of smoke, a dull report, and a sharp spat on the rock close to the young officer’s hand, and he started up, looking a little white, while Sergeant Gee picked up a flattened-out piece of lead.
“Right, sir,” he said; “it is a breastwork, and there’s a couple o’ long barrels sticking out.”
“Let them have it there,”
