To our disgust the 27th March turned out a dull, misty day, with some rain, quite hopeless for photography. The Spook informed the Pimple that KKK would find it difficult to appear in mist, as he was pretty misty himself to human eyes, even under the best conditions, and advised postponement. The Pimple cordially agreed that it would be practically impossible to see a spook on such a day.
Next day, the 28th March, was overcast and stormy, with rain and a high wind which would prevent Hill from managing his cloak properly, and we again postponed by mutual consent.
At 9 a.m. on 29th March, Moïse came to us in some excitement. There was trouble afoot. The Commandant and the Cook—the Major of Turkish Artillery and his orderly—had “quarrelled”! The Commandant had ordered the Cook to go to Angora (120 miles away) “to fetch some stores.” At first he had ordered him to go today, and then postponed until tomorrow: the Cook had seen through the motive of this order. He knew that Kiazim wanted to prevent him from attending the digging up of the first clue, in order to make him forfeit his share in the treasure. So the Cook had flatly refused to go—had mutinied! If Kiazim dared to punish him, he would “blow the gaff” about the treasure-hunt.
The Cook was a man—and won. Kiazim gave way.
I find a note in my diary. It reads: “Considering that, as yet, nothing has been found, things are pretty warm.” The diary goes on:
“30th March.—Another bad day. Hail and sleet. The starvation diet has brought our belts in a couple of inches, and makes us feel very floppy and weak, but otherwise we are all right. Our pulses jump from 56 to 84, with extraordinary variations.”
We decided that next day, be it wet or fine, we must find the first clue. The 31st March promised well. The sun shone brightly and there was little wind. The Pimple was summoned, and the Spook made him repeat his instructions for the search, in order to make sure that he thoroughly understood everything; then orders were issued for the Commandant and the Cook to be ready at noon. While Moïse was away instructing his two confederates, Hill and I secretly semaphored to Matthews in Posh Castle. We warned him that Kiazim was joining us in a treasure-hunt, and told him to watch South hill, and get a few of our friends to do the same. For the spot where Hill had buried the first clue, two months ago, was carefully chosen so as to be in full view of the camp, and we hoped our friends would be able to recognize the Commandant at the distance. Their recognition would be subsidiary evidence, should the photograph fail.
At noon we met in the graveyard, outside the town. (There is nothing like an appropriate background for a spook-chase.) Hill and I held hands, and after a while went into a trance, and simultaneously saw KKK sitting on a gravestone. We chatted with him, the Turks listening eagerly, and then followed his lead up the hill. The procedure was very similar to the revolver-hunt of six months before. About half-way up the hill, in order to test the Turks, we both “collapsed” together. Our friends obeyed instructions. They turned their backs on us and sat down, carefully refraining from even a glance in our direction. We groaned, and moaned, and made weird noises to see if they would turn round, but they paid no attention. All was well, so we “recovered” and went on. Unfortunately, the weather was again our worst enemy. The promise of the morning had not been fulfilled; the sun was now hidden behind a heavy bank of cloud which grew momentarily darker. A slight drizzle began to fall.
“Can’t snap ’em in this,” Hill whispered; “keep ’em still.”
I squeezed his hand to show I understood. A moment later Hill signalled that we had reached the spot, and “collapsed.” I left him where he fell, staggered six paces to the left as arranged, and called loudly to the Turks that the Spook was demanding the Waa test. They hurried past Hill without a glance at him and took up the positions I assigned, the Commandant on my right, and the Cook and Interpreter on my left. I began building the fire, carrying on an animated conversation with the Spook as I did so, and to my consternation plainly heard the click of Hill’s camera. He had taken the first photo before I was quite ready. Hastily I put a match to the fire, and stood up.