Fascinated, he stood gazing, and still the firing continued, but, strain his eyes as he might, no sign of enemy could he see on those bare brown slopes; nor yet of the sergeant and his party was there a trace. They were gone, apparently swallowed up in the mountains.
At last from the mouth of the Pass a cloud of dust appeared, through which horsemen could be discerned galloping hard along the road leading to Fort Hussein.
At the sight, a buzz of conversation arose.
"Made a 'ash of it, same as I thought he would."
"Been up the Parse, cont'r'y to orders."
"An' now 'ookin out of it, double quick?"
"'Ow many's been shot, I wonder?"
"Mount," from Graeme, and straightway there was a cessation of comments and a frenzied descent to the nullah and horses, each man seizing the first animal he came to, regardless of ownership. A blast of bad language rose up like smoke.
"Leave my 'orse alone, Ginger. Get on yer own ruddy 'orse."
"Which of you blokes 'as pinched my lance?"