“He’s losing flesh rapidly,” Ted joins in, as yet another of Brind’s kind regards is sent crashing against the once rock-like wall and a fresh shower of dust is thrown up.
“I can’t say that I feel much pity for him,” Reid grimly declared. “He has too many of my brave lads’ lives to answer for,” the commandant added with a tinge of sadness in his voice.
“Well, the rest will be merely child’s play, I fancy,” conjectured a young lieutenant standing by.
Major Reid solemnly regarded the author of this remark for a few seconds before replying.
“You think so, young man?” he asked. “Better keep the playing until it is over. The hard work is yet to come.”
Whilst the bombardment proceeds, the Ridge is tolerably safe, for the Delhi guns are too much occupied with Brind’s pestilent battery to pay much heed to any other place. The duel continues, waxing hotter and still more hot.
“Splendid practice our fellows are making!” says Jim presently.
“They’re a long time with those other batteries,” our ensign hazards. “I wish to goodness they’d hurry them up, and then for storming the place!”
“Don’t be impatient, youngster,” Reid replies. “If we play our part as well as the Artillery and Engineers are doing theirs, our country will have precious little cause for complaint. They are doing their work magnificently; they’ve already accomplished wonders, and it’s a lot more easy to talk about it and to criticise them, than to get guns into position in the face of those bastions.”
Feeling somewhat abashed by his chief’s rebuke, as he doubtless deserved to be, Ted discreetly remains silent.