“Of course. There’s more done by scheming than hard work, they say, and I’m sure there is in war. Five hundred men attacking an enemy’s rear at a critical time will do more towards producing a rout than five thousand fresh troops attacking the front. It’s the sudden and unexpected that does so much in a battle.”
Dick nodded and looked grave.
“What shall we do?” he said.
“Obey orders. Hulton’s in command.”
These last words were spoken in so decisive a way that Dick said no more, and rode on in silence; but for the rest of their ride, whenever a valley narrowed into a gorge, he watched the sides anxiously in search of marksmen waiting to dispute the way.
But he searched the sides in vain, and after encamping two more nights, the valley they were in debouched in a fruitful plain stretching far and wide, to snow-capped mountains glittering in the brilliant sunshine: while, as the officers halted to gaze down in wonder and admiration, they could trace the serpentine course of the widened-out river stretching far in all directions, fertilising the plain, and meandering on like a ribbon of silver, till many miles away they could see, through the wonderfully pure air, the gilded minarets and walls of an extensive city.
“Yonder’s Soojeepur,” said Hulton, riding up. “Now then, Wyatt, will there be room enough there for us to manoeuvre?”
“Yes, yes, dear boy,” cried Wyatt enthusiastically. “Splendid! Magnificent! Miles of galloping-ground. Ready to begin now if the enemy would come in sight.”
“There you are, then,” cried Dick, rising in his stirrups; “look yonder.”
He pointed right away, and his companions shaded their eyes, and made out in the distance the glint of arms in the sunshine; and, as the order was given to halt, the officers made out that a large body of horse was coming in their direction.