The halt was short, but several little matters needed seeing to after the hurried start. Then the word “Forward” was given once more, and the troop went on at a fair pace, the intention being to get well on with the march before dark, or till a suitable place for a bivouac could be found.
This last showed itself sooner than had been reckoned upon, about a mile on the hither side of a mountain range and a long gorge they had passed through while coming—a part so full of opportunities for an active enemy on foot to contrive an ambush, that Hulton called a halt just at sundown, keeping up the air of its being merely temporary till dark, and hurriedly making preparations for the night by unlimbering and loading the guns, which were placed at intervals with the wagons in a circle about the halting-place, the horses being picketed in the centre with their bits only removed, while the men lay down to rest, ready for action at the slightest alarm. Then vedettes rode out to keep their lonely watch, and all was still.
It was some time before sleep would come to Dick, but he slept soundly and restfully at last in the cool, fresh night air, and did not wake till the men were roused just before daybreak to partake of the simple rations they had brought, eating hurriedly in the darkness before the order was given to fall in, and the officers rode forward a short distance to reconnoitre.
All looked calm and peaceful in the soft, grey dawn, but a long reach of rugged track extended before them for miles and miles, and there was the possibility, slight though it was, of the enemy having made a détour and reached some suitable spot from whence a sudden attack might be made, this of course being chosen where the guns would be of little or no avail.
The doctor rode with them, and while they were carefully examining every rock and clump of trees, he asked Dick if he did not think they were being too cautious.
“We can’t,” said the young officer, “for it seems impossible that the Wazir, now he is getting back into power, could let us ride off so quietly.”
“He dare not attack,” said the doctor, “for fear of the punishment he would bring down upon his head when the news reached headquarters.”
“I don’t know,” replied Dick. “These petty chiefs who have never seen England’s power cannot believe that it is stronger than theirs, and—What’s that?”
“Runaway horse, seemingly,” replied the doctor, shading his eyes, as a swift animal came galloping out from the defile before them, straight along the track which led to where they were about to continue the march.
The officers watched the coming horse curiously, and soon made out that it was gaily caparisoned and evidently belonged to some one of note; the question now arising—How could that horse have escaped, and be galloping towards them from out of the rugged defile ahead?