"We can do absolutely nothing more. In spite of what Fyz Ali said, I can't help thinking that he may be still alive. If he were drowned, his body must have come up."
"And the Kalmucks would kill him if they found him."
"I'm not so sure. He'd be a valuable hostage. They might bring him up to the mine, and make our surrender a condition of his release."
"With all my heart I hope it is so. But suppose they haven't got him?"
"We must get back to the mine and do our best to hold it. That's what he'd wish us to do. But look here, old chap, we've eaten next to nothing. It's no good letting ourselves down. Ask Fyz Ali to give us some of his tommy; we can't get our own; and when we've had a feed we'll decide what's to be done."
CHAPTER THE NINTH
A FLIGHT BY NIGHT
The afternoon wore away. For some time there was complete silence except for the gurgling hum of the river, and the low tones of the Pathans as they talked gloomily among themselves. It occurred to Bob that the enemy, finding themselves so completely at a check, might have retreated, to advance again when they should guess that want of food had driven the Englishmen's party back to the mine. But on putting it to the test he found that he was mistaken. He practised the old device of drawing the enemy's fire by means of dummy targets. Two of the Pathans hoisted their turbans on their rifles until they showed just above the rocks. The instant result was a volley from downstream, and one of the turbans on being lowered was found to have several holes drilled in it.
"They don't mean to let us off," said Bob. "I've made up my mind what we must do. When it's dark we'll creep out, you and I, and start the engine. We'll toss who shall fly back to the mine----"
"No, that's your job," said Lawrence. "You can manage the machine better than I."