"Just as you please. Well, I'll go then, and have a talk with old Gur Buksh. You'll stay here and keep watch on the enemy. By their sticking on it looks as if they might try to rush the position in the night: but as they can't get across except as we did, by the rope, you ought to be able to spoil that little game. I'll tell the havildar all about it, and get him to make quiet preparations for an attack. Then I'll fly back. I'll go on down-stream and take a good look at things. The enemy may have sheered off by the morning: in that case we can have another look for Uncle, and then return to the mine. If they've been reinforced from the camp, and look as if they are coming on, we can get back all the same. They'll have to repair the bridge before they can bring their horses over, and the Pathans will be miles towards home before that can be done."
"Don't you think it would be better to bring down some more men and prevent them from repairing the bridge? We could then stave off an attack on the mine--perhaps prevent it altogether."
"Too far from our base, my boy. There's that path over the hills the men know of. We mustn't run the risk of having our rear turned. But I'll send down some reinforcements. Of course without the bridge the enemy can't possibly cross until they reach the ford miles up-stream; but they may be good at mountain climbing, and judging by their pertinacity so far they won't shirk the journey. They've got time on their side: there's no hurry: they know that we're boxed at the mine, and when they get there they've only got to sit tight and intercept our regular convoys of provisions to starve us out in a month or so. Things look pretty black, and our only chance is to strengthen our position and give them so hot a reception that they'll get tired of it."
"There's one thing Uncle ought to have done. He ought to have rigged up a wireless installation, so that we could summon help in an emergency like this."
"My dear chap, what would be the good? We could only get help from India, and they wouldn't send an expedition out on behalf of an obstinate crack-brained adventurer, as they regard him, who's no business here at all. Poor old Uncle, when he settled here, knew very well that he'd taken his life in his hands, and had only himself to rely on. We've got to do everything ourselves."
"Couldn't you fly southward, and see if Major Endicott is within reach?"
"He's back in Rawal Pindi long ago. No, we can't expect any help. By George! I thought I'd lost all chance of seeing some fighting; but it looks now as if I'm to get a good deal more than I should have got if I'd come out with a commission."
"You seem quite cheerful at the prospect. You're a born soldier, Bob."
"And we'll make you one before we've done with you, old man. It's all clear, isn't it?"
"So far as I'm concerned. But there's one thing you don't appear to have thought of: how are you going to alight on our ledge in the dark?"