“I’m glad we managed to run the gauntlet safely,” Jack remarked, after a little time had passed, “for when that single shot struck the water so close to our boat I was afraid the Turks had discovered us, and would proceed to riddle us with a hail of bullets. It was about as thrilling a minute as we’ve ever passed through.”
“By now the boat must be heading out from the shore again,” said Amos, jumping to his feet to look, immediately adding excitedly: “Yes, there she is as sure as anything, with the men pulling like horses. I’m afraid the mist is rising some, and if that is so they’ll surely be seen.”
Jack at that got upon his feet to look, and after a pause went on to remark:
“No, I think you’re mistaken there, Amos, for it has swept down again. It seems to come and go in flukes. You can hear the stroke of the oars in spite of the care they use to hide the sound.”
“There goes a gun up on the hill!” exclaimed Amos. “Perhaps the Turks have such fine hearing that they too have caught the sound of oars, and are firing at random in hopes of striking the boat, for that shot struck some distance away. They could hardly hit a barn, anyway, I’m told, except by accident.”
“There,” said Jack in turn, “some of the troops are shouting, but between you and me I believe all that row is started to hide the sound of the oars. Besides, it may divert the attention of the watching gunners, who are always expecting a rush from these wide-awake Territorials.”
The boys had heard more or less about the Australian and New Zealand troops when on board the Thunderer. The brilliant work that had already been done by the men from the antipodes seemed to give the British the most intense satisfaction. Backed by such stalwart hosts from the various territories claimed by the Mother country, from Canada, South Africa, India and the other parts of the world, they believed the future was certain.
There were no further shots fired up on the hillside, which went to prove that the attention of the vigilant gunners must have been diverted by those loud yells that would have done credit, Jack said, to a band of Western cow-punchers galloping madly into a plains settlement after pay day for their monthly picnic.
The small boat had vanished from view, and the boys began to feel that the three occupants were pretty sure to get aboard the destroyer presently. Relieved by this cheering fact, they felt that they could once more begin to pay attention to other affairs.
“If these fellows have only managed to get a foothold here,” remarked Amos, “I’m mighty sure they don’t mean to be dislodged. You can see they’ve got quick-firers a-plenty, and in time some big guns will be put ashore. What does it all mean, do you think?”