“Nobody seems to care to discuss it with us,” replied Jack, “but I can read between the lines that already the losses in warships the British have suffered has begun to make them fear the job of forcing the straits is going to be a lot harder than was first figured on. So they’re beginning to get ready to undertake the thing in a different fashion.”
“By cutting a way across the peninsula, and commanding the strait beyond, when they can clean out the nest of Turks, and control things—of course that’s what you mean; and, Jack, I think myself that’s the only way to do it.”
Amos spoke lightly at the time, as though he believed that when there were sufficient forces ashore the obstacles that confronted the Allies could be easily brushed aside. It took months of desperate hand-to-hand fighting, with frightful losses on both sides, to convince the Allies that they had one of the most difficult tasks on their hands that ever confronted an army.
The Gallipoli peninsula has been admirably fitted by nature for defense, since it consists of elevations and gullies, with comparatively little shelter. In these days of murderous rapid-fire guns and explosive shells an advance under such difficulties presents a grim choice of death, with very little certainty of any gain save in yards dearly purchased.
All this was to be learned as the summer progressed, and fall coming on found the problem far from solved.
“Listen!” cried Amos, suddenly, “that must have been some sort of signal from the destroyer. I wonder if they have taken the boat aboard, and started back to where the big fleet lies, with anchors up, waiting for the day’s work to begin?”
“I think that was what it meant,” remarked Jack. “For one, I’m glad, for that young officer was a pretty genial fellow—for an Englishman. As a rule they’re a queer lot, and so reserved that until you get to understand them well you’re apt to think them cold-blooded and uppish. But we know different, don’t we?”
“From K. of K. down we’ve met with only kindness from them,” declared Amos, with sincerity in his voice. “I only hope and pray that we’re fated to come on my brother Frank ashore here.”
“If not, we’ll get back to the Thunderer tomorrow night, if possible, and then try to reach that Greek island where some of the seaplanes start from when doing their little daily stunt. But here comes the Colonel. Perhaps he’s found time to listen to what we have to tell him.”