“And would have done, but for a decent man minding cattle, who saved us a big disappointment, and Kamal-ud-din a big triumph. We had to turn almost straight back and march full two miles before we found him in the position he’d prepared for himself.”
“The one you explored the other day?”
“No, much nearer the city. Didn’t I tell ye ’twas at Mussuck? Place very like Mahighar. ‘Not much originality about them?’ says the General. Same little river, even—except that it had a bit of water in it by now, not just mud,—but farther down, of course, and ’twas on our left instead of across our front. It was two nullahs they had chosen for stopping us this time—one behind the other, tremendous places; shikargahs to right and left, village behind the left one, as per usual. Nullahs scarped everywhere, and every scrap of jungle and cover cleared away in front, of course, to give ’em a clear field of fire. They do know their business, those chaps, if they can find the place to suit ’em. Some fellow said he saw a European among ’em, but that ain’t like——”
“Now oughtn’t you be quiet and rest a little? I love to hear about it, but I’m afraid——”
“You needn’t be that. Why wouldn’t I get it clear in my own mind? We had a bit of a check just at first, for after all the jungle and the nullahs we’d been traversing, the army came out on the plain a good deal mixed up, and the General had to go from regiment to regiment straightening ’em out, instead of reconnoitring as he did at Mahighar. That might have done for us, for Keeling, who was exploring under fire, couldn’t get near enough to make certain how things lay. Somehow we all had the notion that the village behind the enemy’s right wasn’t held—the spies swore it. And what seemed to show they were concentrated on their left was that men would keep on running out from the edge of the wood there, take a good look at us, and run back again—we could see ’em through our glasses. What would be more natural than that they’d have an ambush there, as they did before, but without any wall to keep ’em from coming out and falling on us? So the General avoided that side, meaning to give ’em a good run under fire across the cleared space before they could reach us. Through an opening in the trees beyond the two nullahs, we could see the Arabits in great numbers hurrying to their right, and it looked for all the world as though the same idea had come to them and the General at the same moment—each determined to rush the village before t’other side could get there. But it was a trap again, though a different kind of one. They had the place packed with men already, and the men that were running were only in support. Eleven guns they brought to bear on us, and before ours could get into position to reply, our line wavered a bit, but there was never anything like falling back. The queer thing was that the moment we stuck, off went our cavalry on the right in a tremendous charge straight at the wood. Whether Keeling and Rickmer had taken to heart the General’s remarks on the slackness of the Bengallers at Mahighar, and thought he was in straits again and now was their time I don’t know, but ’twas the finest sight I ever saw. They plunged right down the nullahs and up again, all shouting their war-cries, and we stood staring after ’em till the red turbans and the gleaming swords were lost in the trees. If the wood had been held as we thought, ’twould have been madness and destruction, that charge, but ’twas not, and seeing the enemy as confounded as ourselves, the General rallied the infantry and led ’em on. I give you my word not a man faltered. The Queen’s —th led, as was their right after Mahighar, and they marched straight up to the entrenchments as steady as on parade. The Arabits tried to jump out on us with a howl, as they did that first time, but ’twas a mighty poor imitation. ’Twas our men jumped down among them instead, and we had a hand-to-hand fight all along that nullah and the next. We had ’em much more at our mercy this time—if you can call it that when they must have been six times our numbers,—for Keeling and Rickmer were pressing ’em from the right, and as fast as they got out of the nullah and ran for their lives, they only ran into the arms of the rest of our cavalry, which had skirted round the shikargah on the left, and was waiting to receive ’em and turn ’em back. We had a frightful time in the village, clearing ’em out of every house in turn, for they fought like tigers, and of course our guns could do nothing for fear of hurting us.”
“And would that be where you were wounded?”
“Just outside it. Chap made a cut at me wrong way about—up instead of down—nasty sort of blow. If it hadn’t been that I got in my cut at the same minute, and spoiled the force of his—well, the old man’s despatches would have regretted the loss of another promising young officer. So you were very near rid of me, don’t you know?”
“Ah now, don’t, then! I can’t bear to think of it. How do any of y’ever come out alive? Y’are sure”—with a break in her voice—“that Ambrose was safe after that?”
“Didn’t I say so? Keeling sent back a message to the General that he had cot sight of Kamal-ud-din’s elephant, and was going to pursue him to Umarganj if necessary, and the old man sent Ambrose to catch him up and see what direction he was taking. Couldn’t have the Khemistan Horse lost in the desert and perhaps cut off, you see.”
“There, now! your voice is quite weak and shaky, and it’s my fault for letting you talk so much. I wish Sir Harry would come—sure he’d soon send you to bed.”