The Air Patrol: A Story of the North-west Frontier

  CHAPTER THE TENTH

  A FATEFUL DISCOVERY

  It was an oddly assorted conclave that met in Mr. Appleton's dining-rooma little later. Bob had had a hot bath and a large bowl of coffee,which, Chunda Beg--not partial to stimulants--assured him, would do himmore good than brandy. He sat now muffled in his dressing-gown in anarmchair before the stove, his legs and feet swathed in blankets. Onone side stood the tall dignified old Sikh Gur Buksh, straight as adart, his face grave, his hands clasped upon the hilt of his sword,whose point was on the floor. Between Bob and the havildar sat DittaLal, who had requested permission to seat himself, on the ground that hewas one of those "who fardels bear."

  "In other words, sir," he said, "I turn scale at eighteen stone, and toomuch standing on pins is one of many causes of varicosity according tolittle homoeopathic vade-mecum."

  Bob was apt to be impulsive, but he had determined to give noinformation on his side until he had learnt how things had gone at themine during the day. He asked Gur Buksh to report.

  "I have done what the huzur said, sahib," declared the havildar in deepmeasured tones. "No work has been done to-day. We have kept the Pathansand the Kalmucks apart. They have reviled each other; blood has beenhot, and I feared they would use their guns upon each other; but some ofmy men have patrolled the ground between them, and kept the peace."

  "You have done well," said Bob; "though if the men had been kept at workthey could not have got into mischief."

  Gur Buksh pointed out, however, that it would not have been safe toallow the miners to cross the bridge. They would certainly have comeinto collision, and with guns, picks and hammers in their possessionthey could have overwhelmed the little garrison if it had come tofighting at close quarters.

  "Very well," said Bob. "Now I have grave news for you. We overtookNurla Bai and his man nearly fifty miles down the river. As we flewover them one of them fired and hit the Burra Sahib, who fell into thestream."

  "Hai! hai!" ejaculated the Babu. Gur Buksh was mute.

  "We wheeled round as soon as we could, to look for the Burra Sahib. Wecould not find him. Either he was mortally wounded and sank to thebottom" (the Babu groaned), "or he was washed down and fell into thehands of the enemy, for the two ruffians had joined a band of Kalmuckswho had come up from an encampment we had previously seen on the plateausome miles farther on. We came down and landed the aeroplane just abovethe bridge, and walked a long way down the track. We saw no sign of theBurra Sahib, and were chased by the Kalmucks on horseback, and onlyescaped because the Pathans had arrived in our absence, and opened firefrom an ambush behind the rocks. They could not cross, because thebridge was broken by Nurla Bai and Tchigin galloping across it; mybrother and I had to swing ourselves over the river by the single ropethat was left uninjured."

  "Hai! Wonders will never cease!" murmured the Babu.

  Bob related the incidents of the afternoon, and explained theimpossibility of removing the aeroplane until nightfall, and thearrangements he had made with Lawrence.

  "We cannot help believing that the Kalmucks intend to attack the mine,"he said in conclusion. "To-morrow morning I shall fly back, and send allthe Pathans to join their mates. If I should find that the enemy havegone, we shall renew the search for the Burra Sahib. If they are a bandwe can tackle, we shall drive them off, or at any rate hold our groundthere. But if, as I fear, they are but an advanced guard of the largerforce we saw at the encampment, we can do nothing but return here anddefend ourselves."

  There was silence. Ditta Lal had for some time ceased to make anysound; if Bob had not been so much preoccupied with his thoughts hewould have noticed that the Babu was looking exceedingly uneasy. GurBuksh stood like a statue.

  "Now what are we to do, havildar?" said Bob. "Can we defend the mine?"

  "We can but try, sahib."

  "As soon as it is light I want you to do all you can to strengthen theposition. The northern wall must be fortified. There are plenty ofempty provision bags in your stores, I believe, Babu?"

  Ditta Lal started, and looked at his questioner vacantly.

  "Pardon, sir, my mind was busy with great problems, and I did not catchwhat fell from your lips."

  "I asked if you had plenty of empty bags in your storehouse."

  "Heaps; a regular lot of them, sir."

  "You must fill them with earth, havildar, and pile them against thewall. Make an embrasure in the middle for the machine gun."

  "What, sir?" said the Babu, surprised.

  "I forgot: you did not know about it. In the little chamber behind thehouse there is a machine gun, with plenty of ammunition. We will get itout in the morning."

  "It is good, sahib," said the havildar.

  "You knew about it?" said Bob, catching a curious expression on theSikh's countenance.

  "I knew about it, sahib. I saw the parts unpacked."

  "And locked your knowledge in your silent bosom," said the Babu, with anaggrieved look. "That was cruelty to animals, sir. With knowledge of soingenious a weapon of defence we should all have slept more securely inour beds."

  "All this must be done as quietly as possible," continued Bob, ignoringthe Babu's indignant protest. "We must try not to let the Kalmucks onthe other side know that anything out of the ordinary is going on."

  "That will not be easy, sahib," said the havildar.

  "Perhaps not, but you must do the best you can. I said just now that Iwould send all the Pathans down the river, but you will want some ofthem to work. Will they be loyal?"

  "The huzur is their father, sahib. They will fight for him and for you.To them the Kalmucks are sons of pigs."

  "How is Muhammad, by the way?"

  "His wound is healing; he will be well to-morrow--well enough to fightthe Kalmucks."

  "I will see him in the morning. I am rather troubled as to what to dowith the Kalmuck miners. They will side with their countrymen if theycome up in force, and every man extra will add to our difficulties."

  "The sahib should send them away," said Gur Buksh.

  "But we can't send them down-stream until my brother comes back, andthat's their natural way. They won't go without their arms, andLawrence Sahib and the Pathans might be attacked then on both sides; andthey would certainly refuse to go in the opposite direction, away fromtheir homes."

  "Permit me to interpose, sir," said Ditta Lal, who had for some timetaken no part in the discussion. "I have suggestion for cutting Gordianknot. Many years ago, sir, my uncle, member of celebrated Hunza Nagarexpeditionary force, made proposal which, if taken at the flood, wouldhave led to fortune. British force would have triumphed over dastardlyfoes, and many valuable lives would have been saved to honour and gloryof king and country."

  "Cut it short, Babu," said Bob. "What is your proposal?"

  "Perpend, sir. Our friend and comrade Gur Buksh will cross bridge--orbetter Shan Tai--gather Kalmucks about him, and offer to beguile tediumof inaction by great feast, Chinese delicacies, stews and all that,regular blow out. While he engages Kalmucks in this artlessconversation, make mouths water galore, one of noble garrison stealsbehind their backs into huts, inserts dynamite and fuse into walls, andretires with careful slowness, as if nothing was up, and he were merelystrolling for constitutional. Then in midst of jollification huts allblow up like one o'clock, and scoundrels wallow in their gore."

  "That was your uncle's suggestion, was it?" said Bob.

  "That was it, sir, and my respected uncle was hurt in inmost soul whenadvice was contumeliously rejected. Such was his military ardour thathe had made profound study of all books extant on art of war and duty ofsoldiers, and he assured me with tears welling out of dove-like eyesthat nowhere did he find regulation forbidding adoption of artfuldodge."

  "Well, you'd better follow his example--only weep quietly."

  "My word is this, sahib," said Gur Buksh. "Wait until Lawrence Sahib isback; then send the Kalmucks away. They wi
ll join their friends; whocan resist Fate? we must fight them all. And I say too, sahib, sendsome of the Pathans this night to join Lawrence Sahib. They will gowith great gladness of heart."

  "That's a good idea. They will get to him before I start in themorning. But how can we get them off without making the Kalmuckssuspicious? Some one would have to cross the bridge to give themorders. The bridge can't be let down without a good deal of noise, andthat would certainly bring them out to see what was going on."

  The havildar thought for a minute, then suggested that Bob in hiscompany should pay a visit of inspection to each of the camps. Mr.Appleton had several times done this at night, and if Bob were to makehis inspection as formal in appearance as possible, nothing would be solikely to lull their suspicions. To this proposal Bob agreed. Hedressed quickly, and in a few minutes left the house, with the havildarmarching behind.

  They visited the Kalmuck camp first, going from hut to hut, in which themen were engaged in various games. Some of them looked up in stolidsilence as the sahib glanced round, uttered a word or two, and passedon. Others were sufficiently curious to ask what was happening down theriver, and why the huzur had not returned. Bob fenced with theirquestions, and when he left them felt that he had only heightened theircuriosity, even though he had given no sign that anything was amiss.Then, to keep up the pretence, he went to the stables, finally crossingto the Pathan camp, where he found a still more eager curiosity.Calling out the man who was next in authority to the wounded Muhammad,he told him quietly what he wished him to do, without informing him ofthe disappearance of Mr. Appleton. The man was delighted with theopportunity of leading a night march against the hated Kalmucks. Asudden and secret raid is the breath of life to a Pathan. He selected adozen men to accompany him. Gur Buksh, without attracting attention,supplied them with arms, better than their own, from the mine armoury;and before nine o'clock they left their camp stealthily, making theirway in single file up the hill path that skirted the Kalmuck quarters.

  Bob and the havildar returned to their own side of the gorge and waitedanxiously to assure themselves that the movement was not detected by theKalmucks. The place at which the Pathans must descend to join the trackwas something less than two hundred yards north of the Kalmuck camp, andif one of them chanced to set a stone rolling, or struck his rifleagainst the rock, the sound would almost certainly be heard below. Butnot a click disturbed the stillness; no sound was added to the rustle ofthe river; and after waiting at the end of the drawbridge for about halfan hour, Bob concluded that the men had reached the track safely, andreturned with the havildar to the house.

  There they remained for an hour discussing the measures which thehavildar was to take next day. Ditta Lal had retired to his ownquarters, to pass, it is to be feared, a very uneasy night: he was boldonly when the odds were heavily on his side. Presently Fazl came to thehouse to report that he had cleaned the engine, replenished the tankswith petrol and lubricating oil, and examined all the gear. A thoughtstruck Bob.

  "I shall fly down-stream again as soon as it is light," he said. "Areyou willing to come with me?"

  "The sahib orders," said the man, smiling with pleasure.

  "Then get Shan Tai to give you two or three baskets of food and takethem to the ledge. Meet me there as soon as there's any light in thesky. Bring your kukuri."

  Fazl smiled again. No Gurkha goes abroad without his national weapon,half bill-hook, and half falchion. He departed, salaaming cheerfully.

  "He'll be useful in looking after the machine if I'm otherwise engaged,"thought Bob, as he went wearily to his room, to snatch a few hours' restbefore he set off again. "Poor old Lawrie!" he said to himself. "I'mafraid he's desperately cold."

  In the hurry of departure he had forgotten to hand out the wadded coatwhich Lawrence, like himself, wore when flying. Whether the littleparty at the bridge were disturbed by the enemy or not, he feared thathis brother must pass a very uncomfortable night.

  Up before daybreak, Bob, after a hurried breakfast, paid the promisedvisit to Muhammad, to whom, however, he told nothing. If the man was tobe of any use in the fighting that might be in store, it was necessarythat he should recover his strength, and such recovery would only beretarded by excitement. Then Bob supplied himself with plenty ofcartridges, borrowed a red handkerchief from Chunda Beg, and made hisway along the path to the aeroplane platform. Fazl was already there:everything was in order: and as soon as the grey light of dawn began tocreep over the hill-tops, the two men got into their places, and with ahum and swish the aeroplane set forth on its flight down-stream.

  Bob's experience of the previous night was reversed. Then, the curtainof shade had rolled up from the valley, ever higher, until sky and earthwere mingled in one blackness. Now, the dark crept gradually downward,every minute uncovering a few more feet of the barren hill-sides. Butduring the brief flight from the mine the depths of the valley werescarcely penetrated by the feeble rays of morning, and it was not untilthe aeroplane came to the neighbourhood of the bridge that the river andthe track upon its bank were distinguishable. Bob knew not what hemight have passed during that forty minutes. Once, when he judged thatabout two-thirds of the flight was completed, he thought he heard ashout from below, and guessed that the Pathans, marching down the track,had caught the sound of his propeller, and had called to let him knowthat all was well.

  The twilight had banished darkness from the bottom of the valley by thetime he came in sight of the bridge. He looked anxiously down for hisbrother's party, and was on the point of shifting the elevator so as todrop a little nearer earth when he saw puffs of smoke just beyond thebend in the left bank, and immediately afterwards heard the crack ofrifles. Evidently the enemy were still in position. Reversing hismovement, so as to rise instead of falling, and avoid the fate that hadovertaken his uncle, he glanced down at the rocks near the bridge head,and saw grouped there a number of figures among whom he thought herecognized Lawrence. At the same moment a vociferous cheer reached himthrough the throbbing hum of the engine, and the greeting relieved himof anxiety about his brother.

  Rising as quickly as possible, he held on his course, and in half aminute flew directly over the Kalmucks, and came in sight of the reachof the river beyond the bend. As he searched the banks, running thegauntlet of a fusillade, he was conscious of a feeling of dismay. For afull mile the river bank appeared to have been turned into a Kalmuckencampment. At irregular intervals above and below the winding track,the hill-side was dotted with tents and akois. Advantage seemed to havebeen taken of every square yard of level space to erect these portableshelters, which could be put up and taken down within a few minutes. Itwas clear that he had to reckon, not merely with the small party who hadpursued him up-stream, but with a much larger number who had come upfrom the distant encampment during the previous afternoon and night.Horses were grouped wherever there was standing room for them. On thetrack and about the tents men were gathered, all gazing up into the sky,some taking shots at the aeroplane as it flew over them. It was flyingswiftly, however, and with a vertical as well as a horizontal movement,so that even a practised sportsman, accustomed to shoot birds on thewing, could scarcely have hit his mark. Bob heard two or three bulletswhistle past, but none struck the aeroplane or either of its occupants.Having seen so much, he determined to pursue his reconnaissance down thevalley; it would be worth while to see if the camp on the plateau hadbeen struck, for he would then be sure that the mine was indeed theobjective of this force, and as he flew back be able, perhaps, toestimate its size. For the next few miles only a few stragglinghorsemen were visible, riding slowly up-stream. Then for a mile or twothe track was bare, and he suspected that the men he had last seen werethe rear of the enemy's force. Still flying on, he came at length tothe place where the valley broadened, and finally to the plateau whichhad been the limit of his flight on the day before. Here he swept roundseveral times in ever widening circles, carefully scanning the ground.The camp had completely dis
appeared. Thinking that in so wide an areathe small object which the encampment would present at so great a depthmight escape his notice, he wheeled again and again, until he assuredhimself that no trace of it was discoverable. Then he was setting hiscourse to return to the valley, looking southward to pick up hisbearings, when there was a sudden shout from the Gurkha. He glancedround: the man was pointing excitedly to the north-west.

  Slowing down a little, but without altering his course, Bob looked inthe same direction. The country was now bathed in sunlight; the air wasclear; but he could perceive nothing to account for his companion'sexcitement. He had faith enough in the man's intelligence, however, towheel round once more, and steer away from the valley.

  "What is it, Fazl?" he asked.

  "Tents, sahib; many tents, like flowers in a field."

  It was at least a minute before Bob's less keen eyes were able toconfirm the man's strange announcement. Then he recognized that a hugebrown patch, which he might well have mistaken for an outcrop of rock,or some other natural feature of the landscape, was in reality anaggregation of nomad tents, similar to those which he had passed on thehill-side behind.

  If he had felt dismay at the sight of the force assembled in the valley,his feeling now bordered on stupefaction. His brain was in a whirl.The misdeeds of Nurla Bai were as a pebble cast into a pond. Thespreading circles had embraced a troop of Kalmuck horsemen, then aregiment, finally what appeared to be an army. The motive had developedfrom the spite and revenge of a single man to the greed of a company,and now--to what? Surely the inhabitants of this vast array of tentswere not assembled for the puny purpose of snapping up a solitary silvermine. What design had brought them to this remote and barren tract in adesolate land?

  RECONNOITRING IN THE AEROPLANE]

  These were questions to which Bob was utterly unable to guess at theanswers. His surprise and alarm did but increase as he approached thescene. Around a point where a small tributary joined the river from thesouth-east, extended a large bare space several miles in area. Of thisopen tract a portion that must have been at least a square mile in area,bounded on one side by the left bank of the tributary and on the otherby the right bank of the river, was dotted with a series of encampments,arranged in regular order, and looking in the distance not unlike a kindof chess-board. Counting them as he drew nearer, Bob found that therewere twenty of these separate camps. As he approached the nearest, hetried to number the rows of tents, and the individual tents in each row.But his pace was too swift and his mind too bewildered to allow of anexact reckoning. His impression was that there were twenty rows oftents about ten deep. The tents were apparently small; if he were notdeceived by the distance, none of them could harbour more than five orsix men. But as his eye ranged over the whole encampment, and he made arapid calculation, he came to the staggering conclusion that the totalforce there on the ground beneath him could not be far short of twentythousand men.