CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.
HOW THE FORT WAS SAVED.
It was on the third morning after Bracy and Gedge had been with theGhoorkhas, who were in camp in a natural stronghold of the upper valley,resting before making their final advance to the fort. Gedge, with hisarm in a sling, and a frost-bitten foot, which made him limp about thelittle tent they shared by the doctor's orders, was looking anxiouslydown at his officer, who lay perfectly helpless, appearing terribly thinand worn, but with a bright look in his eyes, which augured well for hisrecovery.
"Yes, sir; you look a deal better," said Gedge in answer to a question:"and, of course, the doctor ought to know; but I don't think you oughtto be so weak."
"Wasn't it enough to make me weak, my lad?" said Bracy in a faint voice."Why, I have hardly a drop of blood left in my body."
"Course not, sir; and you do eat and sleep well."
"Yes, my lad; and if we can only cut our way through these swarmingwretches, and relieve the fort before it is too late, I shall soon beginto mend. It is horrible, this delay, and no news."
"No news, sir?" said Gedge, staring. "Didn't the doctor tell you?"
"The doctor? I have not seen him this morning."
"But he's been here, sir. He said you were in such a beautiful sleepthat you warn't to be woke up, for it was doing you no end of good."
"But he said something?" said Bracy anxiously. "Have we had news?"
"Tip-top, sir. One of the little Ghoorkha chaps got back soon afterdaylight--one of the three that was sent different ways."
"But the news?"
"He got into the fort, sir, and brought a despatch from the Colonel."
"Yes, yes," said Bracy breathlessly.
"They was all well, but hard up for everything, 'speshly ammynition; butthey could hold out for three days; and as soon as we come up he's goingto make a sally and attack the Dwats in the rear.--Oh, sir, it is hard,and no mistake!"
"Thank Heaven!" cried Bracy softly. "There, my lad, I can lie and restnow."
"Yes, sir, that's the worst of it."
"It is hard--the worst of it?" said Bracy wonderingly. "What do youmean?"
"You and me, sir, having to lie up and be out of all the fun."
"Oh, I see," said Bracy, smiling, and with the careworn look seeming todie out of his thin face. "Well, I think we have done our share."
"Did you hear the firing last night?"
"I? No. Was there an attack?"
"A big un, sir; but the enemy was driven back everywhere, and left a lotof dead behind. I never see such fellows as these little Ghoorkha chapsis to fight."
"If they can only cut their way through to the fort, Gedge, there willbe nothing then to fear, for Colonel Graves will hold the place, againstany number that can be brought against it."
"And they will, sir," cried Gedge proudly; "nothing can stop 'em.They've got so much dash and go in 'em. There's going to be a big fightto-day, for the hills seem dotted with white-coats as far as you cansee; and in an hour's time I hear we're to advance, so as to get the jobdone before it's dark."
Gedge's news was correct: and in an hour the column was in motion, theorder coming to advance in skirmishing order, with ample supports, andno following up of the enemy was to be attempted, the sole object, beingto reach the fort before night, and trust to the future for givingadequate punishment for all that had been done.
The orders of the officers were splendidly carried out, and the gallantregiment advanced along the right bank of the river as fast as the frontwas cleared, but at a severe cost, for the hills and patches of forestand rock swarmed with the enemy, and but for the abundance of cover theattempt must have failed. But by a series of rushes and their deadlyfire the brave little fellows won their way on till well into theafternoon, when farther progress seemed impossible, the enemy's leaderholding a patch of cedar forest most determinedly with a dense body ofmen. All this Bracy knew, for Gedge, in spite of his wound, was activeenough, and kept his officer well furnished with accounts of theirprogress; but his face looked grave as, in obedience to Bracy'squestion, he told him all.
"Yes, sir," he said, "we're in a very tight place; and the Colonel hereis looking a bit down in the mouth. The little chaps are raging aboutbeing kept back, and if he'd let 'em go they'd kill till they couldn'tlift those head-choppers of theirs; but as soon as one's shot or cutdown a dozen seems to spring up, and the place swarms with white-gownds,as if they'd quite made up their minds to kill us to a man before we canget to the fort. There, sir--hear that?"
"Yes, I hear," said Bracy, breathing hard. "It means an attack on therear."
"That's it, sir. We're surrounded; and if it weren't for that rushingriver being so full they'd come swarming over, and we should be done."
Further conversation was put an end to by the order to advance, after abrief halt to rest and refresh the men, the Ghoorkha Colonel seeing thatthe enemy must be dislodged from the forest in front at any cost. Itwas a desperate business, and could only be achieved at a terrible loss,for the river and precipitous rocks on either side put a stop to allidea of turning the enemy's flank. A bold dash was the only chance, andthis was about to be attempted, while the rear of the regiment was beingterribly harassed by the enemy closing in.
The last arrangements had been made, and the swarthy little fellows, solong held in by the tight rein, were trembling with excitement as theystood together in shelter, with fixed bayonets and kukris, waiting tomake the rush. The bugle was being raised to the holder's lips to soundthe advance, when a thrill of joy surged through the British leaders'breasts, for the help they needed came in the nick of time.
A sharp volley was fired from behind the dense patch the enemy washolding, and the Ghoorkhas cheered wildly as the bugle rang out; andthen as volley after volley followed from beyond the trees theyliterally flew over the broken ground, not a man stopping to fire, butraced into the wood, hewing with their terrible knives, and driving theenemy out like a flock of sheep right on to the fire, and soon afterupon the bayonets of Colonel Graves's men. It was only a matter of tenminutes, and then, fleeing to right and left, the enemy was springing upamong the rocks or plunging into the river to escape the tierce littleregiment they had sought to destroy.
Ill news flies swiftly, and the sight of their fellows streamingscattered up among the hills disheartened those who were making a savageattack upon the rear. A couple of volleys from the two companies whoformed the rear-guard turned their hesitation into flight, and amidsttremendous cheering the advance was continued, with Colonel Graves's menclearing the way; and, merely harassed by a few distant shots, thecolumn readied the fort whose walls were lined by non-combatants, women,and the weak garrison left behind. The men marched in cheering andcounter-cheering, intoxicated as they were with success, while even thewounded carried on litters and mules, and the brave fellows whopersisted in tramping on in spite of injuries terrible to bear, addedtheir feeble cries to swell the jubilation of the scene.
But the wildest, most exciting moments were when, in the bright eveningglow, the rear-guard of the little Ghoorkhas marched in, proud of twoburdens they carried shoulder-high in litters, singing and cheering andwaving their caps, as if they bore the greatest triumph of the relief.
One of those they carried lay prone and helpless, his sallow facequivering slightly from time to time with the emotion which attacked himas he was borne into the court--most painfully perhaps when his face wasrecognised by those at the windows of the buildings and on the walls.It was then that his name was shouted, first by shrill women's voices,and then thundered out and half-drowned by the cheers.
The other burden carried by the brave little Ghoorkhas would not lie,but insisted upon sitting; and somehow, in the midst of the wildexcitement of their reception as the heroes who had brought back thehelp, Gedge seemed to go quite mad with boy-like joy. For as soon as heappeared, bandaged and damaged as he was, Mrs Gee called out his name.A burst of fresh cheering arose then from the men of his co
mpany whowere near, and as their shouts arose and were echoed by those around,"Bill Gedge! Bill Gedge!" the poor fellow sat up as high as he couldupon the little Ghoorkas' shoulders, threw himself into one of hisfavourite nigger minstrel attitudes, with left arm outstretched andright hand seeming to thump with all his poor strength upon theimaginary banjo held against his breast.
"Welcome, welcome back!" cried Colonel Graves a few minutes later, as heforced himself through the crowd to where Doctor Morton was excitedlysuperintending the carrying in of his two old patients to the officers'ward.
"Thanks, thanks, Colonel," said Bracy in a feeble voice. "I did mybest, sir, but I only failed."
"Failed!" cried the Colonel proudly. "Why, the fort is saved."