Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills

Roberts had headed his party, and was the first to return to try and save his friend and comrade; and it was into his arms Bracy fell and was carried out, while the men crowded in now to bear out Mrs Gee, the Doctor, Gedge, and the rest, those outside cheering madly as first one and then another bloodstained, ghastly object was borne into the light; while, in the interval between two of the outbursts, poor Gedge, who was being cheered by his comrades, seemed drunk with excitement, as he contrived with failing arm to wave his rifle above his head and shout:

“Three cheers for Mr Bracy; three cheers for the Doctor and old Mother Gee! Three cheers for us all!”

There was a tremendous roar at this, heard loudly above the crackling fire kept up on the enemy still striving to force a way in from beyond the walls.

“Three more,” cried Gedge. “Cripples, all on us, but we held our own, and hip – hip – hip – hoo – ”

Gedge did not finish his cheer, for half-way through the last word he fell forward, utterly exhausted, fainting dead away.

It was just then that an officer with blackened face and sword in hand suddenly made his appearance high up in the golden light of the fire, and the moment he appeared a howl of execration was raised, which ran through the crowd of soldiery, while the officers scowled and turned away.

The tall, thin figure stopped short in front of the burning building, to gaze down wonderingly.

“Drummond – Scotch coward!” roared a voice, and a yell of execration burst forth.

Just at that moment, from behind an angle of the building, four of the Ghazis, who had lain hidden there and escaped the deadly fire, rushed forth yelling and waving their swords as they made for the figure standing apparently beyond the reach of help.

“Quick, some one – fire, fire!” shouted Roberts.

The figure heard the cry, and turned just in time to face his enemies, two of whom reached him together, cutting at him with all their might. But, active as a cat, the tall, lithe youth avoided one of his foes by leaping aside, ran the other man through, and swinging round, with a tremendous cut severed the wrist of the wretch he had avoided, when coming at him for a second blow.

The other two did not reach him, for half-a-dozen shots rang out, and the true firing of the boy-regiment was again proved, the two Ghazis leaping high in the air, and falling backward on to the bayonets of the men below. There was another cheer at this, but it was dominated directly after by a renewal of the howl of execration which had broken out before.

The hearer looked for a moment or two puzzled, and hesitated to advance; but the next minute he turned half-face, doubled along the rampart to the steps, and descended to the court, passing coolly among the men where Colonel Graves was standing giving orders.

“Mr Drummond,” he said, “I am told that you left your men in a way that disgraces a British officer.”

“That I didn’t,” cried the young man indignantly. “I heard you say that if we only had light we could see to fire, or something of that sort.”

“Yes, sir, I did,” said the Colonel sternly.

“Well, sir, I ran along the ramp and climbed up three times before I could get to the store, and then set fire to the fodder; but it was ever so long before I could get it to burn, and then I couldn’t get out.”

“You did that?” cried the Colonel.

“To be sure I did, sir. Wasn’t it right? Oh, I see now; the men thought I went and hid to get out of the light.”

“My dear boy,” cried the Colonel; “of course.”

“Oh,” cried Drummond, “what jolly fools the lads can be! But I say, sir, who’s hurt? and was old Bracy safe?”

A minute later the men cheered even louder than before, as they watched Drummond – a hero now in their midst – place a bag of powder to blow down the burning building and save the place from risk of the fire spreading.

That was soon done. It was a risky task, but bravely set about; and, as the place went up in a rush of flames and sparks, the assault from outside ceased, the enemy drawing off under cover of the mist; and an hour later silence fell upon the horrible scene of carnage, not even a bleat arising from the sheep.

But the fort was safe, the dim morning light showing the British flag, wet and clinging, but still hanging in its place upon the flagstaff; while by that time all save the doubled sentries upon the walls and the suffering wounded lay plunged in a heavy sleep wherever a place could be found roomy enough for the poor fellows’ aching limbs.

Chapter Twenty Two

Bracy’s Nurse

“Bracy, my dear old man!”

“My dear old chap!” These were the salutations of Drummond and Roberts later on in the morning, when they sought him out, to find him with Gedge in a portion of the soldiers’ quarters which had been temporarily turned into a hospital.

“Ah, Roberts,” sighed Bracy drowsily as he raised himself on one arm. “Not hurt, I hope?”

“Not a scratch. But you – you? Morton tells me you fought like a lion all through that horrible attack.”

“Like a very weak lion,” said Bracy, smiling faintly.

“But how are you?”

“Oh, so much better,” said the young officer, with a sigh. “I feel so restful, and as if I could do nothing but sleep.”

“Thank Heaven! But what a change in you!”

“And you, Drummond? But your face – blackened. Were you in that explosion I heard?”

“Yes; I helped to pop off the powder.”

“Helped!” cried Roberts. “Why, you placed the powder-bag and fired the fuse.”

“Well, what of that? Some one had to do it. I wasn’t hurt there, though, old man. It was in setting fire to the store and coaxing it into a blaze, for the blessed wood refused to burn. Spoiled my lovely looks a bit – eh? But I say – it’s harder work than you would think for to burn a – I say! Bracy, old chap! – Why, he’s asleep!”

“Fast,” said Roberts, looking wonderingly at their friend, who had sunk back on his rough pillow, formed of a doubled-up greatcoat, and was breathing deeply, with his face looking peaceful and calm.

“Here, I say, you, Bill Gedge,” cried Drummond; “this can’t be right. Go and fetch the Doctor.”

“No, sir; it’s all right, sir. The Doctor was here half-an-hour ago. He was fast as a top then; but he heard the Doctor speaking to me, and roused up while he had his wounds looked at. What d’yer think o’ that, sir?”

He drew a small, ragged scrap of something from his pocket, and held it out before the two officers.

“Nothing,” said Roberts shortly; “but I don’t like Mr Bracy’s looks. This can’t be right.”

“Doctor says it is, sir, and that it’s exhorschon. He’s to sleep as much as he can. You see, he had a horful night of it, sir, just when he wasn’t fit.”

“But how in the world could he fight like the Doctor says he did?”

“I dunno, sir,” replied Gedge, grinning. “Doctor says it was the excitement set him going, and then he couldn’t stop hisself. You know how he was a bit ago, gentlemen, when he hit out and kicked, and couldn’t help it.”

Roberts nodded.

“And he did fight wonderful, and never got a scratch. That’s what the Doctor said it was, and when he zamined his bandages he found this here under his back.”

“That! What is it?” said Drummond, now taking the object and examining it curiously.

“His complaint, sir, that kept him bad so long. The bit of iron the Doctor said he dursen’t try to get out. It worked out last night in the fight. He’s going to get well now.”

It was Roberts’s turn now to examine the little ragged scrap of discoloured iron.

“Seems wonderful,” he said, “that so trifling a thing as that should cause so much agony, and bring a man so low.”

“Oh, I dunno, sir,” said Gedge respectfully. “I had a horful toe once as got bigger and bigger and sorer till I couldn’t get a boot on, only the sole; and when my leg got as big as a Dan’l Lambert’s, some un says, ‘Why don’t you go to the orspital?’ he says, sir; and so I did, and as soon as I got there I began to wish I hadn’t gone, for there was a lot o’ doctors looked at it, and they said my leg must come off half-way up my thigh, but they’d wait a day or two first, and they did; but only the next morning one of ’em has another good look, and he gets out something – just a teeny bit of a nail as had gone into my toe out of my boot.”

“Humph!” said Roberts rather contemptuously.

“Lor’ bless yer, gentlemen, I was ’nother sort o’ feller that night, and was just like Mr Bracy here; hadn’t had no proper sleep for weeks, and there I was at it like one o’clock, going to sleep as you may say all over the place. Shouldn’t ha’ been here if it hadn’t been for that there doctor. Wouldn’t have had a one-legged un in the ridgiment, sir – would yer?”

“No,” said Roberts, who was leaning over and gazing at his sleeping comrade curiously. “Yes, he is sleeping as peacefully as a child. And what about you, Gedge?”

“Me, sir? Oh, I’m all right, sir. Bit stiff in the arms with all that bay’net exercise, and got the skin off one elber with ketching it agen the wall. Yer see, we’d no room.”

“We’ve been there this morning,” said Roberts, with a slight shudder. “The woodwork is chipped and cut into splinters, and the sight is horrible.”

“Well, yus, I s’pose so, sir. It was horrible work, but we was obliged to do it; they’d have cut us all to pieces. Reg’lar butchers – that they are – and deserved it. Coming on like that at a lot o’ poor cripples and a woman, besides the nong-combytant. Savages they are to try and cut down a doctor who’s ready to ’tend to everybody, either side, and tie or sew them up.”

“You’re right, Gedge, my lad; they are savages,” said Drummond, patting the speaker on the shoulder.

“Hff! gently, please, sir,” said Gedge, flinching.

“I beg your pardon. Are you hurt there?” cried Drummond hastily.

“Oh, all right, sir,” said the lad, grinning; “but you said, ‘Hurt there.’ Why, it’s all over, sir. There aren’t a place as I’ve found yet where you could put a finger on without making me squirm. Doctor made me yell like a great calf. But there’s nothing broke or cracked, and no fresh holes nowhere.”

“That’s a comfort,” said Drummond.

“Yus; but it aren’t very comf’table yet, sir. He says I shall soon be better, though.”

“Yes, Gedge, you must regularly lie up till the pain has gone.”

“I mean to, sir, all the time that I can get from tending Mr Bracy here. I must tend him.”

“You can stay with him; but someone else ought to be sent in.”

“No, sir, please; I can manage. It wouldn’t be fair, sir, for some un else to come in now the gov’nor’s getting better. Doctor says I’ve saved his life so fur, and I wants to go on and save his life so further. See?”

“Yes, of course,” said Roberts, smiling. “It would not be fair for you to be robbed of the credit of what you have done.”

“Thank ye, sir. That does a chap good, sir. But I beg your pardon, Captain: you see, I’m noo to sojering and fighting. I thought we’d had it tidy ’ot in the coming up along o’ the stone-throwing. Then it was a bit warm when Mr Bracy was shot down and I got my bullet. But that was all like playing skretch-cradle to our set-to last night in the dark. Shall we have it much worse by-and-by?”

“Worse? No,” cried the Captain sharply. “Nothing could be worse than last night’s work.”

“Oh, come, I’m glad o’ that, sir; for arterward, when I begun to cool down, it seemed to me that if it could be much worse I should begin to think as sojering might get to be a little bit too strong.”

It was just then that Doctor Morton came in, and for the moment he frowned; but the angry look passed off after a glance at Bracy.

“I was afraid you would disturb him,” he said; “but there is no need to mind; he will sleep a great deal for days, till this state of exhaustion has passed off. My dear boys, what a night we had! I wonder that any of us are alive.”

“There were some narrow escapes, Doctor,” said Roberts.

“Awful, awful; and what a morning for me! I feel as if I could do as Bracy is doing – sleep for days; but here I am with a terrible load of fresh cases on my hands, and my chief nurse turned into a patient – Gee’s wife. What a woman! what a woman! She must have descended from the Amazons of old. But there, I must go; I only wanted to see that poor Bracy was all right.”

“And you do think he is, Doctor?” said Roberts.

“Sure of it, sir. He’ll be back with his company before long.”

He nodded sharply, and after a word or two with Gedge, who looked ten years older for his night’s work, the room was left for sleep, and the young officers hurried off to their several duties. For there was ample work for every one of the defenders, whose loss had, however, been wonderfully small, the Ghazis having been comparatively helpless after their successful entry, their attacks being repulsed by the bayonet, and the soldiery for the most part having the advantage of the walls, while their fanatical foes were raging about the court, repulsed at every attempt to get on close quarters with the infidels they sought to destroy.

As the morning wore on, and the horrible traces of the deadly fray were rapidly removed by the fatigue-parties set to work, a soft breeze from the mountains waited away the heavy clouds of mist, the sun came out, and with it the horrors of the night faded away so rapidly that, had it not been for the blackened ruins of the fodder-store, it would have been hard to realise the fact that such a night had been passed.

Scouting parties went, out in different directions, and returned all with the same report – that the enemy had disappeared, not a trace of them being visible, not even one of the dead or wounded, though their losses must have been considerable. That evening a time of perfect rest seemed to have descended upon Ghittah, which, by the light of the sinking sun, looked, with its magnificent surroundings of dazzling snow-peak, verdant hill, forest, and falling water, orange, golden, and sparkling in the reflections from the glorified sky.

“Yes, lovely, lovely,” said Colonel Graves sadly, “if one could only feel that we might lie down and sleep in peace.”

“Well, can’t we?” said one of the younger officers. “Surely, sir, this has been such a lesson as the enemy will not forget.”

“Quite right,” said the Colonel; “they will not forget it, nor rest till they have had revenge.”

“But look at their losses last night,” said the Major.

“I do,” replied the Colonel; “but men are plentiful up here in the hills, and they all belong to a fighting race. If they were not fighting with us they would be among themselves, and it is the education of their boys: being taught to fight.”

“Then you think they’ll renew their attacks, sir?” said Roberts.

“I feel sure of it, and they must find us more upon the qui vive next time. I feel ashamed for allowing myself to be such an easy victim to their cunning ruse.”

“Never mind now,” said the Major; “it has furnished us with a fine supply of fresh meat.”

“Yes,” said the Colonel sadly; “but at a heavy cost of wounded men.”

Chapter Twenty Three

After a Rest

The Colonel was right; there were plenty of men in the hills, and they all belonged to fighting tribes-men who, whether Moslem or of the various sects which inhabited the vast tracts of mountainous countries, looked upon it as a religious duty to cut off every one who believed differently, as an infidel or a dog. Many days, then, had not elapsed before there was another gathering of the fierce tribes, whose object was to secure the fort, with its wealth of arms and ammunition. But during the week of respite Colonel Graves and his officers were busy enough. The country round was foraged for stores; and, partly in fear, but as much for the sake of cheating good customers and making everything possible out of the people whom they might be helping to slaughter the very next day, a couple of the tribes brought in grain, fodder, and other necessaries largely.

So the loss incurred by the burning of the store was soon made up, and the fort was better provisioned than ever, even to being prepared to stand the stern winter when it should leave the hills and descend to the valleys and plains.

No despatches had reached the fort for some time past; but the last, in answer to the Colonel’s report of his having relieved the fort, where all was well, and that he had no doubt of being able to hold it as long as was necessary, bade him go on holding it at any cost, and wait for further orders. But if he found reinforcements necessary to give the tribes a severe lesson, he was to communicate with the station in the Ghil Valley, whence a Ghoorkha regiment would be immediately despatched to his help.

A little council of war was held, in which Colonel Wrayford managed to take part; and, after due consideration, it was decided that the help was not required, for the unanimous opinion was that the Ghittah force could hold its own, and that they did not need any regiment to come in and carry off part of the laurels they wished to keep for themselves.

Doctor Morton had probably been the busiest man at the station; for, after the repulse of the night attack, every hospital-bed had been occupied, and an additional ward provided; but he had hardly a loss, and he went about, as Gedge said, “looking as proud as a two-tailed peacock in a ’logical garden.”

Certainly he chuckled and rubbed his hands a great deal over his patients; and one evening at the mess dinner, when the topic had arisen of the number of men he had sent back to duty cured, and all were rejoicing in the fact, that Bracy – looking thin and careworn, but now wonderfully well – was back in his place, the Doctor, who was pleased and flattered, became exceedingly confidential, and talked more freely than was his wont.

“There, dear boys,” he said: “I won’t be a sham. I’ve worked hard among my cripples, of course, and I’m proud of what I’ve done. If you want an example of the powers of surgery, there you are – look at Bracy. He’s a better man than ever now. Look at his condition – hard as a nail. Got rid of all that superfluous fat.”

“Here, gently, Doctor,” cried Bracy, flushing. “What superfluous fat?”

“All that you got rid of, sir.”

“Why, I’ve always been thin.”

“You leave me to judge best what you have always been, sir. I know. Come, you’ll own that you’re well as ever now?”

“Certainly.”

“Be satisfied, then. Well, as I was saying, my dear boys, I’ll be quite open with you all. I’ve been wonderfully successful with all my cases – have I not?”

“Wonderfully,” came in a chorus.

“And frightfully modest,” whispered Drummond.

“Eh! what is that, Mr Drummond?” cried the Doctor. “I heard what you said. Don’t you offend me, for you may come under my care some day. Now, then, all of you – wonderfully successful. Yes, Mr Drummond, and modest too, as you’ll own if you’ll let me finish my remarks before you stick yourself up as a judge. For I’m going to let the cat out of the bag.”

“Let’s have her, Doctor,” cried the younger men merrily.

“Here she is, then,” said the Doctor. “My colleague. She has done ten times as much for the wounded as I have.”

“He means Mrs Gee,” said Bracy quietly. “Well, she is a splendid nurse.”

“Ha! what a woman!” said the Colonel. “She is quite well now, Doctor – is she not?”

“Always is,” said the Doctor. “Absolutely perfect.”

“I don’t understand you, Doctor. The poor woman suffered a great deal in her daring defence of her patients.”

“Hah! we’re playing at cross purposes,” said the Doctor importantly. “You’re talking about Mrs Gee.”

“Of course. Weren’t you?”

“Pish! Poo! Bah! No. I meant my great help and patroness Dame Nature.”

“Oh!” ran round the table, in disappointed tones.

“Yes, gentlemen,” repeated the Doctor; “Dame Nature. She has set all my wounded right again, and put it to my credit. Why, if the poor fellows had been in stuffy barracks down in the hot plains they’d have died like flies. But up here, in this wonderfully pure mountain air, all I have to do is to see that the wounds are carefully bandaged, and cuts and bullet-holes grow up and together again in no time. As for the hill-men, their surgeon seems to be the next man, who operates with a bit of rag.”

“And kills or cures at once,” said Roberts, smiling.

“Exactly,” said the Doctor good-humouredly; “but really it’s wonderful how Nature does nearly all the work. Well, any news, Colonel?”

“About the enemy?”

“Yes; you’ve been doing nothing lately, and my last bed was vacated to-day.”

“I am very sorry that you should be in so low a condition, Doctor,” said the Colonel coldly; “but you must understand that I shall do my best to keep you so.”

“Why, of course,” cried the Doctor. “You don’t suppose I want to have the poor fellows cut or shot down to keep me busy – do you?”

“You spoke as if you did?”

“Then I spoke clumsily,” cried the Doctor. “But tell me – the Dwats are collecting again – are they not?”

“Yes; they mean to give us no rest.”

“So much the better for the men. Keep ’em active. You boys had any sport to-day?”

“Yes; we got six mountain sheep,” said Roberts.

“Safe into camp?” said the Doctor eagerly.

“Oh yes. It was hard work, though; for three of them fell right down into one of the deepest gorges from the snow-slope on which we shot them – splendid shots Drummond made after our stalk, he killed with right and left barrels. My one dropped at the first shot, but sprang up and was going off again till my second barrel stopped him.”

“Had an awful job to get them out of the gorge and home; but the hunters fetched them out, and we got all safe into quarters.”

“Ha!” cried the Doctor; “I’m glad of that. Splendid gamy meat, that mountain mutton. Glorious stuff for convalescents. It gives me the heartache when I hear of you leaving lost ones to the wolves and vultures.”

“I quite agree with the Doctor about the quality of the mutton,” said the Colonel gravely; “but I’m getting anxious about these shooting-trips, gentlemen. Your guides belong to one or other of the tribes.”

“Yes, I suppose they do, sir,” said Roberts carelessly.

“Well, what is to prevent them from leading you some day into a trap, and, instead of the news coming into mess of there being an extra supply for the larder, I hear that I am minus two or three of my best officers?”

“I don’t know about best officers, sir,” said Roberts, laughing; “but I don’t think there is anything to fear. These hill-shikarees are very genuine fellows, and their intense love of the sport will keep them honest and true to us. You cannot think how proud they are of leading us to the quarry if we are successful.”

“I grant all that,” said the Colonel, “knowing as I do what a freemasonry there is in sport, and how clever hunters have a feeling of fellowship for men of their own tastes, whatever their religion; but you must not forget that the hill-tribes are completely under the thumb of their Mullahs, and that the will of these priests is the law which they must obey. Supposing one of these Mullahs to give them orders in the interest of their tribe, they would lead you into an ambush for a certainty.”

“Oh, Colonel Graves,” cried Drummond, “this is spoiling the only pleasure we have!”

“I hope not,” said the Colonel, smiling gravely. “Set it down to interest in my officers’ welfare. I only ask you to be careful – well on your guard – and not to do anything rash.”

“Just as if it was likely that we should do anything rash,” said Drummond pettishly later on. “I’m sure I’m always as careful as can be.”

“Always!” said Roberts, laughing, and giving Bracy a peculiar look.

“Here, I say – what does that mean? You two are chaffing me again.”

“Oh dear, no,” said Bracy. “Our consciences are smiting us for being so reckless, and we’re making up our minds to be more careful in future.”

“Yes, as the Colonel suggests,” chimed in Roberts, “and take friend Drummond o’ that ilk for our example.”

“Here! Yes, you are chaffing me,” cried Drummond anxiously. “I say, old chaps, though – you don’t think I am rash, do you?”

“Rather,” said Roberts.

“Bosh with your rather! Chaff, because I’m so tall and thin. Bracy, you’re not half such a boy as the Captain. You don’t think I’m wild and harum-scarum, do you – regularly rash?”

“Well, to speak frankly,” – began Bracy.

“Of course I want you to be frank,” cried Drummond hastily. “That’s why I like you chaps.”