In the Grip of the Mullah by F. S. Brereton

Author:F. S. Brereton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781634216012
Publisher: Duke Classics

Chapter XI - A March into the Desert

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"And so you have been behaving like a young hero?" said Tom Dixon, on the following morning, surveying Jim as he rose from his blanket. "You were tired out, so I allowed you to sleep on undisturbed while Ali and I had a long chat. Seriously, though, old chap, you have done nobly, and have again risen high in the estimation of our following. After this they will do anything for you, and will be just as keen as you are to bring the expedition to a successful issue. But tell me about the fight. I can only get a garbled account from Ali, who tells me that you defeated the whole tribe, and caused them enormous loss. But that cannot be the case. He must have been romancing, though I am bound to confess that we heard very heavy firing, which might easily have accounted for large numbers of killed and wounded."

"Ali Kumar was quite right," replied Jim quietly. "We did defeat the whole lot of the tribesmen, and I believe they will only be too glad to leave us alone in the future. You see, it was like this—"

Then Jim set to work to give his companion the details, leaving out his own share in the matter, for he was not a boastful lad.

"And now tell me how things went with you," he continued. "I was so done up when we got back to the zareba last night that I felt I could not listen. It was sufficient for me to find that you were safe, and that you had lost none of the beasts or baggage."

"We did not even see an enemy," said Tom with disgust. "Though we kept a very bright look-out, and even on one occasion blazed into the darkness, thinking that the sheik and his men were upon us, not a soul really came near the place. But we heard the firing from the gorge, and it made me feel so anxious that I very nearly came up to join you. If it hadn't been that our safety depends to such an extent upon our camels and food-supply, I should certainly have done so, and you would not have blamed me, for it is clear that you had a desperate time of it. However, all's well that ends well. And now for our next move. Will you go ahead, or will you retire for a time, till this fight has blown over?"

"I shall push on without a pause," answered Jim. "You see, news of this row is certain to fly to the Mullah's ears, and if we were to retire he would prevent any attempt in the future, by setting a watch at the ravine, and forbidding us to pass through. Then we should have to wait till the troops come this way, and by then anything may have happened to father. No, I mean to go right on, and my first act will be to ride to the camp from which these tribesmen came, and order them to give me any news they may have.

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