Draw Swords! Part 71

"Yes, I have taken that into consideration. Tell me what you think.

The enemy know that we have just bivouacked for the night."

Hulton nodded.

"And are cautiously preparing to start."

"Yes, of course."

"Then divide the troop into two, with their three guns each; leave one with the wagons as if not yet quite ready, and send the other steadily marching to the full extent of the open manoeuvring ground, and then make believe."

"Make believe what?"

"To have caught sight of the hiding enemy; and, with a good deal of confusion, let the men face about and take flight to get back into the open."

"I see," cried Hulton eagerly. "It will be too much for the enemy, and they will pursue to a man, so as to take advantage of the panic."

"Exactly," replied Wyatt dryly. "Then the waiting troop can give them a few hints of what we can do, throw them into confusion, cut off their retreat back into the rough ground, and long before then the first troop will have begun to speak."

"But the wagons, the baggage, and guard?"

"Let the wagons take care of themselves, Hulton," cried Wyatt hotly.

"You take three guns, and give me the other three; and if between us we cannot, by playing into each other's hands, astonish these irregular gentlemen, we have been drilling together all this time for nothing."

"Yes," said Hulton, whose pale face was flushed with his growing excitement; "but there is one thing."

"What?"

"Suppose they have the two regiments of horse we have been drilling for them?"

"We will not suppose anything of the kind," said Wyatt dryly. "Of course, if they had it might be bad for us. Now what do you say?"

"I am obliged to confess that the heart's good, Wyatt, but the body's weak. Take the three guns and advance; leave me with the other three.

I'll do my best, but if I break down I want Darrell and Stubbs; they will carry out your plans, and we _will_ do what you say. Only mind, every effort must be made to keep the enemy from getting back among the mountains. We must not have them again between us and safety."

"I see," said Wyatt, drawing himself up in his saddle. "Now for your orders."

They rode back the few dozen yards to the waiting troop, d.i.c.k taking a final glance at the lovely stretch of mountain and forest to their south, so beautiful in the morning light that it seemed impossible for it to hold a foe. Then he was listening to his orders, with his heart beginning to palpitate at the thought of what was to come.

Wyatt's proposal was carried out to the letter. The first troop rode off with three guns, and the men left stared and wondered, and then stared the more at being ordered to dismount, detach the teams from the wagons, and do over again what had already been done.

d.i.c.k sat watching the first troop, already half a mile away, till he saw that Stubbs was trying to catch his attention; and when he met the old sergeant's eye there was a question in it, and that question was, according to the young officer's interpretation: "Is the captain going off his head?" And he looked again when Hulton gave the order for the wagon teams of six to be separated from the uniting traces into three pairs, each with its well-armed driver.

But everything was of course done, and was ready for the manoeuvre long before Wyatt and his party had ridden leisurely to the end of the level ground.

Then all at once those waiting saw him call a halt, ride forward with a couple of men as if in doubt, and then wheel round, waving his hand as he galloped back, and the next minute his troop was in full flight.

d.i.c.k glanced at Hulton, who gave the order to unlimber and load, his men being already dismounted; and this was hardly executed when a faint burst of shouting was borne upon their ears, and, glittering in the first rays of the sun, a great body of horse came streaming out from different parts among the mountains, looking in the distance like living streams running together into one as they reached the open ground, and tearing on in pursuit of the flying troop.

"Hor! hor!" laughed Stubbs softly, and he looked at Hanson, who was standing at one gun; "another chance for you, my lads. Something to hit at last."

Just then Hulton gave his orders sharply to the effect that when the men ceased firing and limbered up, the drivers were to leave the wagons and fall in with the rest of the troop, thus augmenting it by the accession of so many more men and horses.

The effect was marvellous. At least a dozen white-turbaned heads were thrust out from beneath the wagon-tilts, their owners staring with horror at the thought of being left behind, but as the order to fire rang out the heads were withdrawn and seen no more.

Everything went marvellously well. Hulton waited till the pursuing enemy were gathered in their thickest ma.s.s about a quarter of a mile away before he ordered the firing to commence, and the effect was terrible; but the enemy tore on after the flying troop till two rounds had been fired from each gun, when, unable to bear the punishment longer, the whole body of horse, as if moved by one impulse, swung round to attack the battery on their flank.

This was the signal for the retreating troop to halt and unlimber; and as the enemy came on they were being raked now by grape from the fresh direction, while before they could reach Hulton's party his men were off and away, leaving the wagons looking solitary in the middle of the plain.

All happened exactly as was planned. At every turn, to punish the punishers, one or the other battery opened upon the undisciplined mob of horse, which rapidly grew more and more disintegrated, till the two troops were manoeuvred so as to join just at the right time, when the broken up brilliant force of irregular cavalry was beginning to separate into knots and retreat.

Then, as rapidly as they could be served, the six guns swept the plain, which was now covered with flying horses and men.

But the fight was not to close without its tragic incident for the victors.

Just when the final rounds were being fired and the battery was thick with the rising smoke, there was a roaring shout raised from the right, the rush of horses, the clash of steel, and, unseen till close up, a body of about thirty gaily-dressed swordsmen were upon them, leaping their horses at the guns and cutting at every man they could reach, as they tore right along the full length of the battery.

In the fierce melee sabres, pistols, and rammers were used for the defence, but several men went down, and with them d.i.c.k, who was conscious of a mounted man riding at him right out of the smoke to give him a terrible cut upon the helmet, and then of the flash of a sabre from somewhere by his side, a heavy concussion, and of hearing a hoa.r.s.e, gurgling cry. Then noise and confusion, with darkness over all.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

FRIENDS OR ENEMIES?

"Not dead this time, are you, d.i.c.k, old lad?" came out of the darkness just as it was beginning to get light to the sufferer, and the young officer started up, but fell back sick and giddy.

"Here," he gasped, "where's my horse--what's matter? Is--Oh, I remember now."

"Drink a drop of this water, old fellow. Robson says you're only stunned."

d.i.c.k drank with avidity, and then pushed away the metal cup.

"Where's my helmet?" he panted.

"There; but you can't get it on till it has been hammered."

"Where's Burnouse?"

"Ram Dad's got him here, eating gra.s.s."

"Then where's the enemy?"

"Where's last night's dew?" replied Wyatt. "They've scattered and got into the mountains after all. We couldn't stop them though."

"Oh," groaned d.i.c.k, who was holding his hand to his head. "But tell me who's hurt."

"The enemy--awfully."