Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills

He grasped Bracy’s meaning the next minute, for he heard that which had reached Bracy’s ears. It was a shout from the woody bank they had left, as if one of the enemy had made a discovery, followed by answering cries, and all knew now that their foes were close upon their track, and that at any moment they might be discovered and fire be opened upon them.

“Forward!” cried Roberts, and once more he set off, to be again agreeably surprised, for the water did not deepen in the least as he moved from out of the eddy, being still about breast-deep, with very little variation, the bottom being swept clear of stones and literally ground smooth by the constant passage over it of the fragments borne down from the glaciers in the north. But before many steps had been taken, and the little chain was extended to its extreme limit, Roberts knew that disaster was imminent. For it was impossible to stand against the dense, heavy rush of water, bear against it as he would.

He shouted back to his companions to bear against the pressure, and strove his best, but all in vain. At one and the same moment the double calamity came: there was a shot from out of the patch of forest they had left, and the leader was lifted from his feet. Then pluck, pluck, pluck, as if mighty hands had seized them, the men in turn were snatched from their positions, and with a scattered fire opened upon them from among the trees, they were being swept rapidly down-stream.

Roberts shouted an order or two, and discipline prevailed for a space, the links of the chain remaining unbroken; but even the greatest training could not hold it together for long at such a time, and the non-swimmers were the first to go under and quit their hold, rolling over with the tremendous rush of the stream, and rising again, to snatch wildly at the nearest object, and in two cases to hamper the unfortunate who was within reach.

“Sauve qui peut,” muttered Bracy a’s he glided along, with his sword hanging from his wrist by the knot; but his actions contradicted his thoughts, for instead of trying to save himself he turned to the help of Drummond, to whom one of the men was clinging desperately, and the very next minute he felt a hand clutch at his collar and grip him fast.

The rattle of firing was in his ears, and then the thundering of the water, as he was forced below the surface into the darkness; but he did not lose his presence of mind. He let himself go under, and then, with a few vigorous strokes, rose to the surface, with the man clinging to him behind, and wrenched himself round in his effort to get free. He was only partially successful, though; and, panting heavily, he swam with his burden, just catching sight of Drummond in a similar position to himself, many yards lower down the stream.

“Let go,” he shouted to the man. “Let go, and I’ll save you.”

But the man’s nerve was gone, and he only clung the tighter and made a drowning-man’s effort to throw his legs about his officer’s.

“Help! help!” he gasped, and a desperate struggle ensued, during which both went beneath the surface again, only to rise with Bracy completely crippled, for the poor drowning wretch had been completely mastered by his intense desire for life, and arms and legs were now round his officer in the death-grip.

Bracy cast a wild, despairing look round as he was borne rapidly along, and all seemed over, when a head suddenly came into sight from behind them, an arm rose above the surface, and the swimmer to whom it belonged drove his fist with a dull smack right on the drowning-man’s ear, and with strange effect.

It was as if the whole muscular power had been instantaneously discharged like so much electricity at the touch of a rod, the horrible clinging grasp ceased, and with a feeble effort Bracy shook himself free and began to swim.

“A jolly idgit!” panted a voice; “a-holding on to yer orficer like that! Want to drown him? Can you keep up, sir?”

“Yes, I think so,” said Bracy weakly.

“That’s right, sir. You’ll do it. I’ll give yer a ’and if yer can’t. It’s easy enough if yer swim with the stream.”

“Can you keep him up?” said Bracy more vigorously.

“Oh yus, sir; I can manage to keep him on his back and his nose out o’ the water. Knocked him silly.”

“Where are the others?”

“There they are, sir, ever so far along. The Captain’s got old Parry, and Mr Drummond’s swimming to his side to help him. You’ll do it now, sir. Slow strokes wins. Feel better?”

“Yes. I was half-strangled.”

“Then it’s all right, sir.”

“But the enemy?” panted Bracy, trying to look round.

“Never you mind them, sir. They’re far enough off now, and can only get a shot now and then. River windles so. We’re going ever so much faster than they can get through the woods. Ain’t this jolly, sir? Done my ankle a sight o’ good. I allus did like the water, on’y sojers’ togs ain’t made to swim in.”

“I can’t see any one in pursuit,” said Bracy at the end of a minute.

“Don’t you keep trying to look, sir. You’ve got enough to do to swim.”

“I’m getting right again now, Gedge, and I think I can help you.”

“What! to keep him up, sir? I don’t want no help while he’s like this; but if he comes to again and begins his games you might ketch him one in the ear. Chaps as thinks they’re drowning is the silliest old idgits there is. ’Stead o’ keeping still and their pads under water, they shoves them right up to try and ketch hold o’ the wind or anything else as is near. ’Spose they can’t help it, though. Hullo! look yonder, sir. Rocks and shaller water. Think we could get right across now?”

For a shout now reached them from fifty yards or so lower down, where their three companions in misfortune were standing knee-deep in mid-stream, and a rugged mass of rocks rose to divide the river and towered up twenty or thirty feet, forming a little rugged island about twice as long. Bracy’s spirits, which were very low, rose now at the sight of Roberts and Drummond helping the other private up into safety, and turning directly to offer them the same aid if they could manage to get within reach.

“Keep it up, sir,” cried Gedge, who was swimming hard, “or we shall be swep’ one way or t’other. It’ll be nigh as a touch, for the water shoots off jolly swift.”

Bracy had needed no telling, and he exerted all his strength to keep so that they might strike the shallows where the island was worn by the fierce torrent to a sharp edge, for to swim a foot or two to the left meant being carried towards the side of the enemy, while to the right was into swifter water rushing by the island with increased force.

“Stick to it, sir,” cried Gedge. “Side-stroke, sir. No fear o’ not keeping afloat. That’s your sort. We shall do it. Ah!”

Gedge’s last cry was one of rage and disappointment, for, in spite of their efforts, just as they seemed to be within a few feet of the point at which they aimed, they found themselves snatched as it were by the under-current, and, still holding to their half-drowned companion, they would have been carried past but for a brave effort made by Roberts, who was prepared for the emergency. By stepping out as far as he dared, holding by Drummond’s long arm, and reaching low, he caught Gedge’s extended hand.

The shock was sharp, and he went down upon his face in the water; but Drummond held on, the little knot of struggling men swung round to the side, and in another minute they were among the rocks, where they regained their feet, and drew the insensible private up on to dry land.

“That was near,” said Roberts, who was breathless from exertion. “Hurt, Drummond?”

“Oh no, not at, all,” was the laughing reply. “I never did lie on the rack, having my arms torn out of the sockets; but it must have been something like this.”

“I’m very sorry,” cried Roberts.

“Oh, I’m not, old man. How are you, Bracy – not hit?”

“No, no; I shall be all right directly. Thank you, old chaps, for saving us. Never mind me; try and see to this poor fellow. I’m afraid he’s drowned.”

“No, sir; he ain’t, sir,” cried Gedge; “he’s coming round all right. It’s more that crack in the ear I give him than the water. I hit him as hard as I could. There! look, gents; his eyes is winking.”

It was as the lad said; the unfortunate non-swimmer’s eyelids were quivering slightly, and at the end of a minute he opened them widely and stared vacantly at the sunny sky. The officers were bending over him, when they received a broad hint that their position was known, a couple of shots being fired from the farther bank, higher up-stream, one of which struck the rock above them and splintered off a few scraps, which fell pattering down.

“Quick!” cried Roberts. “We must get those two along here for a bit. The high part will shelter us then; but as soon as possible we must have another try for the shore.”

The shelter was soon reached, and all crouched together in the sunshine, with the water streaming from them, the officers busily scanning the bank of the rushing river opposite, and calculating the possibility of reaching it. There was plenty of cover, and very little likelihood of the enemy crossing the river in its swollen state; but there was that mad nice some twenty yards wide to get over with two helpless men; and at last Roberts spoke in a low tone to his companions.

“I can’t see how it’s to be done, boys. I dare say we four could reach the bank somewhere; but we’re heavily handicapped by those two who can’t swim.”

“And there isn’t time to teach them now,” said Drummond sardonically.

“And we can’t leave them,” said Bracy. “What’s to be done?”

Gedge was eager to offer a suggestion upon the slightest encouragement, and this he obtained from Roberts, who turned to him.

“How’s the sprain, my lad?”

“Bit stiff, sir; that’s all,” was the reply. “Water done it a lot o’ good.”

“Think you could drop down with the stream and land somewhere near the fort to tell them how we’re pressed?”

“Dessay I could, sir; but don’t send me, please.”

“Why?” asked Roberts and Bracy in a breath.