out of the
stream.

"No; open out and follow, my lads," cried Roberts. "Forward! double!"

"Ugh!" grunted Gedge to his nearest comrade; "and they'll think we're
running away."

"So we are, mate."

"Yah! only our legs. I ain't running. Think I'd cut away from one o'
them black-looking, bed-gown biddies? Yah! go back and send yer clothes
to the wash."

The retiring party had separated well, so as not to present too good a
mark for the enemy, whose practice was far from bad. For the stones
were struck close to them again and again, and leaves and twigs were cut
from the low growth which here fringed the bank of the river, always in
close proximity to where the party ran, and teaching them that not only
were the hill-men who fired good shots, but many in number, the high,
precipitous ascent to the left being evidently lined with concealed
scouts.

"Forward there!" shouted Bracy suddenly, for Gedge began to slacken and
hang back.

"Beg pardon, sir," puffed the lad; "wouldn't you rayther lead?"

"Forward, you scoundrel!" cried Roberts angrily; and Gedge darted back
into the position in which he had been running before, with his two
companions, the officers having kept behind.

"Getting pumped, pardner?" said his comrade on the left.

"Pumped! Me pumped!" said Gedge derisively. "Hor, hor! Why, I feel as
if I'd on'y jus' begun to stretch my legs. Go on like this for a week
to git a happy-tight. But orsifers ought to lead."

"Advancing, matey," said the man on the right. "Fust inter action; last
out, you know."

"Ho, yus; I know," grumbled Gedge; "but 'tain't fair: they get all the
best o' everything. Here, I say, look out, laddies. We're getting
among the wild bees, ain't us? Hear 'em buzz?"

"Yes; and we shall have one of 'em a-stinging on us directly. There
goes another."

For bullet after bullet came buzzing by the flying party's ears, but
still without effect.

"I say," cried Gedge; "keep shying a hye back now and then to see if the
gents is all right."

"No need," said the man on his left. "We should know fast enough."

Meanwhile the three officers had settled down behind to a steady double,
and kept on their conversation as if in contemptuous disregard of the
enemy hidden high among the patches of wood to their left.

"Thought they were better shots," said Bracy. "Nothing has come near us
yet."

"Quite near enough," growled Roberts.

"Don't you holloa till you're out of the woo