into a permanent grin, because that wrinkled his
nose and kept his glasses in place. Also he held the muzzle of his gun
projecting straight before him as he flew through the chequered
moonlight. The man who had run away met them full tilt--he had dropped
his gun.

"Hullo," said Cossar, and caught him in his arms. "What's this?"

"They came out together," said the man.

"The rats?"

"Yes, six of them."

"Where's Flack?"

"Down."

"What's he say?" panted Bensington, coming up, unheeded.

"Flack's down?"

"He fell down."

"They came out one after the other."

"What?"

"Made a rush. I fired both barrels first."

"You left Flack?"

"They were on to us."

"Come on," said Cossar. "You come with us. Where's Flack? Show us."

The whole party moved forward. Further details of the engagement dropped
from the man who had run away. The others clustered about him, except
Cossar, who led.

"Where are they?"

"Back in their holes, perhaps. I cleared. They made a rush for their
holes."

"What do you mean? Did you get behind them?"

"We got down by their holes. Saw 'em come out, you know, and tried to
cut 'em off. They lolloped out--like rabbits. We ran down and let fly.
They ran about wild after our first shot and suddenly came at us. _Went_
for us."

"How many?"

"Six or seven."

Cossar led the way to the edge of the pine-wood and halted.

"D'yer mean they _got_ Flack?" asked some one.

"One of 'em was on to him."

"Didn't you shoot?"

"How _could_ I?"

"Every one loaded?" said Cossar over his shoulder.

There was a confirmatory movement.

"But Flack--" said one.

"D'yer mean--Flack--" said another.

"There's no time to lose," said Cossar, and shouted "Flack!" as he led
the way. The whole force advanced towards the rat-holes, the man who had
run away a little to the rear. They went forward through the rank
exaggerated weeds and skirted the body of the second dead rat. They were
extended in a bunchy line, each man with his gun pointing forward, and
they peered about them in the clear moonlight for some crumpled,
ominous shape, some crouching form. They found the gun of the man who
had run away very speedily.

"Flack!" cried Cossar. "Flack!"

"He ran past the nettles and fell down," volunteered the man who ran
away.

"Where?"

"Round about there."

"Where did he fall?"

He hesitated and led them athwart the long black shadows for a space and
turned judicially. "About here, I thin