they realised what was happening, tomtoms beating,
trumpets sounding, and men rushing together, but the compact body of
matchlockmen with their matches lighted, and troopers with drawn
swords, looked so formidable that beyond firing a stray shot or two,
the army made no opposition to their progress. The Darwanis were
wildly desirous to reply to the random shots with a volley, but
Charteris succeeded in keeping them in hand, and the column ploughed
its way steadily across the sand of the river-bed, and up the bank on
the opposite side. The country was fairly open here, but Gerrard sent
out scouts in front and flanking-parties on either side, to guard
against a determined rush, which might be deadly in its result if Sher
Singh were less easily hoodwinked than he seemed. Two of the Darwanis
who knew the country well from past raids, and had guided Charteris as
he came, rode ahead to show the way, and the column tramped on doggedly
in the moonlight, the great lurching forms of the elephants casting
strange shadows by the way.

After a long day's hunting, and an evening so full of excitement,
Gerrard found it difficult not to sleep as he rode. In fact, his mind
was asleep, though his eyes were open and keenly surveying the
landmarks, which persisted in assuming the form of advancing masses of
troops, or exhibiting lights where no lights were. He found relief
occasionally in riding back a little to whip up stragglers, but it gave
him unfeigned pleasure when, after what seemed untold hours of
marching, Charteris pricked forward to tell him that they were now
within a mile of the "bad bit," and had better halt where they were
until dawn. But Gerrard had no mind to give in too soon.

"You don't think it would be well to press on and push through at one
go, Bob? The men don't seem at all done up," he felt it his duty to
say.

Charteris hesitated a moment. "No, I don't," he said. "If Sher Singh
is occupying the bad bit at all, his men are there already--sent off
probably while he kept you in talk after the big flare-up--for it would
be no good despatching them after we had started. Don't it strike you
as queer that they have made no motion to harass our rear? I imagine
they are holding back till they can catch us between two fires. If you
agree with me, let us give the beasts a rest and a feed here, and send
two or three of my beggars scouting ahead."

Gerrard consented, and they saw that the horses were picketed s