"I’m jolly glad I’m in time," said Lawrence. "Jolly good of you to come at all--wholly unexpected. I had quite forgotten that you had brought an aeroplane out." "I say, are you hungry?" "We are on our second horse. We had to use our own food for the animals. We are desperately thirsty, though. The well water is putrid." "I’ve got plenty of food and water in the aeroplane." "That’s more than I hoped. I’ll send the men for it. Horse-flesh isn’t bad, but it lacks variety; and thirst is torture." Having dispatched three of the sowars to fetch the provisions, he said-- "I sent the dafadar on the chance of his finding you. Is all well at the mine?" "We’re in the deuce of a fix, Major. There’s a regular army of Kalmucks forty miles north of us." "Kalmucks! An army of them!" said the Major in surprise. "Yes. Bob estimates the number at twenty thousand." The Major knit his brows. The news evidently disturbed him. "Encamped, you say? Any signs of a movement?" "They intend marching up the valley. We have had two or three brushes with advanced parties." "That’s very serious." He reflected silently for a little; then, as if rousing himself from a reverie, continued-- "You didn’t need my warning, then. Your uncle was already preparing to decamp?" "Uncle’s gone!" "Not left you young-- Why, my dear fellow--you don’t mean that he’s----" Lawrence nodded. "One of our miners shot him," he said briefly. "Poor old Harry! That’s a good fellow gone. I’m awfully sorry for you young fellows. Is your brother getting ready to come away?" "Bob is still at the mine. It’s in a narrow gorge, and we’ve blocked up the only path, so they can’t get at us for some little time. But what are we to do, Major? You and your men will march for the mine, won’t you?" The Major sank again into a brown study. Lawrence watched his grave face anxiously. "It’s a pity, but I haven’t time," he said at length. "I must get south as rapidly as possible. What you tell me confirms the rumours that have been flying about. When I started from Rawal Pindi there was talk of risings in different parts of the country, and as I came north I heard about large movements in Central Asia. I thought they were directed against Russia, but it seems pretty clear that the imbeciles are going to break their heads against us. This flanking movement will give us trouble. I must get back to the nearest post and wire the news to headquarters, and they’ll want me; I’ve made an egregious failure here, but I may still be able to do something among the tribes farther south." "But it’s war now, isn’t it? Ganda said you had only a few men. You could hardly fight your way back if the enemy were across the road."