"You forget that our petrol isn’t unlimited. I had a look in the shed this morning, and there isn’t much left. The paraffin you brought only replaced what you lost from the leaky cans. We shall have to economize now, and use the aeroplane only when we must." "Very well then. If you see about altering the breastwork I’ll get the gun dragged in. And there are these poor wounded wretches. Their moans are horrible. What can we do for them?" "We mustn’t take them into our compound. We haven’t food enough to support prisoners. I have it! We’ll send off the Kalmuck prisoners we’ve got, and tell them that they can bring up a dozen of their friends under flag of truce to carry off their wounded. That’ll relieve us of all responsibility. And now let’s get to business. We haven’t too much time." These arrangements were duly carried out. While Lawrence escorted the gun to the mine, Bob set the men to pull down the breastwork, and re-construct it so that it stood almost perpendicular to his own entrenchment a hundred yards up stream. In its new position it would be of very little use to the enemy should they re-capture it, for on whichever side of it they happened to be, they would be swept by the fire of the men posted at the other. By the time the work was completed darkness had fallen. Then Lawrence dismissed the Kalmuck prisoners as he had suggested, and followed them to the breastwork to have a final consultation with his brother. "I’ll hold on here until midnight," said Bob. "I had a good sleep during the day. Tell Ganda Singh to train the captured gun on the bend; if there’s an attack he and Gur Buksh can play on the track and cover our retirement." "I’m not sure whether it wouldn’t be better to bring it out again and place it behind our entrenchments." "No, that would never do. The searchlight isn’t powerful enough to be of much good; and the position might be rushed before the gun could come into play. It’s too valuable for us to risk that. It would be a very different matter if we had enough men to hold the breastwork and really dispute the advance of the enemy. We can’t do that. If they seriously push their attack we shall have to evacuate the position and bolt for the mine, and the gun would only be a hindrance. Now you get back. Send over some food for us, and then go to bed." "I shan’t take my clothes off. Don’t hold on too long, Bob, if they do come up." "Don’t be nervous, young ’un. We’ve had uncommon good luck so far, and I’m inclined to think the enemy won’t be in a hurry to tackle us. Those bombs must have been a horrid surprise to them. We may congratulate ourselves on a good day for the first, anyhow." CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH A CHECK