"I was afraid we should be too late--had no end of a job to get this scratch column together," said the Major. "How far are we from the mine?" "About thirty miles, I think." "I hoped it was less. We’ve been marching all day, and the horses can’t possibly do thirty miles without a rest. Just tell me how matters stand, will you?" "When I left, about three-quarters of an hour ago, my brother had just been forced back into the mine." "Did he leave it, then?" interrupted the Major. "Oh yes! He has till now held the enemy off some distance down the track. But their artillery was too much for us, and we’re now in the last ditch, so to speak. Bob has blown up the bridge, so the enemy can’t get across immediately; and my little Gurkha has done a good deal of damage among their guns with bombs; but the track is now open to them; they’ll bring more guns up, and be able to pound us at point-blank range. We’ve lost a good many men; we’ve only a few rounds of ammunition left for the machine gun, and precious little for the rifles." "Dynamite?" "I’ve got the last of it in four bombs in the aeroplane." "Can’t your men shelter in the galleries from the enemy’s bombardment?" "For a little while, no doubt. But what I’m afraid of is that the enemy will find some means of crossing the river during the night: if they do it’s all up. There appears to be a general directing operations, and after being baulked for a week he won’t be satisfied until he’s made a clean sweep of us." "It’s touch and go, evidently. What do you say, Fenton?" "We couldn’t do thirty miles on this ground in less than six hours if the horses were fresh: and if we push on at once they’ll collapse before we’re half way there. We must have at least a three hours’ rest." The Major pulled at his moustache meditatively. "Aren’t we near that place where you had your smash, Appleton?" he said suddenly. "Yes; it’s a few miles down." "Then I’ll tell you what I’ll do. A lot of these fellows with me are used to work on the Indus. I’ll get them to make a big raft like the one your Kalmucks floated the aeroplane on, and send on a dozen in advance. The current will gain us three miles an hour; the men should get to the neighbourhood of the mine about three. If you could manage to meet them and carry them in relays into the mine they’d be of great use. I’ll give you some ammunition, too. Fly back at once: the knowledge that we’re coming will buck your men up; and the rest of us will hurry on as soon as possible." On reaching the aeroplane, the whole force dismounted. Lawrence was introduced to Captain Coats, the army surgeon whom he had heard mentioned in the frontier house. While some of the men placed in the cockpit as many cartridges as it could carry, others went into the wood to cut timber for the raft. Lawrence had some difficulty in starting the engine; but it ran smoothly after a little while, and taking a cheery leave of the officers he started for the north.