‘Does the German himself bring the guns?’ asked the first speaker.

’He does, brother.  They are two of the best which were sent from Constantinople to Maidos.  Most like, they are already in position on the heights above us, ready to rain their shrapnel upon the unbelievers.’

Ken had heard enough.  This was news which the colonel must learn at once.  Snipers were bad enough, but if the two German 77-millimetre field-pieces were got into position, the trench would be untenable.  He waited only long enough to get the lie of the land around the rifle pit, then crept quietly back to his companions.

It took him just about thirty seconds to tell them what he had heard.

‘And one of you must go back and tell the colonel,’ he added.

There was silence.  Not unnaturally no one volunteered.

‘It’s up to you, Norton,’ said Ken.

‘Why not rush the pit first?’ suggested Norton, ’then we could all go back together.’

‘Or all stay here,’ answered Ken.  ’No, I’m frightfully sorry, Norton, but you’re the best scout of the lot of us, and the most likely to get back safely.  You must go and tell the colonel.’

Norton was too good a soldier to argue.  With a sigh he turned about and vanished in the gloom.

‘And now for the rifle pit,’ said Ken.  ’We must go up on the right-hand side, and take it from the rear.  As I’ve told you, the fellows holding it are out of cartridges.  If we can get in on ’em quietly, before they can use their bayonets, we ought not to have much trouble.’

Ken’s heart beat hard as he led the way to the rifle pit.  The thought that his colonel had given him a job on his own filled him with pride, and though he was nothing but a private leading two other privates, he felt like a captain with a company behind him.

The critical moment came as they reached the front of the pit, and had to swing off to the right.  There was little or no cover, and it was necessary to crawl flat on their stomachs.  To make matters worse, the ground was rough and stony, and every time a pebble rolled, Ken’s heart was in his mouth.

But the snipers were keeping no sort of watch.  Of course none of them had the faintest notion that any enemy was nearer than the trench, quite a couple of hundred yards away.  As they snaked along, the attacking party could hear them talking in the low, measured tones peculiar to the Turk.

At last Ken gained his vantage point.  He paused and drew his revolver.  The others did the same.

Ken sprang to his feet, and with two bounds was in the pit.

There were five men there, and the attack took them utterly by surprise.  Before they knew what was happening two were pistolled and one knocked silly by a blow from the butt of Horan’s revolver.  The two others fought gamely, but they were no match for the three Britishers.  In less time than it takes to tell they were both laid out.