But going to the right meant that they would have to climb the right-hand wall of the gully, which was much steeper and higher than that to the left.  The result would be that they would be exposed against the sky line to the enemy’s fire.

All this flashed through his mind in a couple of seconds, and he instantly took his decision.

‘We must go back up the gully, Roy,’ he said sharply.  ’It’s absolutely our only chance.’

‘Any way, so long as we don’t drop into the clutches of that swine Kemp,’ said Roy.  ‘I fancy I see him giving us any parole.’

He whipped round as he spoke, and the two set to running steadily up the gully.  As they passed the scene of their late encounter where the bodies of the dead Turks lay by the broken machine gun, Ken stooped quickly and picked up one of their rifles, and helped himself also to a bandolier of cartridges.

This caused only a few seconds delay, yet before they were under way again, there came a crackle of shots from below, and bullets whizzed uncomfortably close about their ears.

Luckily for them, a few yards farther up was a bend in the course of the ravine, and once round that they were safe for the moment.

Safe for the moment—­yes—­but the prospect before them was not exactly inviting, and Ken’s lips tightened as he and Roy strained onwards up the hill-side, which grew steeper with every yard.

They were going straight away from their own people, right into the heart of the enemy country, and rack his brains as he might, Ken could see no plan for getting back.  There was nothing for it but to try to shake off their pursuers and trust to chance for the rest.

Neither of them was very fresh, for they had been fighting and running for the better part of two hours.  Even so, they managed to keep ahead of the Turks, and though every now and then a few shots came rattling up from below they had got far enough ahead to be out of easy range.

They were now at a considerable height, but still a long way from the top of the hill.  The scrub was thinning out and the ground becoming more and more stony.  The worst of it was that the ravine up which they were travelling was getting steadily more shallow.  A very little farther, and it ended altogether.  Beyond, was nothing but bare hill-side, where they would—­barring the scattered rocks—­be in full view of the enemy.

Ken dropped to a walk.

’This won’t do, Roy.  Once we’re out in the open, we shall be the very finest kind of targets.’

Roy shrugged his great shoulders.

’There’s nothing else for it.  We can’t make a ravine.  What price taking up a position here behind these rocks and trying to fight ’em off?  We’ve got plenty of cartridges.’

Ken shook his head.

’No earthly use.  They could get round above us.  We shouldn’t have a dog’s chance.’

‘Then we’d best shift on topside,’ replied Roy coolly.  ’They can’t get above us there unless they raise a balloon.  Come on, old man, we can dodge in and out among these rocks.’