‘We did not know that your guns were near enough to drop shell upon us,’ he said.  ’Nor had we any notion that your troops had advanced so far inland.

‘Well, it is Allah’s will,’ he continued resignedly.  ’And our fate for being driven into an unjust war.  I am your prisoner.’

‘We don’t want any prisoners,’ Ken answered with a smile, and at his fluent Turkish the man’s dark eyes opened in evident surprise.  ’You are free.’

The Turk stared.

‘Then you are separated from your own regiment,’ he said keenly, and by his accent and language, Ken realised that he was a man of some education.

Ken did not answer.

‘Your pardon, effendi,’ said the Turk.  ’I did not mean to ask idle questions.  I thank you for your kindness, and I wish you happiness.’

‘Come on, Ken,’ broke in Roy, who was scanning the country uneasily.  ’We are right out in the open here.  That chap will be all right.  Let’s get into that wood as sharp as we can.’

‘One moment,’ said Roy, and turned to the Turk.

’If you care to do us a good turn, tell us the nearest way back to Gaba Tepe.’

The Turk pointed up the road.

’That is the nearest way, but, I need not tell you, the most dangerous.  Our lines lie between here and the British.  You must wait for the darkness of the night or you will for a certainty be captured.  My advice to you is to conceal yourselves among the trees in the wood, and wait until the sun shall have set.’

‘I thank you,’ said Ken courteously.  ’Is there anything else in which we can assist you?’

’There is nothing, I thank you.  I will rest a while, then move onwards.  In the name of the Prophet, I wish you a safe journey.’

‘What tale was he pitching you?’ said Roy impatiently, as he set off at a great rate for the wood opposite.

’He advised us to lie up for the rest of the day, and try to slip through their lines at night.’

Roy grunted.  ’And I suppose he’ll watch where we go and set his pals on us as soon as they come along.’

‘He will do nothing of the sort,’ Ken answered rather hotly.  ’For goodness’ sake, don’t go judging the Turk by the German, Roy.  That fellow considers that we have done him a favour, and nothing would induce him to betray us.’

‘Sorry I spoke,’ said Roy briefly, ’but you were so long I was getting into a horrid stew.  Even now, one can’t tell whether we’ve been spotted, and it isn’t likely that the next German who comes along is going to be kind to us when he sees what we’ve done to his nice new gun.’

No more was said until they reached the wood and flung themselves panting under the shade of a scrubby live oak.

‘Now we can take a bit of a breather,’ said Roy.  ’And a bit of lunch, too.  Here, catch!’ He flung a chunk of bread across to Ken.

But Ken had sprung up.  He was listening keenly.

‘Bunk!’ he muttered.  ‘There’s cavalry coming.’