“Load as many boxes as you can on two carts, and leave half a dozen men to bring them in.  They’ll have to take their chance.  We must get back ek dum,"[68] said Colonel Ross-Ellison.

  [68] At once.

Even as he spoke, the sound of distant firing fell upon the ears of the party and the unmistakable stammer-hammer racket of the maxim.

“They’re attacked, by Jove,” he cried.  “I thought it likely.  There may have been an idea that we should know something of this convoy and go for it.  All ready?  Now a steady double.  We’ll double and quick-march alternately.  Double march.”

* * * * *

Near the Military Prison was a low conical hill, bare of vegetation and buildings, a feature of the situation which was a constant source of anxiety to Colonel Ross-Ellison, for he realized that life in the beleaguered fortress would be very much harder, and the casualty rate very much higher, if the enemy had the sense to occupy it in strength and fire down into the Prison.  Against this contingency he always maintained a picket there at night and a special sentry to watch it by day, and he had caused deep trenches to be dug and a covered way made in the Prison compound, so that the fire-swept area could be crossed, when necessary, with the minimum of risk.  Until the night of the convoy-sortie, however, the enemy had not had the ordinary common sense to grasp the fact that the hill was the key of the situation and to seize it.

“Bloomin’ cold up ’ere, Privit Greens, wot?” observed Corporal Horace Faggit to the famous Mr. Cornelius Gosling-Green, M.P., in kindly and condescending manner, as he placed him back to back with Private Augustus Grobble on the hill-top.  “But you’ll keep awake all the better for that, me lad....  Now you other four men can go to sleep, see?  You’ll lie right close up agin the feet o’ Privits Greens an’ Grabbles, and when they’ve done their two hours, they’ll jes’ give two o’ you a kick and them two’ll rise up an’ take their plaices while they goes to sleep.  Then them two’ll waike ‘tother two, see?  An’ if hannyone approaches, the sentry as is faicin’ ’im will ’olleraht ’Alt!  ’Oo comes there?’ an’ if the bloke or blokes say, ‘Friend,’ then ’e’ll say ‘Hadvance one an’ give the countersign,’ and if he can’t give no countersign, then blow ‘is bleedin’ ’ead off, see?...  Now I shall visit yer from time to time, an’ let me find you spry an’ smart with yer,’ ’Alt,’ ‘Oo comes there? see?  An’ if either sentry sees anythink suspicious down below there—­let ’im send the other sentry across fer me over in the picket there, see?  ‘E’ll waike up the others meanwhile an’ they’ll all watch out till I comes and gives orders, see?  An’ if you’re attacked afore I come, then retire firing.  Retire on the picket, see?  We won’t shoot yer.  Don’t make a bloomin’ blackguard-rush for the picket though.  Jest retire one by one firin’ steady, see?  Now I’m goin’ back to the picket.  Ow! an’ don’ fergit the reconnoitrin’ patrol.  Don’ go an’ shoot at ’em as they comes back.  ’Alt ’em for the countersign as they comes out, and ’alt ’em fer it agin as they comes in, see?  Right O. Now you keep yer eyes skinned, Greens and Grobbles.”