*CHAPTER XVIII*
*Rushing a Cossack Camp*
Panic--To the Yalu--Hill Paths--Historic Ground--An Introduction--AMan-Hunt--First Aid--Approaching the Ford--Mrs. Pottle Decides
At dead of night, the eyes of a lynx, but none other, might have seen arope dangling heavily from the mouth of the fissure high up the cliff.If the animal had not been scared away, it would have seen a dark formin cautious silence climbing down the rope--a man, with a rifle slungupon his back. He reached the slope and waited. A few momentsafterwards a second man followed, and, guided by the first, arrived atthe foot of the slope, interrupting the supper of the half-gorged wolf.The first man returned to the summit, and met a third man descending,whom he stationed half-way down the incline. These movements herepeated until he was able, without descending himself, to pass eachnew-comer down from hand to hand. When fifty men had thus descended,and were assembled on the level, the first man led them with the samesilence and caution among the fallen boulders until they came to openground. Then he halted, and stationing his companions some three pacesapart one from another, took from his pocket a long piece of thintwisted cotton and passed it down the line, each man gripping it withhis left hand.
Taking the end of the cotton in his own hand, the leader moved forward,followed by the rest, along a track approximating as closely as possibleto that which he had taken some six hours before. Every now and then hegave a slight tug at the line; his followers at once stopped, while hetook stock of his surroundings. He came to a spot whence he expected toobtain a view of the enemy's camp. It was almost invisible, for thefires were very low. Skirting the farther side of the hill-crest, thelong queue of men at length reached the utmost horn of the crescenttrack. By the leader the forms of the Russian sentries could be dimlyseen pacing to and fro. Counting off ten men from the right of theline, he left the remaining forty in position before the Russian camp,and proceeded with the ten to a point under the hill some distancefarther on in their course. Then creeping forward, he waited till thenearest sentry's steps began to recede, then stole on again, stillholding the cord, his men still following, until he came within a fewyards of the sentry's beat. Just as he reached this spot his footstruck against some obstacle; he staggered, recovered himself with aneffort, and stooped to discover what had checked his progress. It was aprostrate body. Instantly he clapped his hand upon the fallen man'smouth, lest he should cry out. Something in the touch suggested asuspicion. He placed his hand over the man's heart; it had ceased tobeat.
The next moment he himself was prone upon the ground, and the ten menwith him did as he did, and lay side by side, motionless. The sentry,suspecting nothing, tramped back along his beat, came to the end,wheeled round, and once more receded. Bob rose to a stooping position,and, followed closely by his ten, crept forward across the sentry'strack towards the tethered horses. From one there was a whinny, fromanother a snort as the men approached; otherwise not a sound. Thesilent ten passed round the animals, coming between them and the hill.Suddenly there sounded a cry, the challenge of a sentry. Instantly Bobfired his pistol and dashed forward towards the smouldering fire, whichhe stirred with a kick into a bright blaze. A moment later there was ashout, a clamour, a babel from the end of the camp. The firing of thepistol had been the pre-arranged signal for a rush by the forty. It wasinstantly obeyed. The Russians, half-awake, struggled to their feet, tofind one force between them and their horses, and another, a largershouting band, sweeping upon them in front. In wild confusion andaffright they ran this way and that; many made no attempt even to seizetheir rifles; they broke towards the mouth of the gully, their flyingforms making admirable targets in the firelight.
Meanwhile Bob hurried towards the tree to which he had seen Kobo bound,fearing lest some undesigned shot should do him mischief. To hisamazement the prisoner was gone. There was no time to speculate uponhis disappearance. Without a halt he dashed forward, his ten menfollowing with loud cries in his track across the low shelter-tents,cooking utensils, abandoned rifles and lances, and the variousimpedimenta of a small camp. The raiders met with almost no resistance,and the Russians, as they fled in panic towards the barricade, sweptthrough the startled Manchu camp and carried its occupants with them.The men stationed on the breastwork at the mouth of the gully stood toarms, bewildered by the sudden outcries and onrush; but when they weresuddenly attacked from the rear by the small force of Chunchuses Bob hadleft in the gully, they also broke and fled with the rest outwardsacross the low hills, pursued in the darkness by the exultant brigands.At Bob's orders Ah-Sam, the first of his ten, shouted to the Chunchusesto return; nothing was to be gained by pushing the pursuit farther. Butthe command was vain; only three or four answered to the summons, therest were intent upon paying off old scores.
Amid the rout the Manchus' horses had stampeded; but the better-trainedanimals of the Cossacks remained, and over these Bob set a guard. Thenhe had the camp fires replenished as beacons for his own men, andawaited their return. In twos and threes during the next half-hour theystraggled in. They brought no prisoners; but through Ah-Sam Bob learntthat many a Cossack and many a Manchu lay between the camp and the hill.Already Bob had collected some ninety rifles abandoned by the fugitives,and set men to gather what ammunition they could. Scattered as the enemynow were over the face of the country, most of them without arms, allprobably without horses, rushing blindly onward in the dark, he feltthat little was to be feared from them. His principal danger was lest areinforcement should be on the way to join them, or lest the news of thesurprise or the appearance of the stampeded horses should bring up inhot haste some Russian force in the neighbourhood.
It was imperative that the victors should make good their retreat assoon as possible. They had captured enough horses to mount the wholeforce, and in the camps had been found a sufficient supply of food tolast for several days. Ordering the men, through Ah-Sam, to carry intothe gully all that they could lay hands on, and to lead the horses upthrough gaps in the barricade, Bob went to find Sing-Cheng, to discussthe situation with him.
As he reached the breastwork there was brought to nim a wounded Manchu,who had been discovered hiding behind the rocks. Bob at once set Ah-Samto question him, enquiring specially about the Chinaman whom he had seentied to the tree. He learnt that, two days before, Chang-Wo had comeinto the camp after escaping from the gully, and had a long conversationwith the Cossack captain. He had then ridden away eastward. During hisabsence the Chinaman had been brought in, and as there was reason tobelieve he was a Japanese spy, he had been tied up until he could beconveyed to head-quarters. The Manchu was amazed to hear that theprisoner had escaped. It was incomprehensible.
When Bob with some difficulty found Sing-Cheng, and asked him what headvised, the man replied that he had no fear of the Russians, but he didfear Chang-Wo. He was a very great man, very powerful, very cunning. Avast number of Manchus were at his beck and call; his fastness lay onlytwo days' march in the hills. It was surprising that he had not alreadybrought his bandits in overwhelming force to storm the gully. Bobsuggested as a reason that a large Russian reinforcement was expected.There was little chance of booty if the Chunchuses were overcome, andChang-Wo would prefer that the Russians should bear the brunt ratherthan risk losing a considerable number of his own men. The chiefadmitted that this might be the reason; but he pointed out thatChang-Wo, his own capture rankling in his mind, would have a strongpersonal interest in the destruction of the garrison of the gully. Ifhe had gone to his headquarters to fetch more men, he might at anymoment arrive on the scene, with a force numbering anything from threeto five hundred. Clearly no time must be lost in getting beyond hisreach.
Bob asked whether Sing-Cheng was ready to fulfil his promise to escortthe party across the Yalu. The man professed his eagerness to do so, ifthe honourable foreign gentleman would lend him his continuedassistance. He himself felt that he was in a dangerous predicament. Ifhe went
westward he would run the risk of falling in with the Russians;if eastward, he would almost certainly meet Chang-Wo. Northward the waywas blocked by high hills. The only possible course lay to the south,and that led direct to the Russian positions on the Yalu. But he knewof a difficult and little-used path over the mountains by which theymight travel. It would bring them out at a point where the river mightbe forded, and where such Russian troops as might be in theneighbourhood would probably be merely small detached forces engaged inwatching the fords and passes. Bob enquired whether the man was sure ofthe way. The man replied that he knew every step of it.
"Then we will chance it," said Bob. "Ah-Sam, tell him to get his men inorder, ready to start the moment there is light enough to see the way.I will go and prepare the ladies."
Mrs. Pottle almost flung her arms round Bob's neck when he appeared.
"My dear boy," she exclaimed, "we have been in a terrible state of alarmabout you. What have you been doing?"
Bob gave her a brief account of the rushing of the enemy'scamp--successful even beyond his highest hopes.
"Why, there!" said the lady at the conclusion of his story. "I toldyou, Ethel, that Mr. Fawcett would prove equal to the occasion. Mr.Fawcett, you are lost as an engineer, you ought to be a soldier. Whenwe get within reach of the telegraph, I shall wire a full account of youto my paper, and I guess there'll be a competition for your services insome capacity or other in my country."
"Auntie, Mr. Fawcett must be very tired," said Ethel. "Is there any tealeft?"
"Of course. Dear me, how thoughtless! Mr. Fawcett, you shall have acup of tea in five minutes."
"And you will explain to us what is to be done next, won't you?" addedEthel.
At the first streak of dawn a long cavalcade stole out of the gully.The brigand chief led the way, mounted on a strong Korean pony. Behindhim came half his men; then the ladies, for whom side-saddles had beenimprovised; after them the remainder of the force, all on horse-back.Sufficient provisions had been found in the Russian camp to give themall the good meal so much needed. Bob rode at one time ahead with thechief, at another with the ladies, who were in high spirits now that thetension of the last few days was relaxed. He was with them as they rodepast the scene of the midnight sally, and endeavoured to distract theirattention from the terrible evidences of the fray.
Sing-Cheng led the party across the crest of the hill on which theRussians had first posted themselves, and struck off in a directionapproximately south-west. As they rode, a chain of mountains came intoview in the distance, the foot-hills beginning about three miles off.The cavalcade made towards a dip in these hills, and after coveringseveral miles of rising ground, approached what appeared to be an almostperpendicular wall of rock. Not till they came within a few yards of itdid the strangers see a possibility of penetrating the apparentobstruction. Taking his course unerringly, the chief led them in singlefile along a narrow giddy footpath zigzagging up the face of the cliff.The horses had much ado to keep their footing, but they were used to themountains and carried the whole party up without mishap. At the worstof the road Bob and Ah-Sam both dismounted and led the ladies' horses;the former guessed from Mrs. Pottle's look of terror as she roundedawkward corners and skirted sheer precipices, that her passion fortravel would be cooled for many a day.
After half an hour's difficult climb the fugitives reached a heightwhence they obtained a distant prospect of the late battle-ground,spread like a map in the bright sunlight behind them. Then they turneda bend in the path, and the scene was shut from their view. The chiefstill led on among rugged hills, with no sign of habitation. At one timethey were at the bottom of a ravine; an hour later they were toilsomelyscaling the steep face of a cliff, which from the base appearedimpossible to climb. The horses were fresh when they started, andplodded along steadily. Except for short intervals for food and restthe march was continued uninterruptedly till dusk, and then Bob andSing-Cheng selected a strong position for camping--a spot sheltered fromthe wind, that blew colder towards night. Sentries were placed aroundthe camp, but the hours of darkness passed without alarm. There was asyet no sign of pursuit.
Next morning the march was resumed, and continued through similarinhospitable country until about three o'clock in the afternoon. Then,just as the riders were climbing what appeared to be the highest peakthey had yet met with, the chief came to a sudden halt, sprang from hishorse, and made signs for the rest of the party to follow his example.He said a few words rapidly to his men; then, beckoning Bob and Ah-Samto accompany him, went forward cautiously on foot towards the skylinejust above.
As they gained the crest, a fine panorama opened before them. At adistance which Bob roughly guessed at five miles, they saw a broad rivercrossing the plain from east to west, at one point broadening into thesemblance of a lake dotted with islands. Hills of varying height shutoff stretches of the river at intervals. On the other side the chiefpointed out a cluster of dwellings just discernible amid a light groundhaze.
"Wiju," he said.
Bob looked at the town with interest, remembering his unpleasantassociations with the place. Below, to the left, between the spectatorsand the river, which it shut from their view, was a steep eminence whichthe chief called Hushan.
"He callum Tiger Hill," explained Ah-Sam.
"What is that?" asked Bob, pointing to a smaller river on their right,winding among the hills and disappearing behind Tiger Hill in thedirection of the Yalu.
"Ai-ho," said the chief.
Beyond the Ai-ho, between that river and the Yalu, was a town which,though it appeared larger than Wiju, Bob judged to be somewhat smallerin reality, for it lay much nearer to his point of observation.
"Kiu-lien-cheng," explained the chief, in answer to Bob's mute question.Bob remembered that this place had played an important part in the Chinawar. It was, moreover, the scene of Kobo's exploit, when his companyhad the honour of being first in the town. Beyond Kiu-lien-cheng on theriver, but shut from sight by intervening hills, lay Antung, a place ofbitter memories to Bob. Looking towards Wiju he could see small blackmoving bodies, which were no doubt companies or regiments moving aboutthe town; and beyond it, he descried a long line of carts filing towardsit from the north. He scanned the whole landscape with interest andcare. The first great operation in the Japanese land campaign mustobviously be the crossing of the Yalu; it would probably take placewithin the next few weeks, with the beginning of spring. Where wouldthe decisive action be fought? If the Japanese army attempted to effecta crossing anywhere in the country outspread beneath him, they wouldhave indeed a hard nut to crack. The rugged country to the north of theYalu seemed to offer ideal conditions for defence, and Bob was convincedthat the Russian engineers would have taken full advantage of thenatural features.
"A very strong position, Mr. Fawcett."
The words so exactly corresponded with his unspoken thought that for amoment he was scarcely aware that they had been uttered by another.Then he turned with a start, saw that Ah-Sam and the chief had theirrifles up and their fingers already at the triggers, and, followingtheir upward gaze, noticed the figure of a short, sturdy Chinamanbetween two rocks above his head. Even as he looked Ah-Sam dropped hisrifle and said something to Sing-Cheng, and with a second glance Bobunderstood. He went forward eagerly with outstretched hand.
"Kobo San! You don't know how glad I am to see you," he said warmly."Are you all right? How in the world did you escape?"
"I will tell you," replied Kobo. "But, pardon me, I am terribly hungry.Have you a little rice to spare?"
"Ah-Sam," said Bob, "run back and ask Mrs. Pottle to prepare a meal fora friend of mine. You shall have something in five minutes. Upon myword, Kobo San, I am glad to see you. I hoped you had got away safely,but the uncertainty--"
"You seem to know of my capture."
"Ah! The tables are turned this time. I am only sorry you didn't giveme the chance to rescue you. But come, let me take you to the ladies.They will be deli
ghted to see you."
"Pardon me, did you say Mrs. Pottle?"
"Yes; do you know her?"
"She is at present the subject of diplomatic correspondence between theUnited States and Japan," said Kobo, with a smile. "She is the widow ofMr. Isidore G. Pottle, I presume; I knew him."
"How strange! But come, you must be famished."
Kobo walked slowly down the incline. Bob noticed that he limped.
"Are you hurt, sir?" he asked.
"A slight touch in one foot."
"A sprain, perhaps. This is very rough walking."
"No, it was a Manchu bullet."
"Good heavens! You must be in terrible pain. Let me help you."
"It is nothing--a scratch."
But Bob knew from the manner in which he set his foot upon the groundthat the hurt was not so insignificant as Kobo would have him believe.Fortunately a few yards' walk brought them to the spot where the rest ofthe party had halted.
"Mrs. Pottle, let me introduce a friend of mine--Rokuro Kobo San."
Kobo bowed, and Mrs. Pottle, throwing a hasty glance over his costume,jumped to a conclusion, and said cordially:
"Very muchee gladee meetee you, sir."
"I am indeed honoured, madam," returned Kobo, bowing again ceremoniouslywith impassive face. Bob and Ethel had instinctively turned aside toconceal their amusement; and Mrs. Pottle, with a surprised and startledglance at the supposed Chinaman, began haltingly:
"I beg your pardon--but--"
"I am a Japanese, madam. I think I once met your esteemed husband, Mr.Isidore G. Pottle."
"Well!"
Mrs. Pottle was too much amazed for further words. To cover herembarrassment; she ordered Ah-Sam with a flourish of her umbrella tobring the food he had been preparing, and Kobo fell to with avidity,explaining that he had eaten nothing for nearly two days. When he hadsatisfied his hunger, explanations were exchanged. Kobo's story, toldin his quiet unemotional way, made a strong impression upon the ladies,Mrs. Pottle frequently exclaiming, "It's wonderful! It's wonderful!"
At Liao-yang, he explained, he had made a discovery that promised to beof great importance to his government. It was worth risking somethingto convey the news with all speed to General Kuroki, and he decided totake the shortest cut, the main road through Feng-huang-cheng,Kiu-lien-cheng, and Wiju, frequented though it was, trusting in hisdisguise as a Chinese merchant to escape detection. To guard againstaccident, he had sent his man Taru with an oral message by way ofYongampo, hoping that in any case he would succeed in crossing the Yalunear its mouth.
Provided with unexceptionable papers, he himself had journeyed withoutinterference until he had come some distance beyond Feng-huang-cheng.Then, however, he was overtaken by a party of two Cossacks and threeManchus, who stopped him and put him through a close interrogation. Oneof the Manchus caught him by the pigtail, and, being, dissatisfied withhis replies, gave that ornament a vicious tug. It came away in hishand. The Manchu's suspicions were redoubled, though it is not unusualfor a Chinaman whose locks are scanty to wear a false pigtail. Kobo wasmade prisoner, and carried with the party, who struck off eastward fromthe high-road into the hills. From scraps of their conversation hegathered that they had been sent to bring help to a Russian force, hecould not tell how large, which was bent on routing out a band ofChunchuses entrenched in a mountain fastness, but that they had beenunsuccessful in their errand, the Russians being unable to spare troopsfor the purpose. The men discussed among themselves the result of theirfailure. Clearly it would be necessary for the chief of the Manchus tosend for men from his own head-quarters three marches away, a coursewhich for some reason or other they supposed he would be reluctant toadopt. But Chang-Wo, as they named him, had sworn to exterminate thisparticular gang of bandits; they had for long been a thorn in his side;and he had now additional reasons for his venomous hatred of them, forthey had captured him and held him a prisoner until he escaped byslipping his bonds and killing a sentry.
Kobo was brought into the Russian and Manchu camp and carried before theofficer. Chang-Wo happened to be with them. He instantly recognizedthe Japanese he had so good reason for hating, and demanded that heshould be put to the torture. But on being asked for his reasons, hehad shown by his own admissions, reluctant as they were, that theprisoner was too important a man to be summarily dealt with; hisvindictive wishes had been overruled by the Cossack captain, whoresolved to carry the Japanese to Feng-huang-cheng as soon as theChunchuses were disposed of. In his eagerness to wreak vengeance on hisold enemy, Chang-Wo resolved to fetch reinforcements from his strongholdand hasten the final discomfiture of the Chunchuses, and set out thesame day.
"But how did you escape?" asked Bob. "I saw you tied to a tree."
"We had an agent in the Manchu camp," replied Kobo quietly. "He cut myropes after dark, and I slipped away. There was a commotion immediatelyafterwards; but it was dark, no one could find me."
Bob remembered the dead Manchu whom he had stumbled upon outside theRussian camp. Evidently this was Kobo's agent. He had met his deaththrough rescuing Kobo; and Kobo spoke coldly of a commotion!
After his escape, Kobo had pushed on eastward during the night, and atdawn was several miles from the scene. He continued his journey untilmid-day, and then had the ill-luck to be sighted by a band ofManchus--the men whom Chang-Wo himself was bringing towards the Russiancamp. Instantly the whole band of four hundred were at his heels. Forthree hours they chased him among the hills. Being mounted, sometimesthey had the advantage, at others their horses were only an encumbrance.But Kobo was faint with hunger and fatigue. They gained on him slowlybut surely. The nature of the country did not give him an opportunityof eluding them. More than once they could easily have shot him, andthat they did not do so indicated that Chang-Wo had ordered that heshould be taken alive, reserving for him, doubtless, a slower and morehorrible death. At last he was almost run down; Chang-Wo and half adozen men were but a short distance behind him, leading their horses upa rocky path too steep and rugged for them to ride. Kobo knew that assoon as they were able to remount he must be overtaken; capture seemedinevitable. He looked round anxiously, almost despairingly, for a meansof escape. On the far side of the ravine he was skirting he saw a rockyledge jutting out, approaching within a short distance of the path hewas travelling, then receding again. The sight was as a ray of hope.To leap across the chasm involved a terrible risk; the descent betweenledge and ledge was a sheer hundred feet, and if he missed his footinghe must be dashed to pieces. In a moment he took his resolution.Collecting his remaining strength he jumped. His feet lighted on theprojecting ledge. For an instant he swayed, and his life hung in thebalance--an inch forward, an inch backward, would mean life or death.The crisis was but momentary. He stumbled forward, he was safe.
Meanwhile the pursuers were hastening up the opposite path. They cameto the spot whence Kobo had made his desperate leap; and though Chang-Wostormed and cursed, not one of them would face the risk. To reach theirquarry in any other way would involve a long detour, meanwhile he everymoment increased his distance from them. Then Chang-Wo raised his rifleand fired. His shot struck Kobo in the foot.
At this point of the story Ethel rose quietly and slipped away.
In spite of the wound, Kobo had tramped on until dusk. He had had nofood, he had travelled almost without rest for a whole day and night,yet he could not afford to delay. Until he reached the Japanesehead-quarters he would be in constant danger; and it was a matter of themost urgent necessity that he should give to General Kuroki theinformation he had gained. He rested for a few hours, cold, hungry, inincreasing pain. He bandaged his injured foot as well as he could, thenwith morning light set off again.
"I count myself fortunate that I met you, Mr. Fawcett," he said. "Youcan perhaps assist me with a horse. I must press on, there is so muchrisk that my servant Taru will fail to get through."
There was no complaint--no further reference to his wound. He showe
d nocuriosity as to how Bob had known of his capture, nor as to the strangecompany in which he found him. His mind was entirely possessed byanxiety lest the news should not reach his general.
Unnoticed by Bob, Ethel had now returned, carrying a tin can belongingto Ah-Sam filled with water. She said a few words to Mrs. Pottle, andthat lady at once came forward.
"Now, sir, will you allow me to attend to your foot? You cannot go onlike that. Kindly take off your shoe."
Mrs. Pottle's manner was not to be denied. In a few minutes she haddeftly bandaged the wounded foot, winning a very courtly speech ofthanks. Then Kobo was given one of the led horses, and the whole partymoved forward, taking care to avoid the risk of being seen on theskyline. As they rode, Bob gave Kobo an account of his experiences sincethey had parted at the hut some ten days before, and Mrs. Pottle foundan opportunity not only to praise Bob's skill and resourcefulness, butalso to enquire into the circumstances in which Kobo San had met herlate husband, Mr. Isidore G. Pottle.
The course of the party was now due east, parallel with the Yalu.Sing-Cheng was anxious to strike the river at a ford known to him,several miles above Wiju. It was not likely to be held in strength bythe Russians unless the Japanese were close up to the river, whichseemed improbable. It might be guarded by a small detachment; in thatcase the whole party must be prepared to make a rush and take theirchance. In the evening they met two Manchu peasants, whom they eagerlyquestioned in the hope of obtaining definite information; but nothingcould be got from them. Kobo suggested that as a precaution it would beadvisable to keep these peasants with them. Accordingly they were forcedto accompany the party during the rest of their march.
At dark they encamped in the hills within about two miles of the ford.No fire was lighted, and the utmost silence was enjoined. Bob did whathe could for the comfort of the ladies, who showed wonderful pluck andspirit under the long strain they were enduring. Double guards wereposted to provide against the chance of surprise during the night. Therepose of the camp was undisturbed. Nevertheless Bob was very anxious.He walked restlessly around the camp, listening, peering, reflecting.Kobo insisted on taking his share of duty, allowing Bob to snatch alittle sleep. He too was restless, and appeared frequently to strainhis ears in the attitude of closest attention. Mrs. Pottle and Ethelslept soundly through the night--for the first time, they said, sincetheir flight from Mukden. The knowledge that Korea was now so near athand had given them renewed hope of at length reaching safety, and,great as was their confidence in Bob, they seemed to have gainedadditional assurance from the presence of Kobo, whom Ethel in particularlooked at with admiration and awe.
During those hours of darkness, in a depression of the hills little morethan a mile away, lay Chang-Wo, with four hundred of his Manchu braves.Only the accident of a convenient camping-ground had led him to haltjust in time to miss discovering the fugitives' camp. Even now anincautious shout, a flicker of light, an accidental shot sounding in thestill air of these mountain solitudes, would bring him down upon hisquarry like a beast of prey. Neither Bob nor Kobo so much as suspectedthe proximity of this ruthless foe; yet his presence was reflected intheir strange uneasiness.
In the dark hours before dawn, Bob and Kobo discussed the situation withthe brigand chief. All were agreed that if the ford was to be rushed itmust be as soon as day broke. About an hour before sunrise, therefore,the camp was roused in complete silence, and the party moved cautiouslytowards the Yalu. The same order of march was observed as had heldsince their departure from the gully, except that Bob and Ah-Sam nowrode in front with Sing-Cheng, leaving the ladies in Kobo's care. Forhalf an hour they marched on; then Bob, whose anxiety increased as theydrew nearer to the river, suggested that two or three should go forwardon foot in advance of the rest, to make sure that the coast was clear.On second thoughts he decided to go himself in company with Ah-Sam andthe chief. He informed Kobo of his intention. The Japanese at onceassented, and said that he would halt the party until Bob returned.
The three then stole forward. The sky to their left was just faintlyalit with the dawn when they heard the rush of water before them.Following the track which the chief knew well, they came at length tothe river, at a point about half a mile below the ford. There was notyet light enough to reconnoitre farther without danger; they thereforetook shelter behind a clump of bush and waited for a few minutes. Thenthey went forward again, with still greater caution, all their facultiesalert.
Almost immediately an alarming surprise broke upon them. A few yardsbeneath them they saw a Russian outpost. A little farther on, encampednear the bank of the river, was a large Russian force, consistingchiefly of cavalry, but including several infantry regiments, and astill larger force occupied the farther bank. Nothing but the fact thatthe Russians feared no enemy behind them had saved Bob's party fromfalling into their hands. Even now it was only too clear that thefugitives' case was desperate. It was hopeless to attempt the ford.With some thousands of Russians on each side of the river, scoutingparties would doubtless be out in all directions. The presence ofRussians in such force seemed to indicate that they were being drivenacross the Yalu by the advance of the Japanese, so that it would beimpossible to get over the river lower down. On the high road throughWiju, moreover, the main body of the Russian army was probably in fullretreat. Russians would be swarming in all directions. What was to bedone? The chief looked at Bob with dismay. Had they come so far onlyto be captured after all?
"Let us go back to the others," said Bob quietly.
Kobo received the bad news with the calmness that characterized him. Heput a few sharp questions to Sing-Cheng, then turning to Bob said:
"There is another ford, he says, higher up the river. He knows the pathto it. It is difficult, more precipitous even than the one by which wehave come. But we must take the risk. I advise, however, that theladies should go forward under escort, and claim the protection of theRussians. Among so large a force they would enjoy a security that couldnot be expected in the case of the small party with Chang-Wo's band."
Bob looked round. The ladies were at a little distance. Both showedsigns of the hardships they had recently endured. Mrs. Pottle wasthinner; her cheeks were lined and careworn; the aggressiveness of herattitude had quite disappeared. Her niece was not so much altered; butBob had noticed with anxiety the growing paleness of her fair cheeks,the strained look in her eyes. He went up to the two, and in a fewwords explained the difficulties of the situation, concluding with therecommendation that they should follow Kobo's advice. For a few momentsMrs. Pottle wavered; she looked at Ethel with a tremulousness all themore pathetic because so foreign to her.
"Auntie," said Ethel, "I think we ought to remain with Mr. Fawcett. Iam sure we shall get through. We are nearly there. What a pity to giveup at the last!"
"Yes," returned the elder lady emphatically, "you are right. It is goodof you, Mr. Fawcett, but we cannot hear of it. We won't be bundled overto the Russians. We are ready to go with you: when will you start?"
Kobo: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War Page 19