by Brian Smith
and he sent the faster units ahead in a wide circling movement to cut off the enemy’s retreat. Travelling in broad daylight and throwing up enormous clouds of dust meant the enemy had seen them coming from far away. The enemy troops were outnumbered so their commander decided to make a stand on a rocky hill. This put the raja’s army at a disadvantage as they had to go uphill against the enemy and they couldn’t bring their cannons and cavalry along.
The opening shots of the battle were fired by cannons standing at the foot of the hill. Then the infantry charged uphill. It was hard work going up the steep slope and the enemy used their position well to fire on the raja’s advancing troops.
Edward, Anthony and Geetu watched the battle rage for several hours. Again and again the soldiers charged up the hill but were beaten back. The enemy had chosen their position very well.
Colonel Thompson realized this as well and decided on a change of tactics. He ordered the withdrawal of the cavalry. The troops began to move slowly at first and then faster. Seeing their comrades leave, the infantry ran down the hill fearing to be abandoned. When the enemy saw this a loud cheer rang out and they charged downhill to attack the raja’s fleeing troops. The raja’s infantry reached the bottom of the hill and streamed across the open ground below. It was a wide open field between the hill on one side and the jungle on the other. When the enemy had come halfway across the field Colonel Thompson gave a brisk order. It was the moment he had waited for. His cavalry units of horses, camels and elephants broke out of cover in the jungle and rode against the enemy.
The battle was fierce
“Hurrah and huzzah the men shouted as they charged with their swords drawn. Among them were Geetu and the two brothers. But before they reached the enemy line disaster struck. Their camel was shot and dropped to the ground below them. They were thrown down and lost their helmets but were unhurt. Picking up their swords they were about to run against the enemy lines when enemy cavalry rode against them. There were three men on horseback with their lances pointing at Anthony who stood helpless against the riders with his sword. Without his helmet on Colonel Thompson recognized Anthony and rode across the field to save the boy. Nearer and nearer the enemy came to Anthony.
“Run!” Edward cried.
Anthony turned and fled but it was too late. How could a boy outrun a horseman? The soldier caught up with Anthony, only a few more feet, then at the last moment Colonel Thompson crashed into the enemy rider and flung him off the horse. Anthony was saved! And yet two enemy horsemen remained. Colonel Thompson had lost his lance in the attack. He drew his long cavalry sword to face the riders. The three children stood together and followed Colonel Thompson to help him. The colonel clashed with one rider and the three children brought him down as he passed the colonel. At that very same moment the third rider struck at Colonel Thompson and wounded him badly in the back. He fell off his horse and lay on the ground unconscious. The children rushed to him to protect him from the last horseman. There was no need. More soldiers of the colonel’s regiment came and the danger was over.
The enemy was decidedly beaten and none of them escaped. The raja’s army took many prisoners and then set out to return to the palace. Mowgli was delighted to return to his beloved jungle. Only Geetu, Edward and Anthony were upset, Geetu especially was desperately unhappy as they accompanied the cart that took the wounded colonel back.
“It’s all my fault,” Geetu cried. The colonel is hurt because I put us in danger.
And it was true. There was nothing anyone could say. When the raja was informed about the children being in the battle he was furious again, but when he heard how the colonel had saved their lives and then saw them walking beside the colonel’s cart and crying he decided to say nothing.
Several hours later they were back at the palace. Colonel Thompson was lying in a hospital bed with the children standing beside him. The doctor finished examining the colonel and left the room. The raja was waiting outside and looked questioningly at the doctor. The doctor paused briefly and just shook his head. There was nothing he could do.
In the room Geetu was holding the colonel’s hand. He smiled weakly and said “Sing for me, lass. You know the song.”
Geetu took a deep breath and started singing.
“Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne.”
The colonel closed his eyes in peace.
The next day the sad children walked behind his coffin to the funeral. This is the price of all wars.
8
When he saw how distraught the children were at the good colonel’s funeral the raja thought it was enough punishment. He allowed them to roam free in the palace, but he had the secret passage to the fort sealed up so they wouldn’t be able to sneak out again. This was a serious problem for the boys who needed Geetu’s help to find Mowgli. And it was upsetting for Geetu who was determined to join the boys on some of their adventures. They hung about the palace for several days and noticed that wherever they went they were kept under close watch by the raja’s men. It was impossible to do anything in secret, let alone leave the palace.
What could they do?
Edward had an idea.
“I think,” he said about a fortnight after the colonel’s funeral, “that those people are mainly guarding you, Geetu.
“So what’s your point?” she asked.
“My point is that if you and Anthony go and do something in one part of the palace no one would watch me and I would be free.”
They pondered this thought for a few minutes.
“So what would you do if no one watched you?” Anthony asked.
“I’ve already thought about that,” Edward said. “What we need is a way out that isn’t being watched because everyone thinks it’s impossible to get out of here.”
“So what do you want to do, dig a tunnel?”
“Not quite,” Edward grinned, “only open up the one we already have.”
“You mean the one to the fort?” Geetu asked.
“Yes, of course. The tunnel’s still there. Only the entrance is walled up so nobody will be watching it. All I need are the right tools and the time to work alone. Then I can break down the wall.”
Geetu jumped up happily and clapped her hands.
“Splendid,” she cried. “We’ll outwit my dad. Oh, thank you Edward for such a wonderful idea,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. “We’ll be going on a pukka adventure,” she said happily and clapped her hands while Edward was feeling a little embarrassed.
“Now let’s see, Anthony,” she said. “What can we do to distract all our guards?”
“How about playing hide and seek?” Anthony suggested. “We’ll play in a part of the palace that's far away from the tunnel entrance so all the guards will follow us. But because we’re hiding they won’t see us all at the same time, so Edward can sneak off. And while we’re playing Edward can break down the wall.”
Geetu jumped with excitement.
“I’ll still need some tools,” Edward said.
“Not to worry,” Geetu smiled. “I know where we can get a hammer and chisel and other tools. There are many down in the cellar.”
Their plan worked perfectly and while Anthony and Geetu were pretending to play, Edward had little difficulty in making a hole in the brick wall that blocked the entrance to the tunnel. He swung the hammer hard and drove the chisel deep into the masonry. In less than half an hour he had made a hole that was big enough for them to climb through.
When he finished he stepped back to look at the whole.
“By Jove,” he said copying Colonel Thompson. “Won’t the raja be furious when he learns about our escape through the tunnel for the second time.”
The children decided to
act quickly in case someone discovered the hole by chance. Geetu gathered some supplies and late at night when everyone thought they were sleeping the children crept through the dark palace down to the tunnel. It was spooky in the dark but Geetu knew the way well and they reached the tunnel without incident.
Five hours later the children entered the jungle where Mowgli, Shere Khan the tiger and all the other animals lived. They still remembered the terrible days when evil men had hunted them all and they were glad that peace and quiet had returned to the jungle.