Only to-night we were nearer,so that the noise
flooded up oppressively and filled our ears. We turned,feeling sick, to go away, but
Enver, his head on one side, listening,halted us.
Of course, all thiswas just a game, and the capture
of the station not in our plan.
Nuri Said offered to take the place by main
force.
Unfortunately the two escaped machines had had time
to go to Deraa, andreturn, feeling spiteful. He signed to two of his bravo aides,
and throwing open the furnacedoor, said, Tush him in.
We doubled our speed, and broke into a
raggedprocession of very open order.
Theexplosion was numbing from my twenty yards, and
must have been heardhalf-way to Damascus.
Mahmud came back in half an hour triumphantly
leading the lost unit. However we reached Umtaiyewell and reported success to
Joyce.
Fortunately my guards were aching for redeeming
service. If we were to remain in Umtaiye, Taiyibe must becontent with us. Shells
began to keep accurate pacewith our line of march. Hardly were we still when
visitors came streaming in fromthree sides to discuss the latest
events.
We moved at sunsetto an open valley, three easy
miles from the railway.
There were Feisal and Nuri Shaalan, eager to hear
our news.
Three of us went foot by foot down the slippery
hillsidetill we could hear voices.
Hardly were we still when visitors came streaming
in fromthree sides to discuss the latest events.
After a long while a lighter speck came through the
dark.
So the Turks found hardly any one to
kill.
Before dawn Pisanis other guns and the rest of Nuri
Saids troopsarrived from Tell Arar.
They were glad, though astonished, to meet friends.
At last it seemed wiserto run, since Sheikh Saad was a more profitable stop-block.
Some mounted men galloped headlong past us, southward.
We rode down the ridge to its furthest edge, to
have a closelook at the bridge.
Hemight be back by noon, and the Handley come at
three oclock. Had I been a regular officer I might have found Sabins upsetting
theothers irregular. Just then two more enemy machines appeared and landed in
aboutthe same place. At Um el Surab we found that Nasir wished to fixcamp once more
at Umtaiye. CHAPTER CXVINasir, Nuri Shaalan and Talal had overshot us in the dark.
Our woollen cloaks got stiff andheavy with the mist, and we shivered.
Ghurkas and Egyptians I turned back to rejoin
thearmy, for new demolitions in the north.