All present, sir, cept for Chapman, sir. Es sprained is ankle, or e says e as, sir. Left im beind back there, sir.
Let your men rest, Captain Whiting, said Bush.
Life in the confines of a ship of the line was no sort of training for climbing cliffs in the tropics, especially as the day before had been exhausting. The marines lay down, some of them with groans of relief which drew the unmistakable reproof of savage kicks from the sergeants toe.
Were on the crest here, sir, said Hornblower. You can see over into the bay from that side there.
Three miles from the fort, dye think?
Bush did not mean to ask a question, for he was in command, but Hornblower was so ready with his report that Bush could not help doing so.
Perhaps. Less than four, anyway, sir. Dawn in four hours from now, and the moon rises in half an hour.
Yes.
Theres some sort of track or path along the crest, sir, as youd expect. It should lead to the fort.
Yes.
Hornblower was a good subordinate, clearly. Bush realised now that there would naturally be a track along the crest of the peninsulathat would be the obvious thingbut the probability had not occurred to him until that moment.
If you will permit me, sir, went on Hornblower, Ill leave James in command of my party and push on ahead with Saddler and Wellard and see how the land lies.
Very good, Mr. Hornblower.
Yet no sooner had Hornblower left than Bush felt a vague irritation. It seemed that Hornblower was taking too much on himself. Bush was not a man who would tolerate any infringement upon his authority. However, Bush was distracted from this train of thought by the arrival of the second division of seamen, who came sweating and gasping up to join the main body. With the memory of his own weariness when he arrived still fresh in his mind Bush allowed them a rest period before he should push on with his united force. Even in the darkness a cloud of insects had discovered the sweating force, and a host of them sang round Bushs ears and bit him viciously at every opportunity. The crew of the Renown had been long at sea and were tender and desirable in consequence. Bush slapped at himself and swore, and every man in his command did the same.
Mr. Bush, sir?
It was Hornblower back again.
Yes?
Its a definite trail, sir. It crosses a gully just ahead, but its not a serious obstacle.
Thank you, Mr. Hornblower. Well move forward. Start with your division, if you please.
Aye aye, sir.
The advance began. The domed limestone top of the peninsula was covered with long grass, interspersed with occasional trees. Off the track walking was a little difficult on account of the toughness and irregularity of the bunches of high grass, but on the track it was comparatively easy. The men could move
along it in something like a solid body, well closed up. Their eyes, thoroughly accustomed to the darkness, could see in the starlight enough to enable them to pick their way. The gully that Hornblower had reported was only a shallow depression with easily sloping sides and presented no difficulty.
Bush plodded on at the head of the marines with Whiting at his side, the darkness all about him like a warm blanket. There was a kind of dreamlike quality about the march, induced perhaps by the fact that Bush had not slept for twentyfour hours and was stupid with the fatigues he had undergone during that period. The path was ascending gentlynaturally, of course, since it was rising to the highest part of the peninsula where the fort was sited.
Ah! said Whiting suddenly.
The path had wandered to the right, away from the sea and towards the bay, and now they had crossed the backbone of the peninsula and opened up the view over the bay. On their right they could see clear down the bay to the sea, and there it was not quite dark, for above the horizon a little moonlight was struggling through the clouds that lay at the lower edge of the sky.
Mr. Bush, sir?
This was Wellard, his voice more under command this time.
Here I am.
Mr. Hornblower sent me back again, sir. Theres another gully ahead, crossing the path. An weve come across some cattle, sir. Asleep on the hill. We disturbed em, and theyre wandering about.
Thank you, I understand, said Bush.
Bush had the lowest opinion of the ordinary man and the subordinary man who constituted the great bulk of his command. He knew perfectly well that if they were to blunder into cattle along this path they would think they were meeting the enemy. There would be excitement and noise, even if there was no shooting.
Tell Mr. Hornblower I am going to halt for fifteen minutes.
Aye aye, sir.
A rest and opportunity to close up the column were desirable for the weary men in any case, as long as there was time to spare. And during the rest the men could be personally and individually warned about the possibility of encountering cattle. Bush knew that merely to pass the word back down the column would be unsatisfactory, actually unsafe, with these tired and slowwitted men. He gave the order and the column came to a halt, of course with sleepy men bumping into the men in front of them with a clatter and a murmur thee the whispered curses of the petty officers with difficulty suppressed. While the warning was being circulated among the men lying in the grass another trouble was reported to Bush by a petty officer.