A grave or a field altar? Get to it, see whats going on there.
Podkovin, with a horse, approached a group of officers and, stopping five steps away from them, shifted from foot to foot.
The officers talked among themselves and did not pay attention to him.
Your Honor
you what? wearily asked Podkovina captain with glasses.
Allow me to crawl to that tubercle. From there you can well consider them.
The officers looked at each other.
Do you want to crawl under the bullets?
The Japanese are far away, they will not see beyond the hill.
Go. Just what are you without binoculars? Take the binoculars, and the captain, smiling, gave the Podkovin his binoculars. And give the horse to our messenger.
Climbing crawling on a mound, Podkovin froze. A battery galloped right through the trough to the right.
One, two, three, four, he gasped. Ten guns! But the infantry!.. The white horse on the knoll on the left What is the distance? Perhaps five miles away. That would be to move them now. See ours or not?
Podkovin looked back. The battery was half a verst. Our observers were to the right, but the toe should hide the movement of the Japanese from them. It was quite clear that the Japanese were moving significant parts to the south while evading combat.
Podkovin went down. The general stood, surrounded by officers, at the bottom of the ravine.
Well? turned to Podkovin Fock.
The enemy moves to the south, Your Excellency. I counted ten guns, followed by infantry. Rotami. I missed five groups. I saw a man on a white horse.
Well, now what are you going to do? The general grinned. Would you shoot from your guns?
Podkovin caught the irony in the voice of the general, but you need to answer. So they taught: not to leave a single question to the authorities without an answer.
First move to the spur of Samson. There is no safe position. In the evening, it is light to determine the place for the battery. At night, hunting teams grope the enemy. The battery cocked to stay at night somewhat away from the selected position.
What is this for?
The first shots from two guns. The enemy will pay attention to them. Show himself. Then, from the other position, the other six suddenly shoot.
Fock thought. Podkovin turned his eyes to the officers. The captain, putting forward his right leg and gazing at him closely, spoke to the lieutenant standing next to him.
To be immediate, thats whats important sometimes. The gunner in this case was guided by logic. He was not trained in tactics, but he feels it with his whole being War descriptors are often surprised at the actions of the soldiers left to themselves It is noticed that Fock often addresses the soldiers with big questions. Clever!..
The general seemed to wake up.
So, brother, go back to Colonel Laperov and tell him what you saw and heard, but keep quiet about your projects. And tell him: General Fok ordered his battery to return to the village of Shimnzy. Got it?
2
Our infantry detachments more and more often clashed with the Japanese. Once Konevyazov and Podkovin returned with a dangerous foraging. Seeing the Chinese on the road ahead, Orlovets started.
Is he! Old friend! Listen, Podkovin, it seems to me this is a Japanese. We will grab it. In Russian speaks no worse than we are with you Do everything I say.
The traveler walked calmly.
Is he! jerking the sleeve of a shoe, Orlovets said. Stop the horse. Prepare a revolver.
Chinese began to bypass the wagon loaded with dry Gaolian.
Hello my friend! What, did not know?
My butunda, my own fanza, go, said the visitor in a shaky voice.
Drop pretend. Yes, its me.Remember, the ancestors talked about?
Yes, captain, as if reborn, the Chinese nodded with a smile and grabbed the orlovtsa by the arm.
Come with us. You treasure for the authorities.
Goodbye, please. I can not. Im in a hurry to go home. Wife is worried. The time is now alarming.
Nothing. Not for long. To the big captain we will go. He will pay you a lot of money. You will ride a foraging with us.
Yes, I can not! with anger exclaimed Chinese, but the soldiers, not listening, put him on the gig. The Chinese immediately calmed down and smiled and said: Lets go. Very nice to see the Russian captain.
The Fox, Orlovets thought.
At Shimenza Podkovin, Orlovets and their unwilling companion saw the shooters surrounded by a crowd of women, children and the elderly. The soldiers led the Chinese with their hands tied back. Orlovets recognized the host fanza.
Brothers, whats the matter?
Spy caught. He lived and lived among Russians in Nangualine; and when the Japanese came close, he leaned on their side with the whole family. Now the court was, and now we are shooting.
Wait! gasping, said orlovets. Where is the officer? Who is your senior?
Elder and Orlovets moved aside.
The real spy is sitting on our gig. Tie his hands, so that the convict with his eyes did not meet. Wait a minute here, and Ill run down the officers.
Ten minutes later, Konevyazov returned with the commander of the hunting team.
It was me, your excellency, who seduced me to go. And another came as a translator. Then right away I didnt get lost, but then he fell into our hands at just the right moment.
Orlovets, stammering, told about the first meeting with the pale-faced Chinese who speak Russian fluently.
You said so: the roof of the ancestors is the sky? Well done, praised the staff captain. But another time, look, do not let go of reasoning.
The commander of the hunting team, having examined the Chinese translator, said:
A rare figure Senior, come here!
The crowd of villagers grew. Day sloped in the evening. The cries of women and the crying of children were heard.
Under the reinforced escort take to the headquarters of the Chinese, caught gunners. Tell me there that he speaks Russian well and that my report about him will be in an hour. And that convict to keep under protection until tomorrow, until the new order.
Chapter eleven
one
On the second of May evening, Podkovin realized that preparations were being made for the first skirmish with the Japanese on the Liaodong Peninsula. After the trip with the general, he was very excited. The second battery is located at the bottom of Mount Samson, but the third battery and the battery of Second Lieutenant Sadykov, composed of piston guns and moving on the bulls bull battery, as its soldiers called, moved closer to the enemy.
Early in the morning of the third of May, Fock, driving around the locations of the units, met with General Nadein.