The times., 1898-05-08

no good at that. and his folks turned
him out of doors: and then how he
lived till he Joined the Fifty-third Tn
blessed if L know. He hadn't enough
food as youngster. At least, 1t look
ed like that.
He and l were among the skirmish-
ers. L don't think there was much
chance of being picked up quicker
than the others; but Jenkins hand was
so shaky he couldn't stick q cartridge
in his rifle
When L tried to dodge a cartridge
some sand blew in and it jammed.
That's the sort of thing that worries a
man when fighting.
how those blacks pelted us, We all
began grumbling at not firing back
Don't waste anything!" the colonel
yelled above the noise Don't throw
anything away. Don't shoot till you
see the white in their eyes. Then let
N to them!''
The air was suffocating. a hot reek
seemed to hang over US, and 1 began
to feel sick. / felt like tumbling when
fellows cheek was slit down as with
a saber
There was an awful row among the
men with the machine guns. Go on,
pull up there" and down came the
thong on the mule, which would
spring forward. Hold hard. you
fool; do you want to break the
square," and then the mules head
would be ierked.
Fletcher whined little Jenkins, "if
l should be killed you might-might
let my gal know. She's "a slavey,
as lives in-Almighty"
A bullet crashed through his helmet
and went into a mans shoulder be-
hind. jenkins staggered as though he
had been hit
That's a pretty narrow squeak It's
a good job you're a little un," l said,
trying to laugh.
Jenkins did laugh, but rather
strangely.
That's your first taste of war" 1
added. "It'H put life into you like a
gill of rum. You'll be all right when
you get up to the blacks. You won't
have time to funk it, You'll have to
fight like the very devil. Buck up"
He laughed again. And l don't think
he trembled quite so much.
How terribly slow our advance was,
1t was a crawl. We We're huddled to-
gether, first swaying this way, then
that We were tired, dirty and be-
draggled. We didn't seem to be taking
much notice of the enemy We were
tongues. There was the rattle of gun
carriages and the click of the rifles
The baggage in the center of tbs
square was constantly getting into a
hopeless muddIe, and the officers were
fuming. And then the ambulance men
got in the way, and all was confusion,
and men dropping wounded. The
banging Of the guns up the rocks was
almost lost in the din.
"Skirmishers out" the order was Civ
en-, and away a lot of US dashed to
the front.
That's enough; that's enough,
Come back, a lot of you"
Only a few of the men went back.
The rest started off at the double
quick. We We're glad of a bit of ell
bow room and a bit of excitement
Painting and exhausted. we pushed
on. The sand threw up the hot glare
of the sun into our faces. | shut my
eyes, for the pain was terrible.
One of the men shouted "Hurrah."
We thought him a laundering idiot
wasting his breath.
Held up a Bit" shrieked the Off
Ger who came with us.
We were about 500 PAGES in front of
the square, and We could hear the
hoarse commands, the mad clatter.
TIC StlteiliAiLIS NcllticISt anu away III
front of us arose the yells of the fa-
natical Soudanese calling on Allah to
help in the staying of the infdels.
There was q strange stiffness where
we were, and the singing of the enc
my, and the shouting OF our men, and
the pinging of the guns up the rocks,
only marked the stiffness
1 could hear the hard breathing of
little Jenkins, who was not more
than five PAGES from me.
Blown" l asked
Rather" he answered. II wish
those beggars would come out and let
Us ave a pop at en-
l looked at him. He was sprawling
IN his stomach in the sand. and hold
ing his hand over his breech. His
eyes We're flaming and his nostrils
wide with excitem@nt.
He had caught the war fever. l had
been wondering if he would.
Frightened of being killed, Jen-
kins?" / asked.
Killed be -"
His little body was shaking with
"a ageruess. He was full of fight His
breathing was quick, not so much be-
,ause OF the exertion as thirst to come
up with the blacks.
Fletcher" said the officer to me,
I want you to go with six men along
o that first lump of ruck; get up on
I and see how the enemy are lying"
Yes, sir"
And if they're a good way off wait
i'll we come up; but if you're within |
'ange. double back"
Yes, sir
Take me with you. Fletcher. said |
when l was looking down the |
inc.
took three of the men on each
iide.
The chief thing was to keep low and !
lot offer too great a target. From the |
,ther great powders that blocked the |
way to the enemy. They Were draw
ng US on, evidently, for once the main |
BODY was among the rocks. it would !
le impossible 10 keep the square |
Iowever, that wasn't my lockout
All the skirmishers started off |
again; but when we got about 800 |
)aces from the rock the majority |
quatted with ready rifle to cover the |
even of us who went
Ii wasn't so easy edging forward |
'he sand was as soft as powder, and |
IS hot as fire Somehow, although l |
oosened every button ] could. my |
lothes were oppressively tight l |
wore at DeIiS sent On 10 Ieel the
way. There isn't glory about it; only
he chance of being killed a little ear
er The blood in my head was beat
ng like a pump and my tongue was
$ hard and as dry as leather. The
ne thing in all the world | then want
d was a good gulp at quart of beer
Some of the blacks up the rocks un-
erstood what We We're up to, and we
ould see them jumping and dashing !
own to the main body to give warn
ng.
Shall I have a pop at them?" ask
d Jenkins, whose fingers were play
ng ncryously with the trigger.
NO, you fool keep quiet" | bawled.
He lost all feeling of thirst and wea-
mess. | have seen men like him be- |