Not more than an hour and a half after Ranjoor Singh had ridden off our carts were squeaking and bumping along behind us.

And within an hour after that we were in action! Aye, sahib, I should say it was less than an hour after the start when I halted to serve out ten cartridges apiece to the Syrians, that Tugendheim might blood them and get himself into deeper water at the same time.

He was angry that I would not give him more cartridges, but I told him his men would waste those few, so why should I not be frugal?
When the time came I don't think the Syrians hit anything, but they filled a gap and served a double purpose; for after Tugendheim had let them blaze away those ten rounds a piece there was less fear than ever of his daring to attempt escape.

Thenceforward his prospects and ours were one.

But my tale goes faster than the column did, that could travel no faster than the slowest man and the weakest mule.
We were far in among the hills now--little low hills with broad open spaces between, in which thousands of cattle could have grazed.