'Where did you get the clothes?' Drummond asked.
'One of the tracks was carrying general equipment for the army, sahib. There is still some left although we unloaded most of it back there on the road to make room for the women and children.'
'Women and children?'
'Refugees we found on the road. We could not leave them for the Chinese.'
Tell Corporal Nadin to bring me a map,' Sher Dil said.
They squatted on the verandah of the nearest house to drink their tea and Nadin, a thin, sinewy Indian with a brown face and long black moustache, brought the map.
Sher Dil unfolded if Three hundred mfles to the Indian border and one road out-this one. The usual way to cross the river with transport was by the ferry at Quala, but according to Father Kerrigan, the villagers have burned it'
'It might be possible to cross in the shallows at Kama,' Drummond said. 'Especially with half-tracks, and they've got those.'
'Do you think they'll try?' Father Kerrigan said.
Hamid nodded. Tm afraid so. They want the young Khan, Cheung made that quite plain. A puppet to sit on the throne of Balpur, a mouthpiece for the People's Republic. As Sher Dil says, there's only one road out. They're certain to follow.'
Then we must keep moving. We have a good lead.'
'Only for a time.. Sher Dil ran his finger along the course of the river. 'Here, seventy miles south of Sadar is a village called Huma. IT the Chinese get their hands on the boats there, they can put men across..
'But not vehicles.'
That is true, but see how the river swings to follow the valley. They would be no more than ten to fifteen miles from the road, no distance for active, well-trained troops.'
'So you think they may try to cut the road ahead of us?' Drummond said.
Hamid shrugged. 'I don't know who their commanding officer is, but thaf s what I'd do if I was in his place.'
Then the sooner we're on the move, the better.'
Sher DH looked up at the leaden sky. 'About two hours of daylight left We can go a long way in that time.'
.You don't think ws should push oa through the night?'
'On this road?. Hamid laughed harshly. 'It would be suicide in vehicles like these. Much better to camp at a suitable spot and move on at first light The Chinese won't have anyone across the river yet, there hasn't been enough time. We'll have a good start on them.'
Sher Dil got to his feet and turned to Corporal Nadin. "What about petrol?'
There is plenty, Colonel, enough for all the trucks.'
.Why not dump two and push on in the others?. Drummond said. 'Plenty of room for all of us if we unload.'
Sher Dil laughed and made a sweeping gesture that took in all four of the Bedfords. 'Look at them. Twenty years old if they're a day. They've been running since the Burma campaign and it shows.' He turned to Nadin. 'How often do they break down?'
The corporal shrugged. 'All the time, Colonel First one thing and then another.'
That settles it We push on with all four. If one breaks down, we still have three left and so on. One of the damned things is bound to last out to the border. In any case, the ammunition they carry may prove useful.
The three privates had been standing in a little group a yard or two away listening to this conversation and as Corporal Nadin turned to move away, one of them grabbed his sleeve and muttered something quickly.
Sher Dil frowned and stepped down into the mud..What's going on?'
Nadin turned, indecision on his face. Two of the men, sir, Piroo and Yussuf. They are local men. Their wives are in Sadar. They would rather stay. They do not wish to return to India.'
Only the rush of the rain and the rattle of water in the stream bed on the other side of the village disturbed the silence after he had finished speaking.
Father Kerrigan looked worried and Hamid was quite composed, ready for anything. When Drummond glanced quickly at Sher Dil, the colonel's face had turned pale with anger and lie eyes blazed fire.
'For a soldier who disobeys an order in the face of the enemy, there can be only one punishment' He un-slung the old Lee Enfield rifle and rammed home a round, the bolt making an audible click. 'Is that understood?'
The two men in question looked scared to death. Sher Dil slung the rifle over his shoulder again. 'Right, Corporal Nadin. Prepare to move out.
Nadin and the three privates hurried away and Father Kerrigan heaved a sigh of relief. 'You almost frightened me.'
'A bad business/ Hamid said. 'Once it starts, you can never tell where it's going to end.'
Sher Dil nodded. 'We've wasted enough time. Get what you need in the way of arms and so on and we'll move out.
The refugees, a dozen women and five children, huddled together in the shadows at the back of the truck, clutching the pathetic bundles which contained theur worldly possessions.
They sat there patiently, watching with no visible emotion as Drummond and Haraid looked through what was left of the general equipment the truck had been carrying. They found quilted parkas similar to the one Ahmed was wearing and Drummond discarded his Hying boots, still saturated from their immersion in the river, and helped himself to a pair of heavy mountain warfare combat boots. He pulled on waterproof mittens and jumped to the ground.
Hamid was at the second truck with Sher DflL The colonel had discovered a case of sub-machine guns aad had broken it open.
These are very good,8 he said with a grin. 'A gift from Moscow. One of the happier results of adopting a policy of strict neutrality.'
He prised open a box of ammunition and another of grenades and turned as Corporal Nadin approached. 'Bring the others, I'm going to issue automatic Weapons..
Nadin called and a moment later, Ahmed and the third driver, a tall Bengali named Amal, hurried out of the mist
Tussuf and Rroo - where are they?.
The two men glanced at each other uncertainly and Nadin ran along the line of trucks. He was back in a moment. They have gone, Colonel.'
Sher Dil grabbed Ahmed by the front of Ms parka. 'Did you see them go, you rogue?'
Ahmed raised his hands, palms outwards. 'On my father's grave, Colonel. They were here only five minutes ago. I was talking to them.'
'What about?'
They were very angry with the Colonel. They said that the Chinese would catch us all. That we would never reach India.' He shrugged. They didn't want to stay.'
Sher Dil cursed and Hamid shook his head..We're better off without them. There's no problem. We've enough drivers between us. I can take a truck myself..
Sher Dil nodded. 'Very well. Til go first with Corporal Nadin. You follow in the supplies truck, Major. Father Kerrigan, Miss Tate and the young Khan can travel with you.'
'What about me?. Drummond said.
"You can bring up the rear with Ahmed. Mr. Brack-enhurst can travel with Amal in the third truck with the refugees. As soon as everyone's in, we'll move out.
As they broke away, Drummond heard his name and saw Janet leaning over the tailboard of the second truck.
He climbed up beside her quickly. 'Anything wrong?'
'No, what's been happening?'
'A couple of drivers have deserted, but. there's nothing to worry about. How's Kerfm?.
'Asleep at the moment We've made him as comfortable as possible.'
Boxes had been moved away from title far end creating an alcove in which the young Khan lay covered with blankets, his face very pale against the white bandage. Janet leaned down to straighten a blanket and when she stood up again, Drummond took her hands.
'Are you worried?.
She shook her head. 'Nothing's really sunk in yet I can't quite believe it's happening..
His hands tightened, pulling her dose and he kissed her. "Not even this?.
She looked up at him, her eyes dark and serious, and then she smiled and touched his face gently. She didn't speak, there was no need and they kissed again.
Til see you later,' he said and left her there.
When he vaulted over the tailboard, Father Kerrigan was standing in the rain, a long cheroot jutting from his teeth beneath the shovel hat
'And would it be all right if I got ia now?. he demanded.
Drummond grinned and gave him a push up over the tailboard. 'Where did you get the smokes?'
'See Ahmed. He's been foraging amongst the supplies again.'
Drummond trudged through the mud to the rear truck. When he climbed up into the cab, he found Ahmed sitting behind the wheel wreathed in tobacco smoke.
The Afrldi grinned and took a carton from the dashboard. 'Cheroots, sahib, very strong. Specially mads for Indian Army.'
The way I feel, I could smoke any damned thing,' Drummond said.
He lit one, coughing as the smoke caught at the back of Ms throat, the door was pulled open and Slier Dil appeared.
The next village is Hasa which Is a good ninety miles further on.'
We haven't a hope of getting that far before darkness in weather like this,' Drummond said.
Sher Dil nodded. 'If we can make forty miles TH be satisfied. We'll camp at the side of the road and push on at dawn.'
He slammed the door, and Ahmed pressed the starter. After several moments and a liberal use of the choke, the engine rumbled into life. The truck in front of them lurched forward and he eased off the handbrake and followed.
There was a warm smell of petrol and oil in the cab and rain splashed against the windscreen. Suddenly, Drummond had that same feeling of temporary security and safety he'd known in the herdsman's hut after they'd got across the river. He leaned back in his seat, laid the sub-machine gun across his knees and started to clean the grease from it with a piece of rag.
As the sound of the track engines faded into the mist and rain, Piroo and Yussuf scrambled up from the stream bed and stood in the rain listening.
As the last echo died away, Piroo nodded in satisfaction. 'Good, they have gone. Sher Dil was very angry.'
'No matter,' Yussuf replied. 'His day is done.. He looked up at the smoke rising from the headman's house. There is still a fire on the hearth. We will stay here for the night We can move on in the morning;.
They went up the steps to the verandah, opened the heavy door and went inside leaving the street empty again: Rain hammered into the mud, mist enfolded the silent houses and the village waited as night fell.
The truck rocked violently as it ground its way along the muddy, pot-holed road and Drummond leaned forward, straining his eyes into the swirling mist.
The truck in front stopped suddenly and Ahmed stamped his foot on the brake. Drummond opened the door, sub-machine gun ready, and Sher Dil appeared.
'We've bogged down. You'll have to lend a hand.'
Drummond and Ahmed tramped through the mud to the front truck. Its offside wheel was deep in a water-filled pothole and Nadin and Hamid were already busy with spades.
It took twenty minutes of hard work on the part of everybody to get it moving. When Drummond climbed back into his seat, he was plastered with mud to the knees and his fine new parka looked as if it had been through a hard campaign. Half an hour later, the whole performance had to be repeated.
When he settled.himself back in Ms seat for the second time he was past feeling anything. His feet were numb, his hands raw and bleeding from handling the rocks and stones which had gone to fill the potholes.
Visibility was bad now and he began to feel very tired as he strained Ms eyes through the gathering gloom. The front truck's horn sounded once and as the convoy slowed, he was aware of scattered pine trees on the left
Ahmed turned off the road and followed the dimly-seen tail of the truck in front and there was a sudden stillness as all engines were cut.
Nightwatch
THE camp site Sher Dil had chosen was a rocky fiat, thinly scattered with pine trees that gave them some sort of a screen from the road.
When Drummond walked up the line, Hamid, Sher Dil and Father Kerrigan were standing at the rear of
(he second truck talking in low voices. Janet leaned over the tailboard.
'We've decided we don't need to worry too much about a blackout in this mist,' Sher Dil said. 'We'll set up one of the oil stoves in the back of the supply truck. Miss Tate can cook in there away from the rain. The refugees can do the same. There's plenty of food to go round.'
'A good hot meal should go a long way towards raising everyone's spirits,' Father Kerrigan said.