Two shots.
Bensington found himself, gun in hand, going hard through the pine trees after a number of receding backs. It is curious that the thought uppermost in his mind at that moment was the wish that his cousin Jane could see him. His bulbous slashed boots flew out in wild strides, and his face was distorted into a permanent grin, because that wrinkled his nose and kept his gla.s.ses in place. Also he held the muzzle of his gun projecting straight before him as he flew through the chequered moonlight. The man who had run away met them full tilt--he had dropped his gun.
"Hullo," said Cossar, and caught him in his arms. "What"s this?"
"They came out together," said the man.
"The rats?"
"Yes, six of them."
"Where"s Flack?"
"Down."
"What"s he say?" panted Bensington, coming up, unheeded.
"Flack"s down?"
"He fell down."
"They came out one after the other."
"What?"
"Made a rush. I fired both barrels first."
"You left Flack?"
"They were on to us."
"Come on," said Cossar. "You come with us. Where"s Flack? Show us."
The whole party moved forward. Further details of the engagement dropped from the man who had run away. The others cl.u.s.tered about him, except Cossar, who led.
"Where are they?"
"Back in their holes, perhaps. I cleared. They made a rush for their holes."
"What do you mean? Did you get behind them?"
"We got down by their holes. Saw "em come out, you know, and tried to cut "em off. They lolloped out--like rabbits. We ran down and let fly.
They ran about wild after our first shot and suddenly came at us. _Went_ for us."
"How many?"
"Six or seven."
Cossar led the way to the edge of the pine-wood and halted.
"D"yer mean they _got_ Flack?" asked some one.
"One of "em was on to him."
"Didn"t you shoot?"
"How _could_ I?"
"Every one loaded?" said Cossar over his shoulder.
There was a confirmatory movement.
"But Flack--" said one.
"D"yer mean--Flack--" said another.
"There"s no time to lose," said Cossar, and shouted "Flack!" as he led the way. The whole force advanced towards the rat-holes, the man who had run away a little to the rear. They went forward through the rank exaggerated weeds and skirted the body of the second dead rat. They were extended in a bunchy line, each man with his gun pointing forward, and they peered about them in the clear moonlight for some crumpled, ominous shape, some crouching form. They found the gun of the man who had run away very speedily.
"Flack!" cried Cossar. "Flack!"
"He ran past the nettles and fell down," volunteered the man who ran away.
"Where?"
"Round about there."
"Where did he fall?"
He hesitated and led them athwart the long black shadows for a s.p.a.ce and turned judicially. "About here, I think."
"Well, he"s not here now."
"But his gun---?"
"Confound it!" swore Cossar, "where"s everything got to?" He strode a step towards the black shadows on the hillside that masked the holes and stood staring. Then he swore again. "If they _have_ dragged him in---!"
So they hung for a s.p.a.ce tossing each other the fragments of thoughts.
Bensington"s gla.s.ses flashed like diamonds as he looked from one to the other. The men"s faces changed from cold clearness to mysterious obscurity as they turned them to or from the moon. Every one spoke, no one completed a sentence. Then abruptly Cossar chose his line. He flapped limbs this way and that and expelled orders in pellets. It was obvious he wanted lamps. Every one except Cossar was moving towards the house.
"You"re going into the holes?" asked Redwood.
"Obviously," said Cossar.
He made it clear once more that the lamps of the cart and trolley were to be got and brought to him.
Bensington, grasping this, started off along the path by the well. He glanced over his shoulder, and saw Cossar"s gigantic figure standing out as if he were regarding the holes pensively. At the sight Bensington halted for a moment and half turned. They were all leaving Cossar---!
Cossar was able to take care of himself, of course!