ected no treachery, or they would never have chosen
that place, they being but six hundred and the hills full of Kurds
so close at hand. Nevertheless, they were very careful to set
sentries on all the rocks all about, and they gave us no ground for
thinking we might take them by surprise. Seeing they outnumbered us,
and we had to spare a guard for our prisoners and hostages, and that
fifty of our force were Syrians and therefore not much use, I felt
doubtful. I thought Ranjoor Singh felt doubtful, too, until I saw
him glance repeatedly behind and study the sky. Then I began to hope
as furiously as he.

The Turks down on the plain were studying the sky, too. We could see
them fix bayonets and make little trenches about the tents. Another
party of them gathered stones with which to re-enforce the tent
pegs, and in every other way possible they made ready against one of
those swift, sudden storms that so often burst down the sides of
mountains. Most of us had experienced such storms a dozen times or
more in the foot-hills of our Himalayas, and all of us knew the
signs. As evening fell the sky to our rear grew blacker than night
itself and a chill swept down the defile like the finger of death.

"Repack the camp," commanded Ranjoor Singh. "Stow everything in the
cave."

There was grumbling, for we had all looked forward to a warm night's
rest.

"To-night your hearts must warm you!" he said, striding to and fro
to make sure his orders were obeyed. It was dark by the time we had
finished, Then he made us fall in, in our ragged overcoats--aye,
ragged, for those German overcoats had served as coats and tents and
what-not, and were not made to stand the wear of British ones in any
case--unmounted he made us fall in, at which there was grumbling
again.

"Ye shall prove to-night," he said, "whether ye can endure what
mules and horses never could! Warmth ye shall have, if your hearts
are true, but the man who can keep dry shall be branded for a
wizard! Imagine yourselves back in Flanders!"

Most of us shuddered. I know I did. The wind had begun whimpering,
and every now and then would whistle and rise into a scream. A few
drops of heavy rain fell. Then would come a lull, while we could
feel the air grow colder. Our Flanders experience was likely to
stand us in good stead.

Tugendheim and the Syrians were left in charge of our belongings.
There was nothing else to do with them because the Syrians were in
more deathly fear