the stream, for another mile
and a half. About three in the morning the main water course was
quitted, the road now entering a ravine to the left; up which,
three miles further on, was the summit of the pass. The column
continued its weary way up the ravine, slowly stumbling along in
the dark.

One incident occurred, in this part of the road, showing the
necessity, in night marching, for the regiments to keep close to
each other. In one place a fir-covered island lay in the middle of
the ravine, the torrent's bed lying on either side of it. When the
two companies of the 72nd Highlanders--who had been following close
to that of the Rangers--came to the spot, they were surprised to
find that the troops in front had suddenly vanished. No explanation
could be given as to the cause of this disappearance, so the
company were halted until the mystery was solved.

The leading regiment had taken the passage to the right of the
island, while the 72nd had gone to the left; the separation of the
roads being unnoticed, in the dark. Had the roads diverged, instead
of reuniting, much inconvenience might have been caused by the
delay in collecting the separated portions of the force.

At last the foot of the Khotal was reached, where the track left
the ravine and turned up the spur. The two guides--natives of the
country, who had led the head of the column to this point--refused
to go any further and, as the column was now at the point where the
fighting might begin, they were allowed to depart.

It was about six o'clock when the Ghoorkas began to climb the spur.
The morning had broken; but it was still dark, and the path was
almost invisible in the shadow of the trees. The Ghoorkas--their
rifles loaded now--made their way quietly up the hill. Presently
the challenge of the sentry was heard, followed by two shots.

It was a relief to the men, after ten hours of weary stumbling
along in the cold and darkness, to know that they were, at length,
face to face with their foe. Cold and fatigue were at once
forgotten and, with eyes strained through the darkness, and rifles
ready for use, every man pressed forward. Fifty yards up the hill,
behind the sentry who had fired, was the first stockade of the
enemy; formed by several large trees, which had been felled so as
to completely block up the road, presenting an obstacle of about
eight feet high to the attacking force.

The Afghan pickets lining the stockade poured a volley into the
G