by the artillery, which
struggled forward in front of the main body. The rocks on the right
bank towered to a vast height, breaking here and there into a gorge
which admitted some mountain stream down into the river below, and less
frequently falling back to make way for a wild saddle-back pass into the
plains above.

Along such a course every step was perilous, for the enemy had already
been reported as hovering at the back of these ugly rocks, and might
show their teeth at any moment.

For an hour or two, however, the march continued uninterrupted. The few
scattered Afghans who had appeared for a moment on the heights above had
fallen back after exchanging shots, with no attempt at serious
resistance. The main body had been halted in the valley, awaiting the
return of the scouts. The horses had been unharnessed from the guns,
and the officers were snatching a hurried meal, when Captain Forrester
at the head of a few troopers scampered into the lines. The news
instantly spread that the enemy had been seen ahead, and was even then
being chased by the cavalry up one of the defiles to the right.

Instantly, and without even waiting for the word of command, every man
was in his place ready to go on. The guns, with Captain Forrester's
troop as escort, dashed forward to hold the defile; while the main body,
divided into two divisions--one to follow the guns, the other to reach
the plain above by a nearer pass--started forward into action.

The cavalry, meanwhile, with Major Atherton at their head, were already
engaged in a hot scrimmage.

Following their usual tactics, the Afghans, after exchanging shots at
the entrance of the pass, had turned tail and dashed through the defile,
with the English at their heels. Then, suddenly turning as they reached
the plain beyond, they faced round on their pursuers, not yet clear of
the rocky gorge. In the present instance, however, when within about a
hundred yards of the head of the column, they wheeled round again, and
once more bolted into the open.

A stern chase ensued over the rough broken ground, the enemy now and
then making a show of halting, but as often giving way and tempting the
cavalry farther out into the plain.

The Afghans numbered only about two hundred horsemen, but it was quite
evident from their tactics that they had a much larger body in reserve,
and Major Atherton was decidedly perplexed as to what he should do. For
if he pursued them too far, he m