“Oh! because our reinforcements have arrived,” replied the other, exultantly2. “Look further down the hill and you’ll see them leaping forward like tigers. They act as if wild to get in the scrap3; and when they do it’s all over with Mr. Turk on this day. They have made up their minds to take those trenches4 and they’ve just got to do it, that’s all.”
Jack had felt all the thrills that such a picture is apt to bring in its train when the heart beats in full sympathy for one or the other of the combatants. He had tried his best to keep from taking sides, but found it impossible, when he believed that the principles for which the Allies were fighting were the same as those of the big republic across the sea.
[223]
It was easily possible for him to see the new line of the Kangaroos bounding impetuously up the side of the slope; binoculars6 were not needed to disclose their furious rush. The sunlight gleaming on their set bayonets caused them to glitter as though set with diamonds; but, alas7! they would not always remain so bright.
Jack watched with his heart beating much faster than its wont8. He wondered if, when those new men reached the fighting line, they would carry all before them. The loud cries of Amos broke in upon his figuring.
“I can see German officers up there, Jack, as sure as anything!” he exclaimed. “Oh! I know them from their uniforms, and the way they act. They are even beating some of the poor Turks to make them fight harder. Oh! what d’ye think, one of them actually shot a fellow who may have been running away. That shows the Germans are the masters here.”
Jack was glad he had not seen what his chum was describing so vividly9. There were enough terrible things to be discovered without that.
[224]
By now the newcomers had struck the line. Their rush was fully10 as impetuous as any football squad11 had ever used to carry things before it. Indeed, doubtless many of those fighters from the other side of the world were used to the tactics of the gridiron, and could apply their knowledge of formations to good advantage, even on the field of battle.
The influence of the supporting column was immediately felt. Where the Kangaroos had begun to waver their line was stiffened12. Men who had felt themselves almost at the point of succumbing13 received a new stimulus14, and with fresh shouts once more threw themselves upon the staggering foe15.
The coming of the lone16 aeroplane had in a measure discounted the addition to the ranks of the Turks. They evidently knew they could expect no other reinforcements, and the fact gave them the sensation of having to face defeat.
More furiously than ever did the Allies charge them. They would not be denied the victory they could now see looming17 up close at hand.
[225]
“Jack, they’re giving way, I do believe!” shouted Amos.
“Do you mean the Turks?” asked the other.
“Sure I do. You don’t think for a minute I hope that those brave Australians would fall back as long as one of them could stand. Yes, there goes a bunch of the enemy. They bowled one of those German officers off his feet when he tried to stop them. I hope he’s captured, that’s what I do. And, Jack, all along the line there’s a sign of giving way. Hurrah18! I really believe the game is won!”
“Hold on, don’t shout too soon, Amos,” warned the more cautious Jack, though for that matter he himself had hard work to hold in. “They may counter-attack, you know. When you hear the Kangaroos yelling like mad you may believe the victory is safe, but not yet, not yet.”
Nevertheless hardly a minute more passed than Jack himself was obliged to admit that it looked as though others besides Amos believed the end of the fierce engagement had come; for loud and
[226]
victorious whoops19 reached their ears from all along the line.
These were echoed back by those who, from one cause or another, had been kept in camp, and not permitted to assist in cleaning out the enemy trenches. Amos raised his strong young voice, and gave numerous examples of what he could do in the way of adding to the din5.
Outside of a football field after a close and exciting game Jack believed he had never before heard such a racket. The brave fellows up on the hill, who had thrown the Turks out of their trenches by bayonet thrusts, and close in-and-out fighting, waved their hats, and let their lungs have full play.
“Why, would you believe it, Jack!” cried Amos, when he finally stopped his loud cheering and became rational again, “I can see many of the wounded fellows on the ground trying to wave their hats, and I guess they’re yelling too. But not all of the down-and-outs are doing it, I’m sorry to say. Lots of them lie there as still as
[227]
anything; and I’m afraid the taking of the trenches has cost a stiff price.”
Jack sighed.
“That’s always the case, Amos,” he went on to say. “You must be willing to pay the toll20 if you want anything worth while. And the better the prize is the greater the price. When those chaps from Australia want anything they will never stop till they get it, as long as there are any of them left.”
It could now be seen that those above were not stopping to rejoice over their victory. They knew the Turks were likely to come back as soon as they could meet with reinforcements, and some other German officers again took charge.
The rapid-fire guns that had been captured with the trenches were immediately turned, and placed so as to pour a hail of missiles on their late owners should the battle be renewed. Others of the same species were to be seen being taken up the hill, having been kept somewhere below in order to cover the retreat in case such a catastrophe22 befell the Allies.
[228]
“It was all splendidly planned, Jack,” said Amos. “I give the Colonel credit for having a long head. Still, the result might not have come just as easily as it did were it not for Frank—well, whoever the brave pilot of that aeroplane may turn out to be.”
“He certainly did help a whole lot,” admitted Jack. “Let’s hope he proves to be your brother; also that he settles down on Gallipoli tonight instead of flying across to that Greek island where the rest of the pilots have their headquarters.”
“Oh! I guess he will stick here,” Amos hastened to say, as though the wish were father to the thought. “Especially after he’s been able to do such great stunts23 for the Kangaroos.”
“I suppose now they will be pushing their line further, if they can only hold those trenches up on the hill,” Jack suggested.
“And so this is going to be the way the peninsula will be won in the end, if it ever is won?” Amos questioned, as though he found it hard work to believe all those massive battleships, capable
[229]
of throwing tons and tons of mighty24 shells, were unable to force a passage through the Dardanelles.
“That has to be left to the future to decide,” Jack told him. “There’s a big ‘if’ connected with everything undertaken these days. You can’t tell what a week will bring on, with these Balkan States hanging in the balance. If they could only settle their differences, and join the Allies, it would mean the beginning of the end.”
“Someone is calling to us, Jack, and I believe they mean that lunch is all ready to serve. Come to think of it, I’m really hungry! Suppose we walk over and sit down. I wonder how those tired chaps up there will get anything to eat.”
“I’m thinking of something else, Amos,” ventured the other, seriously. “We must get through with our bite as soon as we can for it strikes me two husky fellows like ourselves ought to make themselves useful as well as ornamental26 in such a crisis as this.”
“Do you mean we can help carry some of the wounded down where they can be looked after in
[230]
the temporary field hospital?” asked Amos, showing decided27 interest in the matter.
“That’s about the size of it,” Jack told him.
The guess Amos made concerning the meaning of the call turned out to be correct. Evidently the Colonel had left strict instructions looking to the comfort of his young guests while he was away, and the cook had not forgotten them.
Both of the boys pitched in with avidity. The food was good, and they had not lost their appetites in spite of all the sensations that had come so near overwhelming them during the course of the last hour.
They wasted no time in useless conversation, for both boys realized that with so much suffering on the slope above they ought to be doing what they could to assist those who had been so kind.
No sooner was the hurried meal finished than they started off. No one questioned or ventured to detain them; in fact every man seemed to be as busy as the proverbial bee about that time. The boys met processions coming down the hill bearing the wounded on stretchers, some of them
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improvised since the force had managed to effect a landing on the hostile shore.
Most of these poor fellows were bearing up bravely; they even tried to wave a hand when they met any comrade, and through the blood marks of their pale faces a wan21, forced smile would appear, as though the indomitable nature refused to cringe even when death was so very near. Others, more desperately28 hurt, groaned29 dismally30, though perhaps they did not themselves know it.
Finding a stretcher that had not been taken, Jack and his chum pushed resolutely31 on up the hill. There was danger that at any moment the Turks, returning, might let loose a rain of fire from new positions; but even this possibility failed to deter32 the two American boys when they saw their duty before them.
When a short time later they arrived at the scene of the dreadful carnage their hearts felt sick within them, for after all they were only boys, and not accustomed to such dreadful surroundings.
[232]
Nevertheless, if their faces did seem white, their teeth were grimly set, and it was evident they did not mean to allow any squeamishness to prevent them from accomplishing the Samaritan work they had set out to perform.
“Here’s a poor fellow waiting to be looked after,” said Amos, as they glanced about them for some moving figure whom they could assist.
The soldier was badly hurt in the leg. He had managed to tie his red bandana handkerchief tightly around the limb to prevent his bleeding to death. Evidently he must have refused to let them carry him down to the hospital when others were in greater need of surgical33 attendance than he.
The boys heard him start to say something to that effect as they came up. Jack, however, saw that the man was really growing weak, and was carrying his splendid self denial to an extreme point that might bring about his collapse34.
“We’re going to carry you down, my friend, no matter what you say,” he told the gallant35 Kangaroo.
[233]
Accordingly they placed him on the litter as easily as possible, and after that started down the slope. On the way, whom should they meet but the Colonel himself! He must have been in the thick of the battle for he had one arm tied up, and his uniform showed several rents as though made by vicious bayonet thrusts. At sight of the two American boys and their burden the doughty36 officer smiled affably.
On the way, whom should they meet but the Colonel himself!—Page 233
“Good for you, my boys!” he exclaimed. “It is a pleasure to be entertaining guests who believe in lending a helping37 hand. We need all the assistance we can get, for we paid a terrible price to gain the victory. But the trenches are ours, and all the Turks and Germans on Gallipoli never can throw us out of them again. I will see you before night comes; there is too much to be looked after just now to give a thought to your affairs. Thank you again a thousand times, boys!”
He hurried away up the hill, evidently to look after the placing of his men, as well as the quick-firers upon which they must depend to repel38 any new assault on the part of the furious enemy.
[234]
When the boys reached the field hospital, which had been established under the bluff39 where no Turkish guns could drop missiles upon the wounded despite the Red Cross flag, they found it a busy place indeed. Scores of injured had already been brought in, and the few surgeons with their assistants were hurrying from one case to another. They themselves would be ready to drop when the last patient had received proper attention.
The boys did not linger, it may be taken for granted. They had no desire to look upon the accumulated suffering to be found there under the bluff on that warm day. No doubt as long as the sun remained above the horizon plenty of work would be found for those who were not needed to man the advanced line. Even after all the injured had been taken care of the dead must be buried, both friend and foe alike, for the protection of the living.
After wandering around for a short time above, and not seeming to find a wounded Territorial40, Jack ventured to make a proposition.
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“Here’s a poor Turk who seems to be in a bad way,” he said. “I’m going to give him a drink of cold water, and then we’ll get him on our stretcher.”
Amos looked curiously41 at his chum, but almost immediately cried:
“You’re right there, Jack; they can feel their injuries just as much as the rest. It was only proper that the boys should take care of their own first; but depend on it they’ve got too big hearts to let any enemy lie here in this hot sun and want for a drink of water. There, you can see they are carrying a Turk down on that stretcher.”
Just then Jack gave vent25 to a cry that betokened42 some new thrill, and Amos turned quickly to see if the enemy had come in sight again, bent43 on a fresh attack.
“Do you see that dead man lying there on his face, Amos?” Jack demanded, pointing as he spoke44. “Look closer and you’ll see he is no Turk but one of those arbitrary German officers we saw trying to force the men to fight.”
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“I see what you mean, Jack. He didn’t die from a Territorial’s blow. There is a bayonet through his body, a Turkish sword bayonet, and it came from behind him.”
“Yes,” said Jack with a shudder45, “one of the Turks he may have struck with the flat of his sword repaid the blow. But let us go on and get this man down to the emergency hospital. Then we will come up again, for there are many more Turkish wounded needing attention.”
So they worked diligently46 on, plodding47 back and forth48, and during that warm afternoon many a feverish49 Turk called down the blessings50 of Allah upon the heads of the two friendly American boys who gave him cold water to freshen his parched51 throat, and then bore him to where his injuries might be attended to.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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4
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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5
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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6
binoculars
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| n.双筒望远镜 | |
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7
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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8
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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9
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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10
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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12
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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13
succumbing
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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14
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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15
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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16
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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17
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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18
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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19
whoops
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| int.呼喊声 | |
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toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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21
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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23
stunts
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| n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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25
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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26
ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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27
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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28
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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29
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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30
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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31
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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32
deter
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| vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住 | |
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33
surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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34
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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35
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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36
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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37
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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38
repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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39
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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40
territorial
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| adj.领土的，领地的 | |
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41
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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42
betokened
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| v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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44
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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45
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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46
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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47
plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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48
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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49
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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50
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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51
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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