CHAPTER XIX
A Fight to a Finish
'Monsieur, I see men coming across the plain, and they are hurrying,' said Alphonse, one early morning, bursting unceremoniously into the huge apartment which the diggers had discovered in the ruins, and which for nearly a month now had served as quarters for the Professor's party. Indeed, thanks no doubt to the preservative nature of the material which for ages now had covered up the ancient Mongolian city, there had been no difficulty in finding room for all engaged in the work of excavating.
'Monsieur le Professeur, it would be well to come above with me and see who it is who comes,' cried Alphonse again, striding across to the little cot occupied by his employer. 'I declare to you, I was above lighting the fire so as to boil the water for a cup of tea when, in the far distance, I saw figures. There were many of them. They were hastening hither as if they were pursued.'
It took the Professor and his two young comrades less than two minutes, perhaps, to jump into their clothing, when all hastened out of the apartment, and passing along the ancient covered way, clambered up the steep, log-paved steps which led to the surface. It was a glorious morning, with a cold, wintery sun flooding the dreary landscape, and shining upon the uneven surface of sand where it lay over the ruins, and on the tower, tottering near the centre, the same which had attracted David so often.
'See!' cried Alphonse, dancing to the top of the steps as if he were standing on hot bricks. 'See, there are thirty of the figures at least, and now they are running.'
The Professor instantly threw up his field-glasses and fixed them upon the advancing strangers. There was a look of anxiety on his face when he lowered them again.
'Call Chu-Li and the other soldiers,' he commanded abruptly. 'Issue arms to Ho-Hung and our other servants, and tell the diggers we may need their help. David, those are the people who once helped you and your comrades when you were attacked by wolves in the open. They are running here as if they were pursued. I fear we are in for trouble, and had better make our preparations now.'
At a sign from the Professor, David doubled out from the ruins, so as to meet the men who were running towards them, and was soon in conversation with the headman, who panted so hard that he could hardly explain himself. But halting for a few moments he managed to tell his tale.
'It is as I have feared,' he said breathlessly. 'The country to the east of us is in a turmoil. Scarcely a day passes that stray parties fleeing from the plague scourge do not demand food from us, often with threats, while one village has to my knowledge been burned, and every soul within it murdered. The night before last we received news that a thousand men were marching south and west, and had turned in our direction from the more direct course, as soldiers had been sent to intercept them. They passed the night in a village ten miles from us, and ruthlessly robbed every one. Those who opposed them were killed. It was clear that they would serve us in the same manner, and for that reason we left hastily, bringing what possessions we could, as well as a supply of provisions. This morning the invading army was within sight of us, for they carry nothing but their clothes.'
'And are now near at hand?' demanded David eagerly, for common-sense and scraps of news which had reached him told him that the danger was real. The people of Manchuria, and portions of Mongolia, had in fact gone stark staring mad in the past few weeks. Black plague was upon them, and was decimating whole villages, while those not attacked were fleeing towards Pekin regardless of the consequences, and without having made provision for such a journey. And as a natural sequence they were soon on the borders of starvation.
'There's not a doubt that we have come to China at a most unfortunate time,' the Professor had declared. 'If I had heard of the plague in this district before we sailed, I should have delayed my departure. But it is always the same with severe epidemics. There is a case here, and another there at first; then, suddenly, the disease blazes out in all directions, spreads like wild-fire, and creates pandemonium and terror everywhere. China is a country less prepared for such an event almost than any other, for the people are so intensely ignorant. You see they think to escape by rushing away from the infected areas, forgetting that in every case they carry the infection with them.'
'There was news from a place forty miles to the east that a band had taken up its quarters in a town of small proportions, and were terrorising the inhabitants,' David reminded himself. 'Tell me,' he asked of the headman, who had now almost recovered his breath, 'what is there to fear from these fellows? A thousand strong you place them?'
'There is that number at least, Excellency. As to their intentions, I tell you they will eat up all before them. Already they have emptied every sack and bin in our village. That was two nights ago, or almost so. By now they are starving once more, and will seize the first provisions which come their way. They will know at once that men have been camping here. They will investigate, and will gather the fact that it is a European expedition, and therefore rich. That will be enough for this army of frightened people, for though the thought of plague terrifies them, they fear nothing else. Hunger makes them terribly savage. They will murder us all if we do nothing to prevent them.'
'If that's the case I shall certainly object, and pretty strongly,' said David, with a decision which seemed to put heart into the headman. 'Bring your men along. We will see at once what can be done.'
They found on their return to the entrance of the stairway that the Professor and his helpers had been wonderfully busy. Every article of value had been carried down from the surface, while even the ponies had been transported bodily and placed in a position of safety.
'We've done all that's possible, I imagine,' said the leader. 'Now we have only to wait and see what happens. I trust these people will pass without giving us a call. Perhaps they will miss us altogether.'
'I hardly think so,' ventured David. 'The headman tells me that they are wonderfully well informed, and that they have come round this way so as to avoid soldiers sent to arrest their progress, and who are situated at this moment about forty miles to the east. Wouldn't it be as well to send a message across to their commanding officer?'
The Professor jumped at the suggestion. He hastily scrawled a message in Chinese, explaining the situation, and then, having caused two of the ponies to be carried to the surface again, he despatched one of the soldiers with the note.
'Ride fast,' he ordered. 'If these men attack us we shall have need of all the help that can be sent.'
No one who caught a glimpse of the fleeing army from Manchuria could doubt that statement, for a more tattered and desperate set David had never set his eyes on. They reached the excavation works in a straggling mass of hollow-eyed people, many of whom were almost too weak to drag one foot after the other. But there were strong men amongst them, in spite of their sunken cheeks, men whose blazing eyes and hungry looks showed that nothing but superior force would prevent their carrying out whatever they aimed at. Nor did they leave the Professor and his party long in doubt as to their intentions. A couple of ragged but huge men came down the stairway, their pigtails swaying from side to side, and called hoarsely to any one who might be in hearing. The Professor at once showed himself at the door of the apartment which he and his friends were occupying.
'What do you wish?' he asked.
'Food; give us food,' cried one of the men, not as if he were asking for a favour, but as if for something that he would as soon take by force.
'I will give you three bags of rice; that is all we can spare,' answered the Professor steadily.
'Hear him! Three bags of rice, when we know he has a pile. Hear the foreign devil, brother,' shouted one of the men, the one who had not previously spoken. 'Listen, foreign devil,' he bellowed, as if he wished to terrorise the Professor by the force of his voice, 'we will be satisfied with fifty.'
'Three is the allowance I will make; take it or leave it,' came the curt answer.
'And you refuse more?'
The Professor nodded coolly. 'We refuse more; we have to provide for our own needs.'
'Then we will take every sack you have, and strip you of all your possessions. You have had fair warning.'
Without the smallest indication of what he intended doing the rascal levelled a pistol, and fired point blank at the Professor, sending a bullet crashing against the ancient doorpost. Then the two men turned and swaggered up the stairs, calling loudly to their comrades. Nor was it long before the latter put in an appearance.
'They will attack us without fail,' said the headman, when appealed to by the Professor. 'In fact, you may say that they are bound to do so, for the next place where they can possibly obtain food is more than a day's march from here. Also, no doubt, they have learned that you have a goodly store, and fancying you to be an easy prey they will fight to take everything from you, thereby supplying the needs of all in the band till they arrive in the neighbourhood of Pekin.'
'What arms do they carry?' asked David, suddenly.
'A few have pistols and guns, but the majority carry knives or swords, and a few pikes. But it is their numbers which make them formidable.'
There was little doubt that that was the true aspect of the affair, for this army of people flying from Manchuria, and rendered desperate by their hunger were dangerous even if unarmed. Their huge numbers told wonderfully in their favour, while the ease with which they had wiped out other parties had given them confidence. The situation was, in fact, one of extreme danger.
'Hadn't we better block up every sort of place through which they could fire?' asked David. 'We can easily leave port-holes for ourselves, and if we place them properly we shall be able to command the stairway. I rather think, too, that it would be as well to set our diggers at work to discover a way out of this apartment. We may be so hard pressed that flight will be necessary.'
The suggestion was one which the Professor eagerly accepted, and as promptly adopted. Calling Ho-Hung he set him to work to organise some of the diggers, and requested David to supervise the work they were to do until the enemy appeared in sight. Then every available man was pressed into the task of blocking up the wide doorway leading to this ancient house, and in filling the only window. But in spite of the many helpers the task was only half completed when there was a commotion above. The two ragamuffins who had descended and so haughtily demanded food appeared in sight, leading a huge following to the stairway. Those who led bore with them the trunk of a tree felled a week before to serve as fire-wood, but now intended to be used as a species of ram.
'Silence!' called the Professor. 'Let every man go on with his work quietly and take advantage of every second we have. Use anything you can lay your hands on to help the barricades so long as it be not provisions. Ah, they are coming in their hundreds.'
The wide stairway which the men employed by the Professor had made as they proceeded with their work, and which they had paved with stout tree branches, was now crammed with men who presented a terrible spectacle. For, whereas in former attacks David had noticed that the Chinese advanced with loud shouts, these people crowded down the stairway in a stony silence that was remarkable. Not one but wore a haggard appearance. Their faces were pinched without exception, while in every pair of eyes there was a desperate look, something altogether savage that reminded him of the eyes of the wolves which had so recently surrounded himself and his three comrades.
'One can see that it is not a question of bearing us ill will,' he whispered in the Professor's ear. 'It is a case of sheer necessity. Either they must secure what we have, or they will starve.'
'It is they or us, David,' answered the Professor solemnly. 'If I had food in abundance, willingly would I give it. But were I to dole out all we have, there would hardly be enough to go the round of this multitude, and even so we ourselves would starve. Tell me, what are the diggers doing?'
'Cutting a hole through the wall at the back, Sir. We thought it sounded hollow, and have an idea that there may be another covered way there. They will make only a hole large enough to let us get through with the ponies, so that we can easily fill it again. What are you going to do with these fellows?'
'Warn them that we shall defend our goods. Then leave it to them to clear off or to make the first attack. I hate firing at poor wretches such as these are, but, candidly, I look upon them as infinitely more dangerous than a well-fed mob.'
Rearing his head over the top of the barricade with which the doorway was now almost completely blocked, the Professor called loudly to the mob, and at once they came to a halt. Perhaps three hundred pair of hungry eyes were directed on his face.
'Good people,' he called, 'I beg of you to retire and be satisfied with what I have already said. If I feed you all, my stores will but allow for one meal at most, while I and my men must starve. Go, therefore, for if you persist I warn you I will defend this place till I and all are killed.'
A loud chorus of shouts greeted his words. Men shook their fists at him and brandished a hundred different weapons, while the very mention of food seemed to madden the desperate individuals. Then the rascal who had fired at the Professor, and who was leading the band, once more lifted his weapon and sent a second bullet thudding against the doorpost.
'Listen to him, comrades,' he bellowed. 'He admits that he has food there sufficient for all of us. Are then we who own the country to starve while foreign devils live on the fat of the land? Forward! We have cleared more than one roost now with more bantams in it to stand in our way.'
At once there was a rush outside. The covered way, which no doubt had sheltered many a thousand Mongolian in the old days, was soon crammed to overflowing, while still more of the mob thronged the stairs. Then with shouts the leaders cleared a patch for the men carrying the tree trunk.
'Rush at the barricade with it,' called the rascally leader. 'Smash it and then fetch out the food which is ours by right. You will know how to deal with the foreign devil and his supporters, my comrades.'
There was a growl from the mob, and then a roar, as the men bearing the tree trunk rushed forward. As for the defenders, they sprang to the loopholes which had been left and awaited the Professor's signal. It came in a moment, for the battering-ram almost levelled the barrier at the first effort.
'Fire on them!' shouted the Professor. 'Pick off every man who attempts to lift the tree. That is where our real danger lies. Once this barrier is down they will be on us; nothing can resist such numbers.'
David and Dick, with Ho-Hung and his comrades, as well as Chu-Li and his four fellow-soldiers, had before now each chosen an aperture for his weapon, and at once a hot fire was opened on the enemy. Meanwhile every available article was thrown on the barricade to strengthen it, for there were numbers of willing hands amongst the Professor's party. As for the mob outside, half a dozen fell at the first discharge, all of whom bore the ram, while every time a man leaned over to pick it up again he was fired at instantly. In three minutes a round dozen were biting the sand.
'Then let us tear it down with our hands, comrades,' shouted the burly ringleader. 'They can hit one man as he leans to pick this thing up, but they cannot kill us all. Better to eat than to live on starving.'
The words drew a howl from the mob. Those on the stairway were now so pressed and packed together that they could not turn, while the space below was filled to overflowing. With an angry roar the latter leaped forward close on the heels of their leader, and struggled desperately with one another to come at the barricade. Those who could reach it tore madly at the sawn logs, striving to pull them out of the way.
'Steady, lads!' called out the Professor, by whose side stood Alphonse, his hat awry, his keen eyes shining. 'If they break through we must make a sortie. I shall lead the way.'
'With Alphonse beside you, monsieur,' cried the Frenchman. 'But I am thinking Ho-Hung can wield a stake, and Jong also. Those two perched on our barricade could deal hard blows to these ruffians, while we at the loopholes could shoot down those who have fire-arms. What says monsieur?'
'That the plan is excellent. Hung! Jong!' He shouted, and at once gave them their instructions. The movement did indeed help the defenders wonderfully, for few of the attackers had fire-arms, and those who had could use them with difficulty only owing to the press. With swinging blows the two Chinamen beat back the mob tearing at the barricade, while the more dangerous of the latter were shot down from the loopholes. Then the Professor again stood before them.
'Good people,' he shouted, so that all could hear, 'I beg of you to retire. You see for yourselves that we are able to oppose you, and already numbers of your brothers have fallen. Let that suffice. Go now before worse happens.'
For one whole minute, perhaps, there was silence outside, while not a man moved. No doubt the opposition had taken the mob by surprise, for elsewhere they had been able to rob and murder without danger or difficulty. The sight of wounded and fallen men unnerved a few, and made them wish that the stairway were not so crammed and that retreat were possible. But deep embedded in the hearts of the majority was the knowledge that they were hungry, and that failure here meant starvation. It needed, therefore, but a tiny spark to kindle their courage once more. The rascally fellow who had so nearly hit the Professor on two occasions was still at hand, and he it was who quickly had them once more racing for the barrier.
'It is a dodge,' he shouted. 'Believe not the foreign devil. Pull the barricade aside and you have every bag of food that belongs to these people. Hesitate now, and go on your way. What will happen? You will starve. You will leave your bones by the road. The dogs and the wolves will come and feed off your carcases. Forward, then. There is food, and plenty of it behind that barricade.'
He led a silent host at once against the defenders, a host frantic with its woes, rendered as fierce as any pack of wolves by its privations. And in a trice it seemed that it must succeed. Even the lusty blows of the two Chinamen and the shots of those at the loopholes failed to keep it back. Already a foot or more of the barricade had toppled over, while a dozen of the men outside had again seized the battering-ram. And then, so fickle and so changing is fortune in such matters, a small affair turned the scale in favour of the defenders. The excitement of those who were unable, because of their position on the stairway, to join in the contest was so intense that they struggled and pushed their way downward in spite of all difficulties till the covered way was crammed. But still they came till even those struck by the bullets from the loopholes could not fall on account of the press. Then someone above bellowed a warning.
'I see men coming!' he shouted. 'I see soldiers – they are galloping this way; they will cut us to pieces.'
Instantly there was a rush for the stairway. Two hundred and more frantic people fought to be the first away. They tore at one another with as much ferocity as they had displayed when attacking the barricade, and those who were strongest, or who had taken up the most commanding positions, prevailed. Men were dragged down and trodden underfoot, an eddy as it were on the stairway caused the mass thronging every step to heave backward, and at once numbers lost their balance and fell, helped to their death by those who were nearest. Knives flashed here and there. Men snarled at one another. Altogether it was a horrible and terrifying spectacle. And the movement itself proved to be as unnecessary as it was horrible in its results, for the same man appeared above once more.
'It was a false alarm,' he shouted. 'Stop, comrades, there is nothing to fear. They were not soldiers; they were men like ourselves who had stolen ponies doubtless from the last village. Stop or you will all be crushed and killed.'
Deep and bitter were the voices of those who had survived. They turned again, and slowly descended where a moment before they had struggled to mount And catching sight of David standing at the barricade they set up a howl which showed something more than mere desperation induced by the pangs of hunger. There was hate in their tones. The matter had now become a personal one as between them and the defenders.
'We warn you people down below that we will kill you all,' shouted the same leader. 'We will kill you slowly, making you suffer for what you have done. Stop, my comrades. I have a plan to propose. Let some rest here and watch for us; we will be back ere many minutes have passed.'
He raced up the stairway accompanied by a mob, leaving the Professor and his party to wonder what movement would now be attempted.
'Perhaps another battering-ram,' suggested the Professor.
'Or these rascals will supply themselves with hooks with which they will the easier be able to reach the logs on our barricade,' chimed in Alphonse.
'Or perhaps it's worse,' said David slowly. 'I wish we had shot that rascal, for he is capable of the worst mischief. Ah! see them! I guessed what they were up to. They are going to smoke us out.'
There could be little doubt as to the intentions of the mob. They had seized bundles of fodder kept on the level sand above for the use of the ponies, and a couple of dozen of the men were bearing these down the stairway, while the same mass followed on their heels, shouting excitedly, and shaking their fists in the direction of the defenders.
'Put them down against the barricade in a heap,' called their leader. 'Be not afraid of the foreign devils, for harm will not come to you. When the bundles are placed I will fire them.'
'Parbleu, I think not,' exclaimed Alphonse, smiling grimly, for he had understood. 'Monsieur, with your permission I will shoot this man.'
Shoot him the Frenchman did. His bullet caused the rascally leader to sway from side to side and to grip at the air. Then with a shriek he came bounding forward, and, clambering the outside of the barricade, attempted to enter. There was a flash as Dick Cartwell ended the matter.
'Look out! There's a fellow coming along with a torch,' called out the Professor. 'Shoot every man who attempts to light those bales.'
But in spite of every effort a cunning fellow armed with flint and steel managed to set fire to a bunch of straw which he picked from the ground and held behind his fellows. Then with a quick jerk he threw it forward, causing it to fall at the edge of the piled-up bales of fodder. Next second a sheet of flame was sweeping up to the ancient roof of the covered way, while, owing to dampness in the bales, a dense smoke was given off, and began to penetrate the apartment occupied by the defenders. Indeed, in a few seconds they were coughing loudly, while every member of the party was forced to retire as far as possible from the flames. Death from suffocation, if not from burning, stared them in the face. David and his friends were in a horrible dilemma.