The Fight for Constantinople: A Story of the Gallipoli Peninsula

in the

ganized by the appalling discovery and by the acrid fumes. It was not until he fe

d the midshipman by the strap of his field-gla

et he knew that to attempt to do so might certainly end in disaster. The midshipman's inert body, which at first seemed hardly any weight to drag, now began to feel as heavy as lead. Once or twice the Sub stumbled, the eff

final effort he thrust the curtain aside and took in a deep draught of air. It was comparatively fresh. The poisonous gases had fai

storing to life those apparently drowned. Half-stupefied, the Sub resented. He was under the vague impression that he was in th

s of "running down". The air, although close, was not heavily

red by the sense of danger. "We'll have to get out of this

ad been dragged with his head close to the ground. Consequently, owing to the fumes being lighter than the air, he was not so badly affected. For another reason: when Dick collapsed, his weight falling across Sefton's body had acted v

rked Sefton. "I suppose our f

counter-attack by the Turks they were to fall back immediately upon the boats, and allow the guns of the fleet to deal with the enemy. Yet it seemed strange that

r," declared Sefton laconica

the passage was now almost normal. There

he tunnel was completely blocked for the last twenty feet towards the entrance. They stood in silence

s cause for mirth, but merely to show each other that they were not goin

king echo of the voices no reass

-cotton," observed Sefton. "They'll miss us pres

ews on the situation, and th

party, who in the course of their operations had be

t, the bluejackets with very little loss descended the steep side of the hill and re-embarked. Then, covered by the guns of the fleet, the rea

of the already tottering masonry, and had effectively imprisoned

ere missed. Someone suggested that they might be with the rearguard, now des

had to refuse their request. Orders had to be carried out to the letter. Grave consequences might ensue if the devoted bluejackets returned to the s

and Sub-lieutenant Richard Crosthwaite and Mr.

and killing time. Let's make ourselves useful and explore w

replied the midshipman. "By Jove, I do feel stiff

on," replied Dick. "I had to get you along so

the midshipman. "Everything seemed a

admitted Dick modestly. "Now, s

and the other to the right, both diverging slightly. The one the officers followed was not zigzagged, showing that it did not comm

it twists and turns as if it were intended to stop the sp

d in. We must thank our 12-inch guns for that. The magazine evidently served the quickfir

n, regarding the rapidly failing l

direction for fifty paces, then gradual

hand on Sefton's shoulder and at the same ti

ay men were talking volubly in an unknown tongue. More, there wa

ently now; we'll get a little closer. I

asked

lish; they're not French. The lingo is too soft for Ge

midshipman, his

Slip the safety-catch and be on the safe si

was night: not a star was to be seen. A driving rain was falling, while across the murky patch formed by the partly obstructed mouth of the tunnel the search-lights of the British fleet travelled slowly to an

ued. The speakers were chattering vo

dvanced till farther progress was

cting stones would bear his weight, the Sub climbed to the summit

twenty feet in diameter, yawned ten feet beneath him. Not only had the pit been torn up, but mass

tish during the last Sudan campaign. With them were two officers in long grey cloaks and fezes. All seemed to be talking at the same time, irrespective of d

d, lowered by a powerful tackle. It w

g their forts knocked about their ears, they set about to place fresh guns in position. These

ide of his companion. Silently the two watched the develo

an hour the piece was reassembled; ammunition was brought down, and finally brushwood placed in front on the sand-bags and over the gun; while to show how complete had be

atient to open fire, yet for some inexplicable reason they were restrained. Possibly it was to lure the mine-sweepers into a sense of security, or

e other hand the Turkish artillerymen were without any means of protection from the downpour, and, since they coul

ch, and disappeared beyond a projection of the cliff. Only one man was left as sentry, and he hastened to get to leeward of a f

cient way to stem the ever-running current from the Sea of Marmora to the ?gean. Certainly for the whole time Dick and his companion had been on the lookout there had been no explosio

retraced their steps until they had put a

rn our people of the formation of a new Turkish battery, and secondl

with the torch,"

eble, and our people mayn't spot it. If they did they might think it was a false message sent

t collared," add

e should have no chance of letting our trawlers know that there is a masked battery

," declar

eans that if we miss the nearest destroyer or trawler, we'll get swept across the bows of one farther down. Take off your gaiters and see that your b

and a fairly extensive view of the gun emplacement and its surroundings. The rest of the artillerymen had not returned, whil

Sefton had rejoined him, and the pair crept slowly and deliberately towards a

almost within a handbreadth of the le