The Fight for Constantinople: A Story of the Gallipoli Peninsula

mmerer'

rew of the mine-sweeper; he was also told to act in concert with the whaler of the Tremendous. The latte

board, having survived the breakers thus far, they ought to be able to hold on a little longer. He would search for the other w

red Midshipman Farnworth, referring to the lost boat.

d that the midshipman knew what he was about.

on of the waves, which, owing to the shoaling of the depth, were almost on the point of breaking. A cauldron of foaming water stretched dead to leeward, and t

roverbial needle in a haystack, for, although the outlines of the encircling cliffs could be discerned against the

We'll be fairly in broken water if we drift in any

lready exhausted by their efforts, were powerless to make the boat gain a foot. For twenty minutes they stuck gamely to their oars, driving the

e heavy waves that had accounted for the two whalers becoming separated had smashed three oars of the Tremendous's whale

ok unnecessary risks in keeping his boat almost broadside on to

s astern of her, and while the Hammerer's whaler was going to leeward in a vain

ew into his boat, and, dangerously overladen, the whaler began her bid for safety. More by good luck than by good management t

the transhipment of the major portion of the trawler's people was being effected, he was

nt had to reply

ches. Ordering a rocket to be fired, he led his little flotilla fro

exclaimed one of the seamen to Dick

e Sub grimly, as he groped for the

e the preparation signal-a series of short flashes. This was promptly answered, but from the fact that the light was

roceed to our assistance. Propose to beach b

ame th

ing to your

ck. "They've missed the

burst through the darkness, followed by the sharp crackle o

d Crosthwaite. "The light'

signalled the Sub, deliberately making a redundancy in order

the light vanished. Already it had shared th

he faces of his men. They were almost "done

t we won't go under tamely. Back her in, and we'll se

ew forgot their fatigue. Promptly they b

ient to give her way. The rest of you look to your small-arms.

l-book over the side. Heavily weighted, it sank like a stone. Happen what may, the

tremendous force, while her bows, lifted by a heavy wave, shot up clear of the water, throwing several of the crew off

he boat, and struggling through the "undertow" as the wave receded from the beach,

sea-worn rocks. Between the fringe of the breakers and the base of the cliffs was a distance of near

e boats, which had now rowed well clear of the bullet-flecked patch of angry water. The landing of the Hammerer's whaler had been unnot

ing that they were not the mark of the Ottoman fire, the Sub gave the

asked Dick. "An

o rifles are missing, but Job Trayner and Bil

" exclaimed

e and forethought to bring ashore the small teak case containing the small-arms ammunition; equally so that most

"All being well, another half an h

had either to be skirted or surmounted-a task rendered doubly difficult by the da

his hand. The single line of men stopped, some g

that extended into a ravine, and evidently received a river or stream,

soaking owing to the dash through the surf. The nature of the opposite bank was the difficulty, for as far as he could make out in the darkness, the stream had worked t

," volunteered Trayner. "Maybe

contrived to gain the other side almost opposite the place where the others waited. Both up and

ned Trayner. "Sides are as smooth as a ship's sides-p'r'ap

he strained look about the man's eyes. "Two of you work away to the

affling gully. Presently the pair who had gone towards the opening of the creek returned with the in

hed their report the

either side of this gully, and, what's more, the one on this side goes up towards the top of t

y on,

-wholesome as boats along these parts, sir. She's

n't get her across in heavy weather," objected Crosthwaite. "We'll pu

d by the Turks on the cliff, for even in the darkness the milk-white foam showed up distinctly and made a bad background to the moving seamen

time, me

The Turks, well supplied by modern accessories of war, had brought up a portable search-light mo

ch-light would be trained upon the beach, so that in the event of a landing being effected, the Turks could make their dispositions accordingly. On the other hand, the search-light

ch presented but little difficulty. There were obstructions in the shape of rocks and little streams making their way to the sea, but nothing of

and his party were stra