"Thatone officer was American," Learoyd said. "It makes no damn sense. Why would the Americans do such a thing""
"Some of them might be Americans," said Delaney, "but I don’t believe it’s an American unit. They weren’t wearing American uniforms. They seem to be a mixed bunch. Soldiers of fortune, perhaps."
"The Russians," said Learoyd. "That must be it. They’re in the pay of the Russians."
"I shouldn’t be surprised," said Finn. "However, knowing that won’t help us much right now."
"What do they intend to do with us"" Ortheris said.
"I don’t know," said Finn. "Question us, most likely. Find out about troop strength and the like, I should imagine."
"Well, we’ve got to figure some way out of here," Learoyd said. "Where do those stairs back there lead""
"To a parapet overlooking the Khyber Pass," said Finn. "Forget it. There’s no way down. And the door’s too heavy for us to break through." -
"We’ll have to try and jump them when they come for us," Learoyd said. "There’s nothin’ else for it. We haven’t anythin’ to lose." I doubt they’ll give us a chance," said Finn. "They know what they’re doing."
"Well, we can’t just sit ‘ere!" said Mulvaney. "We’ve got to do something! C’rnon, mates, we’ve been in tougher scrapes than this!"
‘, The best thing we can do is bide our time and wait fo r an opportunity, — Delaney said, worried that the headstrong Mulvaney might do something foolish. "I’m in command here, and I won’t have any man throwing his life away trying to be a hero. Getting ourselves killed won’t solve anything."
"He’sright, you know," Learoyd said. "We’ve got to keep our heads cool. Lieutenant, you say there’s no way down off that balcony. Might there be a way up""
Delaney shook his head. "We’d have to stand on each other’s shoulders to reach the rocks above, and we’d never make it without climbing gear. It would be suicide. "
"Itcould be worth a try," Learoyd said. "If one of us could make it-"
"Isay we give it a go!" Mulvaney said.
"What do you say, Lieutenant"" said Learoyd. "What have we got to lose""
"Aman’s life," Delaney said.
Learoyd shrugged. "That’s not so very much, now is it" Let’s have a look."
Theywent up the stairs and stood out on the wind-swept parapet high above the pass. Learoyd looked up. "Lord, 1 see what you mean," he said. "We would in-deed have to stand on one another’s shoulders for one of us to reach that overhangin’ rock up there, and then there’s no tellin’ what’s beyond."
Mulvaney spat into his hands and rubbed them together. "Well, who’s first then""
"Ithink I’ll have to go," Learoyd said. "I’m the lightest."
""Sahib," "said Din. "Let me. I am smallest, no" Din good climber."
" You’re sure you want to try it, Din""" Learoyd said.
"‘E is the lightest, — Ortheris said, "and I ain’t much good with me sore arm."
"All right, Din," said Finn. "Be careful."
"Up you go, Lieutenant," said Mulvaney. He braced himself and Finn climbed up on his shoulders. Ortheris stood beside Mulvaney to brace him and Andre took the other side as they started to form a human pyramid. Finn stood up on Mulvaney’s shoulders, only too aware of the yawning abyss beneath them.
"All right, Learoyd, you’re next," said Finn.
Learoyd carefully climbed up, balancing himself on Mulvaney’s shoulder and Ortheris’s good shoulder. Slowly he stood up and placed an arm around Delaney for support.
"Don’t look down," said Finn.
Learoyd, of course, looked down at the drop below them, and quickly shut his eyes. "On second thought, perhaps this wasn’t such a very good idea," he said.
"You all right"" said Finn.
Learoyd swallowed hard and nodded. "Right. Next man."
"Come on, Din," said Finn.
Carefully Din climbed up Mulvaney’s back, holding onto the Private’s burly shoulders for support.
"Come on, old son," Learoyd said, holding out his hand, — you’ll make it."
Slowly, ever so slowly, so as not to upset their precarious balance, Din stood up and Ortheris groaned, gritting his teeth from the pain as Din put his weight on his bad shoulder.
"Forgive me, Sahib!-
"Nevermind that," said Ortheris, — just get on up there!"
Carefully, Din climbed up to the next level of the pyramid, putting one foot on Delaney’s knee. Transferring his weight slowly, he moved to sit astride Delaney’s shoulders.
"Can you reach it, Din"" said Learoyd.
Din looked up and swallowed hard. "Must stand, Sahib. "
"Allright, then, stand. But slowly, mind!"
Moving as slowly as he could, Din placed his knees on Learoyd and Delaney’s shoulders. He could see, directly below him, the dizzying drop to the bottom. The wind whipped at them and the human pyramid swayed slightly.
"Hold on there, Stanley, damn your eyes!" Learoyd shouted.
"It’s me shoulder, Chris. It’s killin’ me."
"I’ll bloody well kill you if you move again! You so much as twitch and I’ll have your guts for garters!"
Muttering a prayer to himself, Din slowly stood up as Learoyd and Delaney held onto his ankles to give him some support. He didn’t dare look down. The rock outcropping was directly above him. If he stretched his arms out, he could reach it.
Behind them there was the sound of the heavy bolt be-ing drawn back and then the massive door opening. Men ran into the room. Gritting his teeth, Din pushed off Learoyd and Delaney’s shoulders and jumped.
"You! Get down from-"
The pyramid collapsed. Andre, Ortheris, and Mulvaney fell to the floor of the parapet. Finn hit the surrounding wall as he went down and scrambled for a purchase. He felt Learoyd beneath him, grabbing onto his legs for dear life. The added weight almost took him over. Learoyd hung over the abyss, clinging to his legs.
"Hold on, Chris!
"Don’t you worry about me, mate," Learoyd called back. "Just you hold on!"
Above them Din clung to the rock, straining to pull himself up. There was no going back now. If he lost his grip, he would plummet to his death. Using every ounce of strength he had, he clawed desperately for a hold.
Several tribesmen peered over the side at Delaney and Learoyd, grinning. The officer named Martin looked down at them.
‘Wery cute," he said. "I ought to let you fall." He glanced back at the others, being held back at gunpoint. "You," he said, pointing to Mulvaney."Givethem a hand. "
Mulvaney came forward and braced Finn while Learoyd slowly shimmied up Delaney’s legs until he could reach Mulvaney’s outstretched hand. Moments later they were safe.
"That was a damn fool thing to do," said Martin. He frowned and made a quick count. -Somebody’s missing. The Hindu."
One of the tribesmen shouted out something and fired his rifle at the rock above them. They caught a glimpse of Din’s legs disappearing out of sight atop the rock outcropping.
" ‘E made iW’ shouted Mulvaney. "Good oP Din!"
Martin turned to several of the tribesmen and addressed them in Pushtu."Gethim. Bring him back alive if you can, but if you have to, shoot him."
"You bloody bastard!" roared Mulvaney, lunging at him.
The tribesmen at once shifted their aim to Mulvaney, and Learoyd leaped at them, knocking three down with his weight. Finn grappled with Martin as Andre and Ortheris took on the other tribesmen. Two men grabbed hold of Mulvaney, but he wrenched loose and one of the men fell back against the wall. His momentum carried him over the side. His scream receded in the distance.
One of the tribesmen slammed Ortheris against the wall with his rifle, and the soldier cried out from the pain in his wounded shoulder. The tribesmen struck him in the stomach with the rifle butt and was about to bring it down upon his head when Andre intervened. She had disarmed one of the tribesmen by kicking his rifle out of his grasp, then continuing the motion to launch a spinning back kick that knocked him down the stairs. She grabbed the other tribesman’s rifle before he could bring it down on Ortheris’s head, and kicked his legs out from under him.