Chapter XIV: An Adventure at Varna and Its Sequel

Jack had not been in Varna camp twenty-four hours before he began ardently to pray that their stay there might not be long. The chief characteristics of the town were its vermin, filth, and abominable stench, its ill-paved, rugged streets, tortuous lanes, and ramshackle buildings.

The Greeks, Armenians, and others surrounding the camps were some of the greatest rogues in the world; many, in fact, were no better than brigands, who thought as little of taking a human life as they did of killing a fowl, and who were already credited with the murder of several English and French soldiers.

This fact was brought home to Jack on the very first night of his arrival. Everything had been hurry, bustle, scurry, and confusion. No preparations had been made for the cavalry, and the men were busy till dark fixing the horse-lines, pitching tents, and so on. Thoroughly tired with a hard day, they turned in; but, not, alas! to sleep. The heat, the insects, the flies (terrible buzzing, stinging pests), kept all awake for some time. At last the different noises about the camp died down, and all that could be heard was the stamping of the horses as they tugged at their head-ropes, or the occasional challenge of a sentry.

Jack and Pearson, with several others, occupied a tent next to one in which was Will and some of his troop. Jack had at last sunk into a fitful sleep, when he was suddenly awakened by hearing several shots fired. Immediately he sat up just as another report rang out, and something whizzing past his head buried itself with a thud in the tent-pole. The sound sent a cold shiver through him, and he jumped to his feet. The others in the tent also woke up.

‘It can’t be an enemy taking us by surprise?’ said Pearson. ‘Anyway, boys, on with your things.’

Williams, Brandon, and the others hastily slipped on overalls and boots, and left the tent.

As Jack went out into the fitful moonlight, for it was cloudy, he ran up against Will.

‘What’s up?’ asked the latter.

‘Don’t know. I heard firing, so turned out. What ought we to do--sound the alarm?’

‘Not without orders.’

At that instant a sound of rushing footsteps was heard, and several figures darted by.

Pearson, being a very tall man, took a couple of strides after one of the suspicious figures, trying to seize it, while he cried out, ‘You seem in a hurry, friend.’

Hardly had the words escaped his lips when there was a flash, a loud report, and another ball came whizzing past the heads of the Lancers.

The momentary flash showed up a startling picture. Three brawny, picturesque-looking ruffians in baggy breeches and turbans, simply bristling with weapons, were seen rushing away.

A voice shouted, ‘After the rogues, boys;’ and Sergeant Linham appeared on the scene.

The Lancers started in pursuit, shouting, tripping over tent-ropes, and colliding with men who, aroused by the hubbub, came tumbling out of their tents. Jack, Sergeant Linham, Will, and Pearson kept together and headed the chase among the white tents.

The lines of the Lancers were right on the edge of the camp, and it was feared that the three desperadoes would escape once they could get outside the lines of tents, for they would have little difficulty in passing the sentries. Presently the pursuers lost sight of the men altogether, and running to the outside line of tents they all halted, vexed with themselves for having lost their prey.

They had become separated, Jack standing in the shadow of a tent just by the horse-lines. Suddenly a man came gliding round the other side of the tent, and, crouching low, was making off in the darkness. Jack, though, saw the glitter of steel, and in an instant he sprang forward and literally leapt on to the man’s back.

A sort of hissing snarl escaped the fellow, and jerking himself upright he tried to free himself from Jack’s grasp. The latter, however, was not to be cast off so easily. Being behind his man, he twined his left arm round his neck, almost throttling him, while with his right hand he prevented the fellow from drawing one of the many weapons he carried. At the same time he shouted loudly for help. The man fought and tore, rending Jack’s hands with his long, horny nails. At last, to prevent himself from being stabbed, Jack had to release his hold with his left arm and seize the man’s right wrist. Then they rocked to and fro for a few moments, when both fell, Jack being underneath. His head struck the ground sharply, and he relaxed his hold. His assailant whipped out a murderous-looking knife, which he raised on high with the intention of plunging it into the trumpeter’s heart. He felt with his left hand as though seeking for the place to inflict the mortal wound when, just as it seemed that Jack’s last moment had come, a heavy footstep sounded, a big figure dashed into sight, the ruffian received a crashing blow on the temple from a British fist, and Pearson’s voice cried out, ‘We’ve got one, boys; I’ll hang on to him, while you see what damage he’s done.’

This question was answered by Jack himself jumping to his feet and declaring he was unhurt.

‘Ha, hum! that’s just as well for this gentleman, then,’ said Linham, who at that moment joined them and saw the man whom Pearson held.

‘How did you come across the reptile, Jack?’ asked Pearson.

Jack related what had happened, being listened to by an ever-increasing crowd, for the noise had roused a good many men from their slumbers.

Lights were procured, and the man, who proved to be a truculent-looking Greek, was handed over to the provost-marshal.

Jack and his friends then made their way back to their tents.

In the morning those who had been in the scuffle gave evidence before the provost-marshal, and the prisoner was identified by some of the camp-followers as a notorious brigand who for days had been hanging round the camp.

It transpired that a private of the Connaught Rangers named Conolly had on the day before been drinking in Varna with several Greeks. He was known to have had considerable arrears of pay upon him. That night Conolly’s comrades were aroused by hearing heavy groans. They found he had been stabbed to death, and a man was seen escaping from the tent. Several of the Rangers gave chase, but lost their man near the camp of the Lancers. It was supposed that having escaped the most pressing danger, to show their utter contempt for the watchfulness of the English, out of mere bravado the Greeks had started firing their pistols among the tents. Nothing was decided, however, and the prisoner was put back for further inquiries.

‘H’m!’ snorted Sergeant Linham, ‘I suppose the toad is going to be let have another chance of slitting our throats. If it had been an officer who had been killed, I want to know’----

A trumpet was heard ringing out shrilly.

‘Hallo!’ said Jack; ‘listen; it’s the regimental call: “Death or Glory, Death or Glory, Death or Glory Boys!” Trot march, chaps! we’re wanted.’

They raced to the lines, saddled-up, and mounted, all being a few minutes late on parade.

As Jack was taking his place in the troop, Napper passed him.

‘Blair,’ he cried angrily, ‘you’re late on parade; I shall report you.’

This was the first time he had spoken to Jack since they had landed. Jack wondered what on earth it had to do with him if he were late; but he had no time to think it out, for the regiment was formed for inspection by the colonel. This lasted some time, and when they had returned to camp Will Hodson sought Jack, and his face looked grave.

‘I say, old man, have you heard the news?’ he asked.

‘I have heard several things to-day,’ replied Jack; ‘to what do you refer?’

‘Napper.’

‘What about him?’

‘He’s in orders this morning as corporal.’

Jack whistled. ‘By George!’ he said, ‘that’s unfortunate for me,’ and he recollected Napper’s words.

He was unsaddling his horse when Sergeant Barrymore came up to him.

‘Blair,’ he said, ‘the colonel wants to see you at once.’

With a sinking heart Jack followed the sergeant into the presence of his stern old colonel. Napper and the regimental sergeant-major were standing by him.

‘What’s this I hear about you,’ he began angrily; ‘absent from the lines and late on parade this morning--our first day ashore? What is the meaning of it?’

Jack was utterly surprised at the colonel’s tone, thinking he must have known where he had been. He did not learn till later that the colonel, feeling ill, had been up at the hospital all night, and only rejoined his regiment in the morning, not knowing that Jack had been mixed up in the scrimmage with the Greek. Jack explained where he had been, and the colonel was looking incredulously at him when Sergeant Linham came hurrying up and corroborated what Jack had said.

The colonel then turned angrily to Napper. ‘What do you mean by telling such a trumped-up story?’ he cried angrily. ‘If this is the way in which you are going to exercise your authority you won’t wear your stripes many days. Go away.--And you, Blair, are dismissed. I have been misinformed.’

Napper gave Jack a malignant glance as they both saluted and retired.

‘I’ll have you yet,’ hissed Napper quietly.

But Jack made no reply. He was thinking that the feud between him and Napper was as keen as ever, and that now Napper had every opportunity of making his life miserable.