And they were under the cloud, its coolness slumped over them like air
from an open refrigerator. The first heavy drops stung Bruce's cheek and
then rolled down heavily washing away the smell of cordite, melting the
dust from Ruffy's face until it shone again like washed coal.
Bruce felt his jacket cling wetly to his back.
'Ruffy, two men at each Bren. The rest of them can get back into the
covered coaches. We'll relieve every hour.' He reversed his rifle so the
muzzle pointed downwards. 'De Surrier, you can go, and you as well,
Hendry.'
'I'll stay with you, Bruce.'
'All right then.' The gendarmes clambered back into the covered coaches
still laughing and chattering, and Ruffy came forward with a ground
sheet and handed it to
Bruce.
'The radios are all covered. If you don't need me, boss, I got some
business with one of those Arabs in the coach.
He's got near twenty thousand francs on him; so I'd better go and give
him a couple of tricks with the cards.'
'One of these days I'm going to explain your Christian monarchs to the
boys. Show them that the odds are three to one against them,' Bruce
threatened.
'I wouldn't do that, boss,' Ruffy advised seriously. 'All that money
isn't good for them, just gets them into trouble.'
'Off you go then. I'll call you later,' said Bruce. 'Tell them I said
'well done
I'm proud of them.' 'Yeah. I'll tell them,' promised Ruffy.
Bruce lifted the tarpaulin that covered the set.
'Driver, desist before you burst the boiler!' The abandoned flight of
the train steadied to a more sedate pace, and Bruce tilted his helmet
over his eyes and pulled the ground sheet up around his mouth before he
leaned out over the side of the truck to inspect the rocket damage.
'All the windows blown out on this side and the woodwork torn a
little, he muttered. 'But a lucky escape all the same.'
'What a miserable comic-opera war this is,' grunted Mike Haig. 'That
pilot had the right idea: why risk your life when it's none of your
business.'
'He was wounded,' Bruce guessed. 'I think we hit him on his first run.'
Then they were silent, with the rain driving into their faces, slitting
their eyes to peer ahead along the tracks. The men at the Brens huddled
into their brown and green camouflage groundsheets, all their jubilation
of ten minutes earlier completely gone. They are like cats, thought
Bruce as he noticed their dejection, they can't stand being wet.
'It's half past five already.' Mike spoke at last. 'Do you think we'll
make Msapa junction before nightfall?'
'With this weather it will be dark by six.' Bruce looked up at the low
cloud that was prematurely bringing on the night. 'I'm not going to risk
travelling in the dark.
This is the edge of Baluba country and we can't use the headlights
oftheloco.'
