Presently Cummins found himself faced by an almost perpendicular cliff and called another halt. Ten minutes--it seemed like hours--went by before he found a way up, and the little column, bending to the left, struggled on again.
Now the ground became more open, covered with coarse grass up to the knees and dotted with stunted trees. Progress was more rapid.
A pheasant disturbed from sleep flew off with a "whr! whr!" which made the men's hearts leap to their mouths. Occasionally a frightened wood-pigeon darted from his roosting-place. Most scaring these noises were in the pitch darkness.
Faintly, at intervals, they could now hear the dull sound of distant firing, sometimes fast and furious, dropping again to a few single shots at long intervals, then recurring with renewed vigour. It was Lang in "No. 2" demonstrating outside the entrance and drawing the attention of the forts. These were replying savagely.
Not a sound came from above except the soughing of the cold wind.
At the next halt two marines were missing. One rejoined, bruised from a fall, but they could not wait for the second. "Who is he?" was whispered along the line. "Bolton, a Blue Marine," was passed back from the rear.
At the end of the first hour he was the only man missing. Some of the water in the breakers had been spilt, a helmet or two knocked off and lost in the darkness--that was all.
Another half-hour of slowly pushing upwards--men were breathing hard and panting; another halt was called.
A blue-jacket had sprained his ankle, and after a hurried examination by Dr. Richardson, two men were told off to assist him. Rifle straps were eased, water-breakers changed hands, and leather gear adjusted.
Looking downwards towards the sea Cummins saw the first faint glimmer of approaching dawn--far away in the east. They must push on. Bending again to the left to keep in more open ground, they still steadily pressed upwards.
Another halt; and the wind, lashing more savagely through the trees, drowned any noise, and told them that now they were reaching the crest of the hill.
Cummins went cautiously forward to reconnoitre, and reappeared, Glover panting with excitement behind him. "I've found the path, Saunderson," he chuckled, and the word was passed to move on again.