Free Fire Below by Dornford Yates Page A

night.
    When I told George, he nodded.
    ‘I wondered,’ he said, ‘how long you’d be able to stand it. I would have left at Vardar, but I thought that if you could stick it, why, so could I.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Marching the wrong way is bad for my heart. So is suspense. For all we know, Marya Dresden was taken two hours after we left.’
    ‘God forbid,’ said I.
    ‘Amen,’ says George. ‘Never mind. Do we tell Fred Karno, or no?’
    ‘I think so,’ said I. ‘I’m not mad about his style, but we don’t want to let the man down.’
    ‘I’ve no compunction,’ said George, ‘about walking out. The man hasn’t helped us – he’s used us. We’ve taken no money and far more than earned our keep. No one would work as we have for this food and three shillings a day.’
    ‘I know,’ said I. ‘All the same, he’s been very convenient.’
    ‘So’ve we,’ said George. ‘Very. Never mind. You’re usually right.’
    Half an hour later Reubens came down the lines.
    ‘This afternoon,’ he said, blinking. ‘I’ll want one of you in the ring. Ada kicked up a fuss last night, and these — boys are afraid. What’s more, the mare knows it. She’ll play them up to glory, and so I must have one of you.’
    George shot me a glance. Then—
    ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘but we can’t show up like that.’
    The Jew looked down his nose.
    ‘The police won’t be there,’ he said, softly.
    ‘Perhaps not,’ said George. ‘But, frankly, we mustn’t be seen.’
    Reubens tapped his teeth with the knob of his riding whip.
    ‘This is damned awkward,’ he said. ‘Strikes me I’m guilty of harbouring.’
    ‘I don’t see that,’ said George. ‘You were short-handed, and we came and asked for a job.’
    ‘And got it in one,’ said the other. ‘No questions asked. You know as well as I do, I’m taking a hell of a risk.’
    ‘I fail to see it,’ said George. ‘We’ve given you no cause for suspicion.’
    The Jew looked at him curiously.
    ‘That’s true,’ he said. ‘No cause for suspicion – to date. At least, no cause they can prove.’ He hesitated. ‘Well, don’t give me one – that’s all. If you do – well, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’ve got to look after myself.’
    There was a little silence.
    ‘Do you mean,’ said George, ‘that you want us to enter the ring?’
    ‘No,’ said the other. ‘I guess I can climb that fence. But don’t show me one that I can’t. You know that we move at midnight?’
    ‘I’d heard so,’ said George.
    ‘Well, don’t forget,’ said Reubens.
    With that, he was gone.
    ‘There you are,’ said George. ‘What did I say? That’s what they call “the straight tip.” “Leave me, and I go to the police.” It’s just as well we didn’t tell him.’
    I shrugged my shoulders.
    ‘Business,’ I said. ‘Reubens is a business man.’
    ‘He’s a dirty dog,’ said George violently.
    ‘There’s just one thing,’ said I, thinking and speaking my thoughts. ‘Why should he come and say this? Why should he think we were thinking of clearing out?’
    George looked at me.
    ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘He’d some reason. What does he know?’
    The question remained unanswered till near midday.
    A boy had come round with papers about ten o’clock, and, whilst he was drawing the rations, we looked at the one Bach had bought.
     
    The manoeuvres which the 4th Brigade was suddenly called upon to perform came to an end last night. In a General Order the GOC expresses his satisfaction with the energy and keenness displayed by all ranks and especially with the alacrity with which they responded to the alarm, the intention to raise which had been kept secret even from the Commanding Officers.
     
    We determined to go that night, moving with the circus and leaving it in the first halt which was called upon the road.
     
    The afternoon performance was nearly done, and the mischievous Ada was kicking her way through her tricks when Bell