" And privately the kindly old fellow--the
youngsters called him old, though he was still short of fifty--added
an extra word of caution to George. "You are a born soldier, Fairburn,
but you never seem to be able to remember when you are in danger; you
forget it like a thoughtless schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if
not for your own, take care of yourself, so far as it is possible,
there's a good fellow." And with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake
of the hand, the colonel turned away. He had said the last word he was
ever to say to George.
An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust flew
into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in that
more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had perished.
George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what he could to
discover hidden mines.
That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their search
in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a neighbouring
battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable affair. Eagerly
George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew close behind.
Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall back, for Heaven's
sake! There's another mine below this, I have just learnt.
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