Redemption - Leon Uris [215]
Hands behind his back, Yurlob walked up and down beside a long table where his students sat. He made terse comments as they struggled with the square knot, the double sling, the diamond hitch, the double diamond hitch, cross sling, clove hitch, short splice, long splice, liar knot, overhand granny, single and double sheet bend, fisherman’s bend, timber hitch towline, barrel sling horizontal, barrel sling vertical, sheepshank, and cat’s paw.
“You must get this right because you will be given a test blindfolded.
“Each mule must be prepared to carry down a stretcher on each trip from the front lines. First will come the most seriously wounded, then the more lightly wounded, and finally, the dead. The litter rides high on the cross of the ribbings making the journey perilous in hilly terrain. This is your most important cargo. You will not be stupid.”
Serjeant Major Johnny Tarbox and Corporal Chester Goodwood spent their days in Pig Island making up tactical tables.
How many mules will it take to supply five thousand troops three miles from base camp on a line stretching three thousand yards using two quarts of water, fifty rounds of rifle ammo, five hundred rounds of light machine gun, fifty flares, two daily #14 ration…?
How many hours of daylight are required to make a round trip of the above to the front line, and carry down one casualty on return trip…?
What is the minimum-sized paddock required to house two hundred mules…?
…three hundred mules…?
…four hundred and fifty mules…?
How much time is lost for each degree of uphill climb per mule over a six-mile route?
How many tons of hay will four hundred mules require for a two-week period?
In preparing for an offensive how much time will be required to have ready 100,000 rounds of rifle ammo, 300,000 rounds light machine-gun ammo, 1,000 80-mm mortar shells, 5-gallon cans of water at the rate of 2 quarts a day for 6,000 troops…?
Modi: “Today we speak of calluses. If not softened and removed, they will ulcerate to cancer.”
Yurlob: “You are stupid.”
Chester Goodwood to Johnny Tarbox: “On a static front, how many mules can supply basic requirements as in table B, four miles from base camp on a line 2,000 yards long containing two companies of infantry and a heavy weapon squad in 3-to-8 terrain?”
Yurlob: “All correctly made ties will release by pulling two ropes, freeing the pack.”
Rory: “It is forbidden to park your mule before a public house.” Jaysus! We have to be coming to the end.
It was dark before dawn, still an hour before reveille. Chester Goodwood ran down the hallway of the gaffers’ quarters pounding on every door. “Mules have arrived! They’re bringing twenty mules into the paddock!”
“Get the lieutenant!”
They dressed like firemen answering an alarm but with a little less grace, pitching, stumbling, and falling as they did.
In ten minutes Lieutenant Jeremy joined them at the hitching rail as the first crack of light shone on the mules. There stood, or wavered, mules in various degrees of infirmity—cowed, swayed, broken, bony, beaten, ears chewed, teeth missing, hooves split, sore-covered.
They could not believe what they saw.
“Jaysus.”
“Good God.”
“Who sent us these poor beasts?” Modi asked. “I was visiting yesterday comrades in Zion Mule Corps. They got some decent animals.”
“The Zion Mule Corps got the best animals because they are servicing British troops,” Jeremy said angrily. “I told the Major to let me send a couple of you people to the auction. Colonel Sattersfield at quartermaster buggered me.”
“Every peasant in Egypt is trying to pass off his dying mule to the British Army.”
They looked for some sort of salvation as Serjeant Yurlob entered the scene. Yurlob studied the animals and maintained an uncommitted expression. Urged, he refused to join the cries of dismay.
Well, here we have it, Jeremy thought. The good servant. These animals were British Army issue so they must