The Iron Tiger - Jack Higgins [35]
In a few moments, the swift current had carried him out of sight into the heavy rain. Others followed, some bleeding from wounds, crying with fear as they stumbled down the slope and flung themselves into the river.
'They won't last five minutes,' Hamid shouted. 'The water must be near freezing.'
A bullet landed at their feet, showering them with dirt. He turned as four Chinese appeared at the top of the slope and swung the sub-machine gun in a wide arc, firing from the hip. Two of them crumpled to the ground.
As their companions dropped behind an outcrop of rock, several more appeared on the skyline and Hamid drove them back with a long burst that emptied the gun.
As one of the troop carriers came into view, Hamid tossed the useless weapon to one side and they ran into the river and splashed through the shallows towards a line of dense, thorny bushes that grew down into the water. Bullets churned around them and then they were waist deep and hidden by the rain.
The water was bitterly cold and Drummond could feel it eating its way into his bones. They could hear the cries of the soldiers coming nearer and began to move further downstream aided by the strong current.
The land curved out for about fifty yards making a natural breakwater, imprisoning a floating mass of smashed trees and branches. They pushed towards it and the current, taking pity on them, swept them into the safety of the floating jungle.
They rested side by side, holding the branches of a tree, gasping for breath. Voices came from the shore and half a dozen soldiers appeared, pushing their way through the bushes along the water's edge.
They were no more than ten yards away from the shore and through the branches Drummond could see the Chinese clearly, the peaked caps pulled down over the eyes, the red star prominent, the shining Burp guns and rubber, knee-length boots.
The breathless minutes passed slowly and the cold gradually numbed their limbs. The soldiers appeared to be having a conference. After a while, they split into pairs and disappeared into the driving rain.
'Now what?' Drummond said.
'Only one thing for it,' Hamid said, his lips blue with the cold. 'We'll have to try to get across on one of these logs. They'll be swarming around like flies on this side of the river. We wouldn't last five minutes.'
He let go of the tree and splashed to the next one, progressing slowly through the floating mass and Drummond followed. When they reached the edge, they found a large tree that was already swinging out into the river, straining to be free.
Hamid pulled himself into the branches and Drummond said, 'I'll try to guide it from the other end.'
He lifted a foot from the water and pushed against the next tree. There was a snapping of branches and the tree lifted into the current. In a few moments they were drifting rapidly away and the floating mass of trees and the promontory disappeared into the mist.
Drummond soon found that it was impossible to guide the tree. It went with the current and his feeble kicking had no effect. He gave up the struggle and tried to heave himself into a more secure position, but his frozen limbs refused to help him. He trailed helplessly through the water, arms hooking over a projecting branch and gradually all discomfort and pain left him.
When Cheung scrambled up the steep bank from the river's edge, he found General Ho Tsen still sitting in the front of the jeep, a cigarette in a long jade holder between his teeth.
'Well?' the General demanded.
Cheung seemed tired. 'As yet there is no sign of them, General.'
'A small subterfuge which often leads to remarkable results,' said Ho Tsen. 'Wasn't that what you promised me?'
Cheung wiped rain from his face mechanically. 'What can I say?'
'Nothing,' Ho Tsen told him. 'That would be much better. As it happens, in such weather it is more than likely that Drummond and his friend are already floating face down somewhere out there in the flood. In any case, I shall take charge here, Colonel.