Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #15 June 2015 | Page 99

Silence for a few seconds, the last words came from
further away. “He has opened the book! We must stop
him before it is too late!”
Fowler came back into the tent. “One of the Arabs Sir,
he’s gone now. Looked like one of the drivers. I think
he was the one with the lamp last night.”
The general grunted and turned back to the map.
Pointing to several spots.
“Greyling, sweep along here and here, the rest as you
wish but I want every way in and out found. This is
now a siege and I don’t want any damn rebels slipping
past us.”
Then he looked up and his gaze met that of Lieutenant
Digby.

“Watch what ya doing ya useless seaman, that’ll come
out o’ ya pay if ya drop it.”
Four men came into sight around the outcropping
Engler was using as shelter from the harsh sun. Lieutenant Houseman in front followed by two naval
ratings struggling to carry something large and bulky
wrapped in canvas. The source of the shouting was
bringing up the rear, the Boatswain’s Mate from the
naval ground party that supported Greyhound.
Engler watched, at first in curiosity, and then in disbelief as the men put down the bundled item, opened
out the bottom to form a tripod and then removed the
cover completely to reveal a four foot ship’s telescope.
“Good grief, where did you find that?”

Houseman stepped up to the te