dialaterage2015

@@@@@"All right, now get going!" They crawled away, and several minutes later Croft heard them firing behind him"Come on," he whispered to Gallagher and RothThey started off, sliding on their bellies for the first fifty feet and then running from a crouched positionRoth caught a glimpse of Hearn as he crawled by, and for an instant his legs went weak and he gasped rather emptily It passed through him in a bout of faintness, and then he began crawling and then running"Terrible," he muttered Croft joined the others behind the hill"All right, men, let's haul assWe're gonna head right along next to the cliffs, and we ain't gonna hang around for no one He took the lead in the column and they moved out rapidly, jogging for several hundred yards at a time before slowing to a walk, and then after a few paces beginning to trot againIn an hour they moved five miles over the hills and through the tall grass, never pausing, never slowing down for the stragglers Roth forgot quickly about the Lieutenant, as did the othersThe shock of the second ambush was blunted in the rigors of their retreatThey thought of nothing but the breathless clamor in their chests, the trembling of their overworked legsWhen Croft finally called a halt they flopped on the ground numbly, not even caring if the Japs were pursuing themAt that moment if they had been attacked they would probably have lain there dumb Croft alone was standingHe spoke slowly, his chest heaving, but his speech distinct"We're gonna take a little break He stared disdainfully at them, noting the stupor with which they listened to him"Since you men are all so goddam pooped, I'll stand guard Most of them had hardly heard him, and those who did gathered no sense from his wordsThey just lay there passive Slowly they recuperated, their breath becoming normal, their legs regaining some strengthBut still the ambush and the march had drained the