Percy F. Westerman

“ It was with some semblance of military order that the caravan set out. Twenty or thirty white-robed Arabs, armed with modern rifles, led the way, perched in high-peaked and backed saddles upon the backs of ambling and rolling camels. Next followed the cattle and sheep, under the care of a body of men who—though Arabs by birth, religion, manners, and customs—were undoubtedly of negro descent. After them came the women and children, some seated on mules and horses, some afoot, with a sprinkling of men armed with long matchlocks as a bodyguard. ”

“ Even some of the Arabs—hardy sons of the desert—had to fall out, although in every case a camel-man would chivalrously give up his beast to the sufferer and trudge patiently on foot. Many of the camels also sank upon the burning sand, never again to rise, while in the rear of the column gaunt vultures hovered in dreadful expectancy of a feast. The sheep and cattle, too, died in large quantities, till the Sheikh Wadherim began to think that he would arrive at his journey's end far poorer than when he set out for the seacoast to enrich himself with the spoils of the Kafir invaders. ”

“ Every now and again a bursting shell, falling wide of the Arabs, would urge them to increase their pace, for the sons of the desert had a deep respect for shrapnel; but at length, drawing beyond range, the fierce warriors lost their sense of fear, and began to beat their drums with renewed vigour, while taunts and threats—fortunately unintelligible to the lads—were hurled at the captives. ”

“ At length the party reached a fairly extensive clearing in the oasis, where quite a hundred black tents were erected, and camels sheep, and goats were browsing on the short grass. Veiled women and scantily-clad children, raising a shout of welcome, ran to meet the returning warriors, carrying with them pitchers of water and kayoubs of dried dates and flour for their friends and relations.
Quickly the news spread. The Arabs will never acknowledge defeat to their friends: the unbelievers had been routed and slain, or driven into the sea. ”

“ Reeves sprang to the Krupp gun, but ere he could loose its contents into the press the ponderous portcullis was lowered with a run, pinning half a score of fanatical warriors beneath its formidable prongs.
Some thirty or forty Baggaras, armed with spears or double-handed swords, remained within the city. With shouts of "Allah it Allah!" they dashed upon the defenders—to slay or to be slain.
Short and fierce was the conflict inside the gate. Many a hauberk-clad man bit the dust under the almost irresistible sweep of those desert-forged weapons ”

“ Springing from the shelter of the hollow, Reeves ran straight for the advancing Turks. A spluttering volley was aimed at him, till, realizing, in spite of their fanatical hatred of the Kafir, that there was a possibility of harming their fellow Moslems, the Arabs ceased to fire.
As for the Turks, being unarmed and seeing a Giaour rushing at them, they hesitated; but when they found that he was alone, and apparently unarmed, they faced the fugitive.
"Effendi, Effendi, I am English!" exclaimed Reeves breathlessly.
"An Englishman is a true friend of the Ottoman," replied the Turkish officer. ”

“ Presently Hugh was joined by his chum, and not until the sun was low in the heavens did they cease to maintain a careful and anxious lookout. But there was no sign of human beings. The Arabs, their fear of the jinns increased considerably by the non-return of their comrades, attempted no further pursuit.
All that night Reeves kept watch, lying with his serviceable ear near the sand in order the more readily to detect the soft footfalls of approaching camels, or standing at intervals to stretch his aching frame and to gaze into the starlit desert. ”

“ On came the Moslem vanguard—mounted men, armed with long guns and spears, resplendent in the barbaric finery of the East. Cymbals and drums crashed in defiance, while under the waving green banners of Islam the fanatical warriors shouted death to the silent soldiers on the walls. Some of the Arabs, in pure bravado, galloped up to the edge of the moat and daringly discharged their weapons at their foes, till a well-directed shower of arrows struck down several and left the rest to ride back with loose rein, still shouting defiance at the Christian warriors. ”

“ SURROUNDED by a horde of fierce Arabs, who, with drums beating and weapons waving, seemed more like a victorious host than a retreating army, Arthur Reeves and his young companions were forced through the brambles and scrub that grew thickly within the oasis. ”

“ Across this Sir Oliver Fayne's five hundred horsemen passed, then at a walking pace made towards the distant camp, where the gleam of innumerable lights showed that many of the Arabs were feasting in their tents.
Without so much as a horse neighing, the Croixilian cavalry approached within two hundred yards of the Moslem camp, while Reeves and his comrades kept a short distance in the rear of the almost invisible mass of horsemen. The night was dark, and only the outlines of the tents served as a guide. ”

“ With redoubled shouts of encouragement and triumph the Croixilians swept away those of their foes who were immediately opposed to them, and before the discomfited Arabs on the outer side of the sloping bank of stone rubble could rally, they too were forced back across the choked moat. Now there was room for the archers, and from the walls, the houses behind the breach, and the deadly gap itself flights of arrows sped into the Moslem ranks. Once again the guns, reloaded with desperate haste, added to the carnage. ”

“ Reeves was perfectly correct in his surmise. The Arabs do not take readily to the use of firearms, and the primitive instinct to close with their adversaries is still strong within them.
"Here they come!"
A volley, sounding almost like a single shot, whistled over the defenders' heads, or else the bullets flattened against the rock. Dropping their firearms, the men picked up their spears or swords, and, with a fierce yell, rushed with incredible velocity upon the apparently defenceless unbelievers. ”

“ Reeves felt that he could leave the defence of the walls solely to the knights and archers, while he gave orders for the artillery to be trained upon the still unsuspecting supports, who, firing from beyond bowshot, imagined that they could gall the defenders with impunity.
On and on came the storming-party, till the place seemed black with human beings. Still no shaft sped from the battlements. In an unswerving belief in their own power, the Baggaras, thinking that their foes were already demoralized, rushed with loud cries towards the walls. ”

“ All at once the silence was broken by a human voice, speaking in a strange mixture of Anglo-French.
"Stand, whoever you are, in the name of the overlord of Croixilia!"
"We are friends," replied Reeves, speaking in French.
"Throw down your weapons and advance, if you are what you say," replied the voice.
"Place your muskets on the ground," said Reeves in a low tone. "I don't think we need fear." ”

“ Into the boat the travellers with their baggage made their way, the horses having to swim across; and, urged by the powerful strokes of the rowers, the craft shot out for the opposite shore.
During the voyage the cross-bearing men held well aloof from the T wearers, who, for their part, maintained a submissive silence. Reeves would have liked to ask questions, but the silence seemed contagious, and he held his tongue.
"Follow us carefully, riding one behind another," cautioned Garth, as the cavalcade resumed its way. "One step to the right hand or to the left means death." ”

“ Hugh's words broke into an exclamation of surprise, and he pointed excitedly in the direction of a thick clump of palms less than a quarter of a mile to the right.
"A flank attack," replied Mr. Reeves calmly, although he realized that they were in a very awkward predicament; for out of the oasis poured a swarm of Arabs, mounted and on foot, racing at headlong speed upon the Italian rearguard. "Come along; we must place a safe distance between us and those fellows," he continued. "Make for that hollow. Don't show yourselves more than you can help."
"Is there any danger?" asked Gerald. ”

“ Suddenly there was the rush of some heavy body, a dull thud, and a squeal from the camel as the poor brute was borne to the ground. The lads had a momentary glimpse of the flashing eyes of some enormous animal, which had struck down the hierie and was savagely rending its slender neck.
Reeves aimed at a distance of less than three yards with his long flintlock, but the weapon missed fire.
"Let him have it, lads!" he shouted; but both, though they presented their guns, could not fire. With a muttered exclamation the correspondent snatched the musket from Hugh and again took aim. ”

“ The south? What European was likely to have traversed the vast, trackless desert of Sahara from the south? Nigeria, the Cameroons, French Congo—all lie to the south; but was it possible that a white man could make that fearsome journey? But perhaps the south was a term used in a vague, elastic sense, and the captive referred to was a survivor of the prisoners of the Mahdi? Reeves determined to keep his ears open, and for the present he would say nothing to his young comrades about the conversation he had heard between the Sheikhs Wadherim and Abdullah. ”

“ Those of the Arabs who had managed to extricate themselves from the hot sand were endeavouring to release their less-fortunate comrades; while the half-buried camels remained in a kneeling position, with their long-lashed eyelids drooping over their large dark eyes, as if absolutely indifferent to the peril they had undergone. ”

“ Thrusting his compatriots aside, a tall, brown-featured Arab, with a long black beard, grabbed one of the Turks by the shoulder.
"In the name of Allah the all-powerful, who are these infidels?" he shouted.
"They are Inglees, under the protection of Bimbashi Ali," replied the man. "These Inglees are indeed the friends of the Ottoman."
"Nevertheless they may not be the friends of the true sons of the Prophet," replied the Arab, his dark eyes flashing. "Yet, since they be of a different tribe from yonder Kafirs, I will give them life. Seize and bear them hence." ”

“ I'll take you across to Capri—you will enjoy it—and there are plenty of boatmen to run you back."
"I will," replied Hugh, as the cab came to a halt at the quay. "But where shall we see you?"
"I will be on board the Victor Strozzi. Get a man to row you off. Don't forget—five sharp, if you're coming."
"No one would think that you lads were recovering from a bout of malaria," exclaimed Mr. Frazer, as Hugh and Gerald, hot and breathless with running, burst into the loggia of the Hôtel des Etrangers. "What are you so excited about?"
"Whom do you think we met, Dad? Mr. Reeves! ”

“ True to his word, Reeves took the lads to bid Garth farewell. It was a sorrowful party, for each man realized that each had risked his life in order to save the others', and they had been comrades in the field of battle in more than one fiercely-contested fight.
"The guard at the great gorge will not hinder you," said Garth at parting. "Much as I wish to do my duty to my country, there are times and places when tyrannical orders may be laxly carried out. When you leave the pass behind you, keep to the north, and ware the quicksands. ”

“ URGING their steeds to the utmost, the three fugitives rode with set faces, resolving either to escape or to fight to the end. Recapture would mean far worse than death.
Grasping his pistol tightly in his right hand, and steadying himself with his left, Reeves turned in his saddle and took a swift yet comprehensive view of the pursuing Arabs. There were five of them, all fully clad in white, showing that they were the chief men of the tribe. ”

“ As the bullets whizzed overhead, or flattened themselves harmlessly against the stonework, the Croixilians lay behind the shelter of their battlements—the archers with their bows strung and their arrows lying close to hand, the crossbowmen with their powerful weapons bent almost to breaking-point, and the knights ready, with sword, axe, or mace, to sweep the invaders from off the parapet. Heaps of stone, bundles of flaming straw, great balks of spike-studded timber, and bowls of melted 'lead and hot pitch were in readiness to be hurled upon the heads of the reckless attackers. ”

“ The full-grown infidel I will not sell without the others; perchance the two beardless ones would droop if taken from the one who, it seems, is their father."
"I have no work meet for these," said Abdullah, pointing to Hugh and Gerald. "Toiling in the salt lakes of El Sog would turn their brains, even as it did that of the unbeliever from the South. Nevertheless, Wadherim, I am indifferent. Either the man or none." ”

“ The Arabs, still maintaining a respectful distance, continued firing, their bullets whizzing by the side of the rock, as if they meant to frighten the Kafirs before rushing in upon them. Cautiously Reeves and the two lads crept close to the base of their towering shelter.
"They'll close after the next volley," said the correspondent calmly. "See that fellow with the red belt? You tackle him, Rags. Gerald, you must have a shot at that amiable-looking gentleman with the grey beard. His spear looks particularly annoying. Now, keep cool; imagine you're bowling with your first eleven." ”