n the party.

For half an hour no move was made. It was evident that the strength of
the position had disconcerted the dervishes, who had expected to gain an
almost bloodless victory. As, however, Hamish assured them that at the
very utmost the sheik could put but twenty men in the field, including
several boys and old men, it was finally decided to attack, and headed
by the horsemen the dervishes started forward at a run, uttering shrill
yells as they did so. Edgar had persuaded the chief that it would be
useless to open fire until they were within two or three hundred yards,
as but few shots would tell, and the men would be discouraged by finding
that their fire did not check the advance. The sheik therefore commanded
his followers on no account to fire until he gave the order. The
dervishes, however, were not sparing of their ammunition, and fired as
they ran, the balls going for the most part wide, although a few
whistled over the heads of the defenders and two or three struck the
rampart.

"Now I think they are near enough, sheik," Edgar, who had levelled his
rifle at one of the horsemen, said. As he spoke he pulled the trigger,
and simultaneously with the sharp crack of the piece the Arab threw up
his arms and fell from his horse. The sheik and five of his men fired
almost at the same moment. Kneeling as closely as they could, there was
room for but seven along the face of the fort fronting the enemy, and at
Edgar's suggestion the chief had divided the men into three parties,
each of which after firing was to fall to the rear and reload, their
places being taken by the others in succession. Thus there would always
be a reserve and the fire could be kept up without interruption. Volley
after volley was fired, Edgar loading quickly enough to repeat his fire
with each squad.

So rapidly did the Arabs pass over the intervening ground that they
reached the outside hedge of thorns just as the party who had first
fired had again taken their places in front. Five of the dervishes had
fallen and several were wounded, but this had not checked their speed
for a moment, and under the orders of their leaders they at once fell to
work with their swords and knives to destroy the hedge. The work was
done far more rapidly than Edgar had thought possible, and they then
fell upon the more formidable obstacle piled up against the rocks,
attacking it on three sides simultaneously. The defenders now fired
independently, each as fast