he slave-dealing, but he scattered us like sheep.
Yes, Gordon was a great man though, as you say, he was a Kaffir;" and
the sheik sat in silence, meditating upon what seemed to him an
inscrutable problem.

While the conversation had been going on, the bullets of the enemy
continued to whistle round the zareba.

"I will try and put a stop to that," Edgar said; "we have a rifle here
as much better than theirs, as theirs are superior to the guns of your
tribesmen."

The nearest hill was some four or five hundred yards away, and on this
several of the Arabs could be seen. Sure that they were nearly out of
gun-shot, they took but little pains to conceal themselves. Edgar rested
his rifle on a stone and took a steady aim at three of them who were
sitting together. He fired. A yell of dismay came across the air; two of
the figures leapt to their feet and ran back. A moment later four or
five others who had been firing from among the bushes also dashed away,
while a triumphant yell rose from the zareba.

"That is one enemy the less," Edgar said, "and I don't think the others
will trouble us much in future. They must know that they can be doing us
no harm, and now they discover they are not going to have it all their
own way we shall not hear much more of them."

Shots were indeed fired occasionally from the bushes and eminences, but
the discharges were far apart, and seemed to be intended rather to show
the defenders of the zareba that they were surrounded than for any other
purpose. The day passed without any further event. As soon as the sun
had fairly set the defenders sallied out and repaired the hedge. The
enemy probably guessed that they were so employed, and kept up a much
heavier fire than they had done during the day. Edgar, lying in the
zareba, replied, steadily firing at the flashes, and after a time the
firing of the enemy slackened, and the defenders, when they had
completed the hedge, re-entered the zareba through a very narrow gap
that had been left for the purpose, carrying with them one of their
number whose leg had been broken just above the ankle by one of the
enemy's bullets. Under the sheik's instructions some rough splints were
made to keep the bone in its proper position, and bandages were then
applied.

Four sentries were posted, one at each corner of the fort, and the rest
of the garrison lay down to sleep. Twice during the night they sprang to
their feet at the discharge of the gun of one of the