also snatched his knife from his girdle,
shifted it into his left hand, and threw himself into the usual boxing
attitude with his left foot forward. The Maltese paused in his rush.
This line of defence was altogether new to him. He had been engaged in
many a fierce fray, but his opponents had always, like himself, fought
with their knives in their right hands.

The momentary indecision was fatal to him. With the speed of a practised
boxer Edgar changed feet. Springing forward with his right foot in
advance he caught his opponent's wrist with his right hand, and snatched
the man's arm across his body, and plunged his own knife to the hilt
under the other's arm. He was but just in time, for the Greek, who,
having hurled Sidi into the passage, had turned to the assistance of his
comrade, was close upon him, giving vent to a hoarse howl of fury as his
comrade dropped. Edgar faced him in the same attitude as that in which
he had met the Maltese. The man paused out of reach and then crouched,
swaying his body from side to side in readiness for a spring, but he
never gave it. Sidi, although thrown heavily down, had leapt up again
with the activity of a cat, and with a single bound from the door he
reached the Greek and buried his knife between his shoulders. Almost at
the same moment there was a shout from the other end of the street, and
two or three men were seen running towards them.

"Through the house, Sidi!" Edgar exclaimed.

They rushed in, closed and fastened the door, and then ran out into the
yard behind the house, which was fortunately empty. They were over the
wall in a moment into another yard, entered a door that stood open, went
noiselessly along the passage, for both were barefooted, opened a door
and went out into the lane beyond, pausing for a moment before they did
so to see that there were no blood-stains that would attract attention
on their dress. As their arms were bare, there were but a few spots of
blood to be seen. They wiped the blood from the hands that held the
knives on the inside of their dress, and then walked quietly out, pulled
the door to, but did not attempt to close it, walked quietly down the
lane, took the first turning, turned again four or five times, and then
quickened their pace to a fast walk, and in ten minutes emerged from the
labyrinth of lanes they had been traversing. Up to this time not a word
had been spoken from the moment they entered the house.

"We are well out of that,