moment. "This beast
of a spear holds me so tight I can't move. I feel just like a butterfly
pinned to a board."

"Half a minute, Sam. Now, hold on," cried Tony, grasping the spear.
Then, with, a sudden tug he wrenched it from the ground.

"My eye, don't it hurt!" groaned poor Sam, suddenly becoming pale. "Go
easy with it, mate. Let the corporal have a turn."

Phil crept under the wagon, and finding the spear protruding almost a
foot on the other side of the shoulder, pulled out his clasp-knife, and
opening a small saw, which was a special feature of it, proceeded to cut
the point off. That done, he grasped the shaft and gently pulled it
from the wound.

"Come and help here, Tony," he cried. "But--wait a minute. Have a good
look round first of all, and tell me if you can see any more of those
fellows."

Tony climbed on top of the cart, and gazed all round.

"Not a single one of 'em in sight," he cried; "but they'll be here soon,
you may be sure."

"Then come and give a hand here with Sam," answered Phil, pulling out
his handkerchief. "I want a pad of linen or something."

"Here's the very thing, Phil;" and, pulling his bearskin off, Tony
produced a large woollen muffler.

Ripping the seams of the coat with his knife, Phil quickly exposed the
wound, and at once bound the muffler round it. Then with Tony's help he
propped Sam with his back against the wheel, and placed the arm in a
sling.

"Stay there, old boy," he said gently, "and as soon as the pain goes
off, crawl in behind the boxes. The Russians will not be able to reach
you there."

"Here yer are, mate," said Tony, handing Phil his bearskin. "It's about
as near a go as you'll ever want. See, there's a hole bang through it,
and the fur's all singed off the front."

Phil inspected it with an outward show of coolness, but as he jammed it
on his head he muttered beneath his breath a fervent thanksgiving to the
Almighty for his preservation, for had he not ducked at the critical
moment, that hole would not have been blown through the helmet, but
through his head.

"Get up on top, and keep a look-out, Tony," he exclaimed. "We're in a
tight hole, and it will only be by keeping our eyes well open that we
shall get safely out of it. First of all, though, break open one of
those boxes, and load the rifles. We shall want plenty of ammunition,
and had best have it ready and close at hand, in case of a sudden
attack. I will have a look at these