t to his lips.

"You have done more," he said; "you have healed it."

For the next few moments he stood there as if holding the hand in his,
though Rachel Linton had hurried away. Then he started, for he became
aware that Tom Long had seen what had taken place, and was now standing
leaning on his sword. But he did not speak, he only turned away,
leaving Gray watching, and thinking hopefully now of the charge he had
to meet.

"Smithers is a gentleman," he said to himself; "they cannot shoot me for
what I have not done."

Then he began to wonder how the steamer had sped, and how soon they
would bring back their friends. This was the more important, as he felt
sure that a few such determined efforts on the Malay's part, and the
little garrison must succumb.

"He is a brave young fellow, that Ali," he thought, "and has managed
well."

Then he stood gazing out over the dark ground in front, where here and
there he could make out the dimly seen form of some unfortunate
combatant, who had not been carried off by his friends.

It was darker now than ever, and he was silently watching for danger,
when a faint rustling noise caught his ear, and he brought his piece
down to the present, for undoubtedly one of the bodies lying on the dark
earth was in motion, and crawling slowly towards where he stood.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.

THE END OF ALI'S MISSION.

Adam Gray's finger was on the trigger of his piece, but he did not fire,
though he carefully covered the figure before him, and watched
attentively to make sure that it was no hallucination.

He had marked that figure before; one that lay face downwards,
apparently just as the man had fallen from a shot. And now the dimly
seen arms had changed positions--there was no doubt of that--and the
figure was crawling forward.

What did it mean? Either it was a poor wounded wretch, striving hard to
get relief and help, or else it was a trick on the part of a treacherous
Malay, who was trying to put in force a North American Indian's tactics,
and creeping forward to stab a sentry.

"And so gain an entrance into the fort," thought Adam Gray. "Well, my
poor wretch, you will not do it, unless both my rifle ball and bayonet
should miss."

Just then the figure stopped, and lay quite motionless; and again Gray
hesitated, feeling sure that he must have been deceived, as he gazed now
at the figure where it lay, some twenty yards away.

There it was, perfectly motionless, an