om a wound in his
forehead inflicted by a ricochetting slug or bullet. And presently he
began to realise that, despite the stubborn resistance of his men, the
Government troops were slowly but surely closing in on him, and that the
end could not be very long delayed.

He himself fought as Englishmen fight, doing as much execution as any
four of his men; but he could not be everywhere at once, although he
rushed here and there, encouraging and urging the defenders to fresh
effort. Grimy, bleeding, and powder-stained, they did their best to
obey; but the pelting rain of lead was rapidly reducing their numbers,
and as their fire slackened for want of men, the troops edged in ever
closer and closer until, at a sudden shouted word of command, they
surged forward and stormed the enclosure, carrying it by sheer weight of
numbers.

The Sam-riek men were slaughtered like sheep, and Frobisher found
himself surrounded by at least a dozen men, shooting and stabbing at him
until it seemed miraculous that he still survived. He laid about him
desperately, and many a man of the enemy went down under the terrific
sweep of his cutlass--his revolvers he had emptied long ago, save for a
single shot which he was hoarding against some special emergency.

But the fight could not last much longer; his foes pressed so closely
about him that Frobisher could no longer freely swing his cutlass, while
the blood running down into his eyes half-blinded him. Out of the
corner of one eye, however, he suddenly caught sight of a heap of
cartridges that he had emptied on the ground for his men to help
themselves from. His foes had driven him almost on the top of the pile,
and, seeing that there was no possible escape, the young Englishman
determined to sell his life dearly.

With his cutlass hand he warded off the blows that were raining upon his
head, and with the other he fired the last chamber of his revolver right
into the middle of the heap of ammunition. The next instant there shot
forth a dazzling burst of flame accompanied by a crackling report, and
for a brief instant Frobisher had a confused vision of torn and writhing
limbs and bodies. Then something struck him sharply; there was a sound
as of roaring, tumbling, thundering waters in his ears; and he knew no
more.

CHAPTER FIVE.

ON THE RIVER.

When Frobisher recovered consciousness he became aware of most
excruciating pains in his head and his left side, and so extreme was h