of the beds. He could load for nurse, here, and me, while we
fired."

"If you warn't like one o' my sooperior officers," snarled Gedge, "I'd
say something nasty to you, Doctor. Give us one of them rifles, old
lady; I'm better with them and a bay'net than with this popgun. You
take your pistol, Mr Bracy, sir."

"No, no--yes, yes," said the Doctor hurriedly. "You may want it, my
boy. Now, then, go back to your bed. You'll be in the way here."

"In the way of some of these yelling fiends, I hope, Doctor," said
Bracy, thrusting the revolver into the waistband of his hurriedly
dragged on trousers. "Now, then, where will they try to break in?"

"The first window they can reach, when they fail at this door. You,
Gedge, watch that window. No one can get in, but some one is sure to
try."

The keen point of a bayonet was held within a few inches of the opening
the next moment, and then the little party, awaiting the attack, stood
listening to the terrible sounds from without. It was hard work to
distinguish one from the other, for the confusion was now dreadful; but,
from time to time, Bracy, as he stood quivering there as if a strange
thrill of reserved force was running through every vein, nerve, and
muscle, made out something of what was going on, and primarily he
grasped the fact, from the loud clanging, that the great gates had been
closed and barred against the entrance of those who were rushing forward
to the support of the fanatical Ghazis who had been so successful in
their _ruse_.

Then came other sounds which sent a ray of hope through the confusion;
first one or two shots rang out, then there was a ragged volley, and a
more or less steady fire was being kept up from the towers and walls.
But this was doubtless outward, begun by the sentries, and aided by the
two companies that rapidly mounted to their side by the orders of their
officers, who felt that it would be madness to begin firing in the dark
upon the Ghazis raging about the court, for fear of hitting their
unarmed friends.

It was some minutes before the Colonel could reach the guard-room, which
was held by the relief, and he had a couple of narrow escapes from cuts
aimed at him; but he reached the place at last, in company with about a
dozen unarmed men, and in a few minutes there was one nucleus here ready
with fixed bayonets to follow his orders. Other men made a rush for
their quarters from the walls where they had flocked, unarmed, to b