now creeping along, and the covering party at a word from
Captain Roberts became, if possible, more watchful.

It was about this time that Bill Gedge, who tired seldom, but with the
effect of keeping the stones from one special gap from doing mischief,
drew the Sergeant's attention to that particular spot, and, hearing his
remarks, Bracy lay back and brought his field-glass to bear upon it.

"It ain't no good firing at a pair o' hands coming and going," said
Gedge. "I want to ketch the chap as is doing that there bit o' brick
laying."

"Bit of what!" cried Bracy.

"Well, I calls it bricklaying, sir. You see, I've watched him ever so
long, sticking stones one above another, ready to shove down all
together. I think he means to send 'em down on the squelchy-welchies."

"The what?" cried Bracy, laughing.

"He means the camels, sir."

"Oh. Yes, I can see," continued Bracy. "Looks more like a breastwork."

Even as he spoke there was a puff of smoke, a dull report, and a sharp
spat on the rock close to the young officer's hand, and he started up,
looking a little white, while Sergeant Gee picked up a flattened-out
piece of lead.

"Right, sir," he said; "it is a breastwork, and there's a couple o' long
barrels sticking out."

"Let them have it there," cried Captain Roberts. "They're opening fire
with their jezails."

"Yes, sir," said Gedge in a whisper; "we've just found that out for
ourselves."

He drew trigger as he spoke, and as the smoke rose and he looked up,
loading mechanically the while, he caught sight of a long gun dropping
swiftly down, barrel first, to fall close by one of the camels, grunting
and moaning as it bore its balanced load along the shelf.

"Mine," cried Gedge. "I hit the chap as he was looking down. I wants
that there long gas-pipe to take home."

"Thank you, Gedge," said Bracy in a low voice. "I believe you've saved
my life."

"Not me, sir; he shot first, but it did look near."

"Horribly, my lad, and he'd have had me next time."

"Think so, sir?" said the lad, taking aim again. "Well, there's another
on 'em shooting, and I want to get him if I can. Stop him from
committing murder, too."

Gedge took a long aim, and his finger trembled about the trigger for
nearly a minute, but he did not fire; and all the while, evidently set
in motion by a good strong party of the enemy, the stones came crashing
and thundering down, in spite of the firing kept up by the covering
sect