dable determination, to maintain themselves at the post thus
captured; an impossible feat in consideration of the paucity of their
numbers, which fact a wily enemy had already begun to suspect.

That the main force could by any means fail them was a possibility over
which for long neither Derrick nor his followers wasted a thought.
Nevertheless half-an-hour of mad turmoil passed, and no help came.

Derrick charitably set down its non-appearance to ignorance of his state
and whereabouts, and he began at length to wonder within himself how the
place was to be defended throughout the night. Retreat he would not
think of, for he was game to the finger-tips. But even he could not fail
to see that, when the moon rose, he and his followers would be in a very
tight fix.

"Confound their caution! What are they thinking of?" he muttered
savagely. "If they only came straight ahead they would be bound to find
us."

And then a yelling crowd of dim figures breasted the rocks and dashed
forward with the force of a hurricane upon the little body of Goorkhas.
In a second Derrick was fighting in the dark with mad enthusiasm for
bare foothold, and shouting at the top of his voice exhortations to his
men to keep together.

It was a desperate struggle, but once more the little party of invaders
held their ground. And Derrick, yelling encouragement to his friends and
defiance to his foes, became vaguely conscious of a new element in the
strife.

Someone, not a Goorkha, was standing beside him, fighting as he fought,
but in grim silence.

Derrick wondered considerably, but was too busy to ask questions. Only
when he missed his footing, and a strong hand shot out and dragged him
up, his wonder turned to admiration. Here was evidently a mighty
fighting-man!

The tribesmen drew off at length baffled, to wait for the moon to rise.
They were pretty sure of their prey despite the determined resistance
they had encountered. They did not know of the new force that had come
to strengthen that forsaken little knot of men. Had they known, their
estimate of the task before them would have undergone a very material
amendment.

"Hullo!" said Derrick, rubbing his sleeve across his forehead. "Where on
earth did you spring from?"

A steady voice answered him out of the gloom. "I came up from the
valley. The troops are halted at the entrance of the ravine. There will
be no further advance to-night."

Derrick swore a sudden, fierce oath.

"No f