oud cry came from Ibrahim. At the same moment something
passed before Dick's face. He threw himself backwards, drawing his
pistol as he did so, and fired into the body of the man behind him. A
second later he shot another, who was in the act of throwing a twisted
handkerchief round Surajah's neck. Then he leapt to his feet,
delivering, as he did so, a heavy blow, with the barrel of his pistol,
on the head of the trader who had been sitting between him and
Surajah.

It had all passed in a few seconds, and the other men started back, in
their surprise at this unexpected failure of their plan.

Surajah was on his feet almost as quickly as Dick. Even yet, he did
not understand what had happened. At this moment there was the crack
of another pistol, and then Ibrahim came running towards them, having
shot a man who had suddenly drawn his sword, and tried to cut him
down. At his heels came the six men who had, up to this point, been
standing in a group near their horses.

Without hesitation, Dick drew out one of his single-barrelled pistols
and shot the pretended trader, whose turban had saved him from the
effect of the blow, and who, shouting loudly to his companions, was
struggling to his feet. The remaining eight men had all drawn their
swords, and were rushing upon them.

"Fire, Surajah!" Dick shouted. "Are you asleep, man?"

Surajah was not asleep, but he was confused by the suddenness of the
fray, and was still doubtful whether Dick had not made an entirely
unprovoked attack upon the strangers. However, he perceived that it
was now too late to discuss that point, and was a question of fighting
for his life. Accordingly, he fired both barrels of one of his
pistols. One of the men dropped.

"Your sword, Surajah!" Dick exclaimed, as he grasped the scabbard of
his own weapon in his left hand, while in his right he held his other
double-barrelled pistol.

Their antagonists, with yells of fury, were now upon them. Dick shot
one, but the next man he aimed at darted suddenly aside when he fired.
Dick dropped his pistol, and grasped the hilt of his sword just in
time to ward off a blow aimed at his head. Blow after blow was
showered upon him, so quickly that he could do no more than ward them
off and wait his opportunity. He heard Surajah fire two more shots in
quick succession; then Ibrahim suddenly dashed forward and cut down
his opponent, and then furiously engaged another, who was on the point
of attacking him from b