t the assailants off more came on. Whilst the _melee_ was in
progress the defenders had not seen the other boats come alongside,
and the reinforcements they brought. All along the side of the
dahabieh the Arabs were clambering up like so many ants, and though
the advantage was still with Naoum, the outcome looked doubtful.
The crew were hard put to it.

Helmar worked indefatigably with his rifle used as a club;
everywhere he darted, dealing terrible blows as the dusky creatures
showed themselves, but despite his efforts they seemed to be in
overwhelming numbers.

At last they gained a foothold on the deck, and the firing ceased
altogether. It became a struggle to the death, man against man. It
was here the crew showed their superiority over their enemies, and
slowly but surely began to drive them back.

Suddenly George saw three men pressing Naoum sorely. He himself had
just succeeded in throwing off his own assailant; with a bound he
went to his friend's rescue. He arrived only just in time, the men
were in the act of knifing him.

Without a thought, he rained blow after blow with his clubbed rifle
on the would-be assassins, and they went down like ninepins; then,
turning to where the crew were fighting, he saw to his delight that
they had driven the foe back over the bulwarks, while the deck lay
covered with damaged rebels. Naoum's men had fought like demons, and
their devotion to their master touched Helmar--it would have been so
much easier for them to have sold him.

In a few more moments the rebels were driven off, dropping over the
side into the water, without thinking as to the whereabouts of the
boats so long as they got safely out of the hornet's nest they had
fallen into.

As the last of them disappeared, Helmar fell rather than sat down on
the deck, breathing hard.

"That was a close call," he panted. "If they'd held on a bit longer,
I was completely done. Poof! I've had enough for one day."

Naoum was taking pot shots at the boats as they dodged about,
picking up the men who had fallen into the water. He paused at his
companion's words.

"Yes, Allah is good, we are now out of danger and have no more to
fear."

The rifles were collected and put away, and the dahabieh resumed its
calm appearance as it glided lazily onwards.

The following morning it entered the Mahmoudieh Canal, which runs
direct to Alexandria. After his late experience, George realized
what the appearance of a white face on b