Canaris make his
escape alone, when a happy thought struck him.

"I have it, Melton," he cried joyfully. "Have you much power in your
arms?"

"Yes," said Melton, "but not enough to go up that rope."

"That's all right. I don't want you to go up the rope," returned Guy.
"Here, put your feet together and stand straight."

Hastily noosing the rope, he drew the knot tightly about Melton's legs
just above the knee.

"You take a good grip with your hands," he added. "There won't be much
strain on your wound and we'll have you on the top in a jiffy."

Melton obeyed instructions, and Guy pulled himself speedily to the top.

"Crouch down," said Canaris; "don't you see that watch-tower?" and he
pointed to a dim mass rising from the wall some distance off. "That is
the nearest tower," he added. "I hardly think they can see us, but it is
better to take precautions."

The other two ropes were already dangling on the outer side of the
wall. Canaris had planned everything for an emergency.

Guy took a hasty glance at the roofs and battlements spread before them
on one side, the moonlit landscape on the other, and then he whispered
down, "All right. Melton?"

"Yes, go ahead," came the faint reply.

"Quick, they are coming!" cried Canaris in sudden excitement, and as he
spoke a yell went up close at hand, and three or four dark figures
turned the corner of the nearest slave-prison.

[Illustration: THEN THE SPEAR FLASHED IN THE TORCHLIGHT.]

A big Somali was in the lead, and, spying Melton, he raised his spear.

"You fiend!" cried Guy, and, lifting a loose stone from the wall, he
hurled it down.

It struck the spear from the rascal's hand, and, before he could recover
himself, Guy and Canaris had dragged Melton to the top of the wall by a
prodigious effort.

"Down, down!" cried Canaris, and as they crouched low three or four
spears went over their heads and a hoarse shout of rage went up from the
baffled Somalis that was caught up and repeated far back into the town.

"Keep cool," cautioned Canaris; "the ropes are up; they can't reach us.
Five minutes more, and----" The words froze on his lips. Loud above
the shouts of the savages rose a harsh, metallic sound that vibrated in
shuddering echoes through the night air. It was the beating of the
tomtom at the Emir's palace.

An electric circuit could not have more speedily roused the town. A
vast, sullen roar went up instantly, and then, mingled with the clang of
the t