s! They are a fierce looking gang
of bandits."

"Raal will tame them when they get within bowshot," said Dick.

Meanwhile Kulki in command of the Gorols, took up a position on the
cliff edge, while all the small children and old people of the cave
dwellers, hurried to find shelter in the mountains.

The older children and the women brought big stones to the edge of the
cliff to roll down upon the invaders.

All these preparations had gone forward with breathless haste, for the
Arab raiders were closing in fast.

Leaving Dan behind, Dick advanced to meet them, carrying a white flag;
one of the first fabrics woven on his looms. He did not want to begin
hostilities until he was quite certain that the Arabs were bent on war,
and waved the flag as a signal.

But Dick was not long left in doubt as to their hostile purpose.

The Arabs began shooting at the flag of truce long before they were
within rifle range. Bullets threw up puffs of dust in the desert and
Dick retreated to the first line, where archers were crouching behind
scattered boulders, and took refuge.

The thunder of hoof beats was loud in his ears, the tossing heads and
flying foam of the horses showed clearly, before Dick shouted:

"Let them have it!"

Raal echoed his command. "Let them have it! Tahara, hal!"

Instantly the band of horsemen was stung by a cloud of arrows. Horses
and riders were pierced by the flint-tipped arrows and a dozen saddles
showed empty as the horses galloped on.

There was a shout of rage and surprise. The raiders had expected no
such fierce resistance and some shrieked to Allah and Mohammed, his
prophet, while others vented screams of pain.

"Slay them! The dogs of unbelievers!" shouted Abdul, their leader.

A crackling volley of rifle shots rang out, bullets whined through the
air and flattened themselves upon the boulders and the troop swerved
sharply to one side.

"Another!" cried Dick. "Give it to them!"

Again arrows stung them like hornets and the Bedouins, firing wildly,
were thrown into confusion.

Then as the charge broke and the riflemen galloped away to reload their
weapons, Dick gave the signal to retreat to the second line of defense.

The Taharans fell back, keeping close to the ground and taking shelter
at every bush and boulder.

So far the battle had been in their favor. The black-bearded ruffians
had been repulsed with dead and wounded, while the Taharans had escaped
without loss of a