He had thought of that, too.

Wild and desperate as was his scheme--one that required far more than
ordinary courage to accomplish--gathering up the tools, he re-entered
the house, and rapidly ascended to his own room.

Here, from the window, he could perceive how much the crowd of enemies
had increased outside.

He was almost shaken off his feet by another discharge of artillery.

But every second was precious.

Hastily Jack robed himself in the ordinary garb of a middle-class
Turk--for he had plenty of Oriental garments--bound a turban round his
brows, and rubbed his face all over with a chemical powder, which
greatly darkened his complexion.

He quickly stained his eyebrows a deep black, with henna.

None of his friends could now have recognised Jack Harkaway.

But how were his enemies to be deceived and eluded?

Having completed this hasty transformation, Jack descended the stairs.

He looked out into the courtyard.

A third discharge of artillery had now broken down the door, and the
troops were rapidly clearing away the obstacles before entering in a
body.

Loud were their shouts of triumph, and Jack recognised the countenance
of Abdullah, lit up by a savage satisfaction.

But a glance sufficed.

Jack then retired into the smaller garden at the back, where he
completely concealed himself under some thick shrubs.

In a few moments, the troops were all over the yard, probing and
seeking in every corner.

Just as Jack had calculated, the soldiers were followed by a wild
helter-skelter of Turks, of all ages and conditions, fanatical Moslems,
who were ready to raze to the ground the accursed house where the
Christians had taken refuge.

The soldiers were considerably surprised to find no one.

They sought in every room in vain, to their intense disappointment.

Abdullah's fury was terrible to witness.

Speedily the whole house was filled with a motley Turkish rabble.

In this fact consisted Jack's safety.

Seeing the moment when a number of the Turks were passing his
hiding-place, he stepped out and mingled with them.

In the confusion, nobody noticed him.

In appearance, he was just like a score of other wild Turkish youths
who were in the throng, shouting lustily "Death to the Christians!" in
which cry Jack joined with great vigour.

The crisis of his danger was now over.

He had only to follow the movements of the crowd, and join the first
group who, tired of their search, went b