eeding sought to cut him off, and the English could not fire
without risk to him also, as they were straight in his direction.

Whipping out his sword, which had hitherto been sheathed, he flourished
it in salutation of his friends, and rode straight at a couple of Arabs
in his path, loosening his rein, and digging with his spurs as he did
so. He knocked one down with his horse's shoulder, and put aside the
spear of the other, as he passed, and without waiting to cut at him,
went straight at the zereba hedge. The horse, though covered with foam,
had a good bit left in him yet, and rose at it nobly, without an attempt
to refuse, and landed safely on the inside. His pursuers came within
ten yards. There was a spurt of fire, and four saddles were empty.

The Arab horsemen wheeled round, and the broadsides of the horses
presented too fair a mark. Half a dozen of the poor animals were
brought down by the bullets, and before they could get away the riders
too were slain. Neither did those who in the excitement of the moment
had run out from their cover entirely escape; several deliberate shots
were aimed at them, and several fresh corpses dotted the plain.

"The curse of Cromwell on them!" cried Grady; "the more you shoot the
more there are!"

And it really looked like it. It was a similar phenomenon to that of
the wasps in August, when, if you kill one, three come to his funeral.
The man who had occasioned this commotion was carried by his horse
safely over the zereba hedge, as has been said. Directly he landed he
found himself on the edge of the trench, and this, too, the animal
cleverly got over.

The rider at once dismounted, and saw Captain Reece before him.

"Rather an unceremonious way of coming into a gentleman's parlour," he
said; "but I don't think I have done any damage."

"Not a bit; and no matter if you had," said Reece. "We cannot show you
much hospitality, I fear, for we are short of everything."

"By Jove!" exclaimed the new-comer, "I beg your pardon if I am wrong,
but is not your name Reece?"

"Yes."

"You do not remember me?"

"Well, I am sure you will pardon me; I cannot call to mind exactly where
I have had the pleasure of meeting you. Was it at the Rag? No, no;
surely at Simla, was it not?"

"Not exactly," said the new arrival.

"Don't you remember a little idiot who was your fag at Harton, and used
to boil your eggs hard and burn your toast, for which you very properly
correcte