Part 42 (1/2)

Seen by day, the advance of the savages had an even more fearful appearance than the night attack. Brandis.h.i.+ng their weapons and uttering awful yells, they rushed down the gorge, with one object in view. They meant to come to hand-grips with the stubborn defenders of the barricade.

”Now, Andy,” remarked Mr. McKay quietly, ”reserve your fire till the thickest of the press pa.s.ses yonder rock, then aim carefully at that canister. Go on firing, you,” he added to the other two lads.

The execution caused by the three rifles amongst that solid pack of howling savages was great. No body of white men would have faced it, but undaunted the warriors swept on.

Andy, finger on trigger, watched the advance till the critical moment; but his arm was not so firm as it ought to have been, and the bullet struck the rock a foot to the left of the tin of explosives.

”Miss, by Jove!” he exclaimed savagely as he jerked open the breach and ejected the empty cylinder.

Ere he could again take aim, Mr. McKay's rifle spoke. There was a blinding glare, followed by a deafening report, and the close ranks of the savages seemed to be swept aside as if by a gigantic flail. Not only did the dynamite charge scatter death amongst the natives, but the concussion brought down huge ma.s.ses of rock from the cliffs, their fall adding to the terror and confusion of the attackers.

”That's fifty of them at the very least,” exclaimed Andy. ”A few more coups like that, and we'll wipe them all out.”

”It will teach them caution, I'm afraid,” was his father's reply. ”But we've done very well up to the present. How's Terence?”

”He was only slightly hurt,” replied Ellerton.

”No sign of any canoes?”

”No, sir.”

”Thank Heaven for that,” replied Mr. McKay fervently.

”The explosion also sent off the other canisters,” observed Andy.

”Shall we place some others in the gorge when it is dark?”

”I don't think they will attempt that way again,” replied Mr. McKay.

”They've had a rare fright, both by day and night.”

”I noticed a crowd of them on the cliffs immediately above the cave where the rest of the dynamite is stored,” paid Ellerton. ”If we can use the stuff to no better purpose, why not set a time-fuse, and give them another surprise?”

”It might be done, but there's a great risk to be run by whoever lights the fuse.”

”I'm willing to do it,” said Ellerton resolutely. ”I can creep along the base of the cliff so as to be out of sight.”

”Then do it, my boy. Now's the time to act, before they have got over their last reverse.”

Without a moment's delay, Ellerton dashed across the spear-enc.u.mbered ground and gained the shelter of the overhanging cliffs. Then waving his hands to his companions, he disappeared from view.

There was a lull in the fighting. The defenders, anxiously awaiting their comrade's return, lay idle within their defences, while the natives were content to hurl an occasional spear or stone upon the roofs of the buildings to show that they were still determined to continue the attack.

”I hope Ellerton's all right,” exclaimed Andy uneasily. ”He's been gone quite long enough.”

”I cannot help thinking the same,” replied his father.

They waited another five minutes, then Quexo announced his intention of going to search for Ma.s.sa El'ton.

”Be careful, then, Quexo,” said Andy. ”Remember Mr. Ellerton may have lit the fuse--set fire to great bang-up,” he added, noting that the mulatto looked puzzled over the word ”fuse.”