Part 54 (1/2)

There was not , the excitement would have protected us, whatever noise we made, however openly we ran Over and above the tu, and then the echo to hi ”Off with the grass roofs! Off with the roofs!”

The white officials were ht for the blaze As we crossed the shoulder of the far side of the hill we could see theether, clearly defined against the crischen ith then of what had happened at the boate at the northern end, provided they could break the lock or secure the key to it; otherwise their only chance was to climb the wall by the cook-house roof and ju to the little gate and bursting it in from the outside, but Fred da for breath, and Will, as longer-winded, agreed with him

”Have to leave their end of the plan to theht!”

As it turned out, ere last at the rendezvous We heard the chain clanking in the dark just ahead of us, and try hoe ht, could not catch up Then, near the boat bow, Kazinized Fred and nearly throttled hiony, resentment, misery, fear in one paroxysh to run risks for the sake of rescuing him

Fred had to pry him off by main force

”Into the boat with you!” Will ordered the first! Get down below, and lie down! The first head that shows shall be hit with a club! Quickly now!”

Clanking their infernal chain like all the ghosts froes of the Old World, they cliures left on shore then than we expected Broe couldnervously, and admitted that but for Kazimoto he would not be there The faithful fellow had broken down the corrugated iron partition and had dragged hirateful

”Hauled here by a nigger--think of it!”

We ordered Brown on board and below, pretty peremptorily Lady Saffren Waldon stepped out of the darkness next, holding a rifle and two bandoliers so full of cartridges that she could hardly raise her arms

We took the load from her, and helped her overside Fred took the rifle and succu It was a Gerazine, as handy and useful a weapon as the heart of ain when a voice we all recognized made the hair rise on my neck Fred jumped and raised the rifle Will swore softly--endlessly

”Gassharrrrammminy! You et away and leave us! By hell, no! We go or you stay!

Birds of a feather fly together! One of you is Alish, and can prove it! My friends come with me!”

Fred leveled the rifle at him

”About face! Off back to toith you!” he barked

”Not on your tin-type!” Coutlass yelled ”I'm no man's popinjay!

Shoot if you dare, and I'll spoil the whole game! Help! He-e-e-lp!

He-e-e-e-lp!”

The other Greek and the Goanese joined in the shout, the darkscreech that the very storm dwindled into second place in co was carried out over the water, and very likely not a sound of it reached twenty yards inland; but it rattled our nerves, nevertheless The skin grew prickly all up and down an shouting to knohat the matter was

Will remembered then that he was captain for the day, and made virtue of necessity

”In with you!” he ordered ”Quick!”

With a grin that was half-triulad, Coutlass helped his companions over the bow, and had the civility to stand there with hand outstretched to help us in after hiain and insisted on leaning his weight on the poles hich we began shoving off into deeper water It was hard work, for with her huallons of water that had leaked through her gaping seaun to feel the wind and to rise and fall freely, when a white figure ran screa to us frantically

”Leave her!” said Lady Waldon excitedly, clutchingthe deck and haul on the halyards She spoke very slowly right in my ear ”That, is an to shout, trying to pole the dhow back to land single-handed