s away, they both saw the flashes of rifles less than a
hundred yards distant, and knew by the sound of and the rapidity of the
firing that their unseen foes were using Winchesters.

"Keep still, Tommy, don't fire. Wait, wait!" said Gerrard in an excited
whisper. "Let them go on firing into the cave. Can you make out where
they are?"

Pressing his hand to his cheek, which had been cut open by a bullet, the
black boy watched the flashes.

"Yes, boss, I see him--four fellow altogether. You look longa top flat
rock, they all lie down close together."

But keen as was his sight, Gerrard could see nothing but the flat
moss and vine-covered summit of a huge granite boulder, from which the
flashes came. Presently a bullet struck a piece of wood on the still
smouldering fire, and scattered the glowing coals, then the firing
ceased, and they heard voices.

"Keep quiet, Tommy. Don't move, for God's sake, or they'll see us.
They are reloading. They think they have killed us. Is your Snider all
right?"

"Yes, boss," was the whispered and eager reply, "rible and rewolber
too."

"Are you much hurt, Tommy?"

"Only longa face, boss."

"And I'm hit too, Tommy, but not much hurt." A bullet had ploughed
through the lower part of his thigh, and as he spoke he tore two strips
from his handkerchief, and bidding Tommy watch their hidden foes, cut
open his moleskin pants, and hurriedly plugged the holes. As he was
doing this, the firing again began, and they could hear the bullets
spattering against the granite rock, or striking the saddles. After
about thirty shots had been fired it again ceased.

"Be ready, Tommy," whispered Gerrard; "they'll be here presently. Don't
fire till they are quite close, then drop rifle and take pistol."

"All right, boss. Look, look! You see one fellow now stand up--there
'nother, 'nother--four fellow."

The increasing starlight just enabled Gerrard to catch a brief glimpse
of four figures moving about on the top of the boulder, then they
disappeared, and he clutched his Winchester.

Five anxious minutes passed, and then one by one the four forms appeared
coming round from the other side of the boulder. For a few moments they
halted, then came boldly out of the shadows into the starlight, and then
a deadly rage leapt into Gerrard's heart as he recognised two of them.
First the man whom Kate's father had handled so roughly on board the
_Gambier_, and then the tall, imposing figure of Forreste.