eep humming hiss.

"Well done, Kumbelwa!" cried Oakley in glee. "Three shots, three
birds."

It was no part of our friends' plan to waste ammunition; besides, they
were aware of the effect a sparing fire, and nearly every shot telling,
would have, as distinct from a general bout of wild and wide blazing.
The black horde which had drawn so near them was evidently impressed,
for it lay as though not daring to move.

Then from a new quarter fire was opened upon them. Two porters were
struck and killed, and another badly wounded. This one began to screech
lustily. In the tumult, unseen by the white leaders, one of the Arabs,
at a sign from Somala, stepped behind him and promptly knocked him
senseless with a clubbed rifle. They did not want any unnecessary signs
of distress to reach the enemy.

And now, taking advantage of this new diversion, the horde of blacks
leaped from their cover, and, uttering wild yells, charged forwards.
There must have been over a couple of hundred of them, tall,
ferocious-looking villains, armed with long spears and heavy axes.
Leaping, zigzagging to avoid the bullets aimed at them, they came on in
the most determined manner. Haviland and Oakley could not load fast
enough, and the armed porters were blazing away in the wildest fashion,
and simply doing no damage whatever. Kumbelwa had sent two more down,
but still the remnant charged on. The while, on the other side, the
doctor and Somala's party had their hands full in repelling an advance
on the part of the Arab section of the attacking force, and that under a
hot cross fire.

"Heavens, Oakley, they'll be on us in a minute!" exclaimed Haviland in a
quick whisper, as he jammed fresh cartridges into the hot and smoking
breech of his Express. And, indeed, it seemed so. They could not fire
fast enough, and in a great mass the savages were already against the
breastwork, lunging over it with their long spears. But then came the
defenders' chance. Fools as they were with firearms, even the bearers
could not miss point blank, and they poured their fire right into the
faces of their swarming assailants. These dropped as though mown down,
but with loud yells those behind pressed the foremost on, to be mown
down in their turn. The striving, struggling mass would fain have taken
flight, but simply could not. And then Kumbelwa, seeing it was time to
effect a diversion, concluded to adopt the offensive.

Leaping over the breastwork, cov