houted, "by God, Mer--sir, we're saved!"

The enemy had apparently heard the firing too. Perhaps they also
recognised the peculiar sharp "smack" of the Express rifle amidst the
others. There was a fresh attack--an ugly rush of reckless men. But the
news soon spread that there was firing in the valley and the sound of a
white man's rifle. The little garrison plucked up heart, and the rifles,
almost too hot to hold, dealt death around.

They held back the savages until the sound of the firing behind them was
quite audible even amidst the heavy rattle of the musketry.

Then suddenly the firing ceased--the enemy had divided and fled. For a
few moments there was a strange, tense silence. Then a voice--an English
voice--cried:

"Come on!"

The next moment Guy Oscard stood on the edge of the Plateau. He held up
both arms as a signal to those within the stockade to cease firing, and
then he came forward, followed by a number of blacks and Durnovo.

The gate was rapidly disencumbered of its rough supports and thrown
open.

Jack Meredith stood in the aperture, holding out his hand.

"It's all right; it's--all right," he said.

Oscard did not seem to take so cheerful a view of matters. He
scrutinised Meredith's face with visible anxiety.

Then suddenly Jack lurched up against his rescuer, grabbing at him
vaguely.

In a minute Oscard was supporting him back towards his tent.

"It's all right, you know," explained Jack Meredith very gravely; "I am
a bit weak--that is all. I am hungry--haven't had anything to eat for
some time, you know."

"Oh, yes," said Oscard shortly; "I know all about it."

CHAPTER XXVII. OFF DUTY

Chacun de vous peut-etre en son coeur solitaire
Sous des ris passagers etouffe un long regret.

"Good-bye to that damned old Platter--may it be for ever!" With this
valedictory remark Joseph shook his fist once more at the unmoved
mountain and resumed his march.

"William," he continued gravely to a native porter who walked at his
side and knew no word of English, "there is some money that is not worth
the making."

The man grinned from ear to ear and nodded with a vast appreciation of
what experience taught him to take as a joke.

"Remember that, my black diamond, and just mind the corner of your mouth
don't get hitched over yer ear," said Joseph, patting him with friendly
cheerfulness.

Then he made his way forward to walk by the side of his master's litter
and encourage t