e
right side of the defile.

"Just like 'em!" he muttered. "Oh, you cowards! Only just show your
muzzles, and I'll let yer see what British musketry practice is like."

But all Gedge saw was the gleam of a ramrod a hundred yards away, where
one of the hill-men who had kept to his coign of vantage was rapidly
reloading.

"No good to stop here," muttered Gedge; "they'd be hitting him 'fore
long. Me too, p'raps. Well, here goes."

The lad rose upon his knees, took off his helmet and passed the strap of
his rifle over his head and arm, slung it, replaced his helmet, and
turned to Bracy.

"Won't hurt yer more than I can 'elp, sir; but we can't stop here."

"No; lie down, my lad. Get into cover, and wait till you can reply."

A sharp report from below them stopped Gedge from answering, and the
bullet flattened against the rock a yard from where the lad knelt.

"Well, this is pleasant," he said, showing his teeth in a grin which
looked as vicious as that of a hunted dog. "Urrrr!" he snarled, "if I
only had you three down on the level with my bay'net fixed. Draw a big
breath, sir. Up yer comes. Now, then, you hold fast with yer right.
Hook it round my neck, and don't get the spike o' my 'elmet in your
eye.--Now, then, my lad; right-about face--quick march!"

Gedge strode off with his load held in his arms as a nurse would carry a
baby, and at the first step--bang! bang! and echo--echo--two shots came
from behind, and directly after another from the front, but from the
opposite side to the spot from whence the former shot had been fired.

"Well, if they can't hit me now they orter," muttered Gedge as he strode
on with his heavy burden. "This is going to be walking the gauntlet if
any more on 'em's left behind on the sneak. Oh dear! oh dear! if I only
had a snug shelter and plenty o' cartridges I think I could stop that
little game.--Hurt yer much, sir?" he continued aloud after a few dozen
yards had been covered. "Fainted! Poor chap! Better, p'raps, for he
won't know what's going on.--Go it!" he snarled as shot after shot was
fired; while, though he managed to get out of the line of fire of the
two first enemies, he had to pass closer to the two next, who fired
again and again from their eyries far up the sides of the defile, these
nooks, fortunately for Gedge and his burden, having been reached from
above--the perpendicular walls precluding all descent into the dried-up
torrent-bed.

The young fellow