ther from a plank, but
backward, and was soon no more. Only from the farther side of those
gates arose a wail of wrath and consternation.

After this no other Fung appeared upon the wall, so I turned my
attention to the spy-hole in the doors behind me, and seeing some
horsemen moving about at a distance of four or five hundred yards on a
rocky ridge where the mist did not lie, I opened fire on them and at the
second shot was fortunate enough to knock a man out of the saddle. One
of those with him, who must have been a brave fellow, instantly jumped
down, threw him, dead or living, over the horse, leaped up behind him,
and galloped away accompanied by the others, pursued by some probably
ineffective bullets that I sent after them.

Now the road to the Pass of Mur seemed to be clear, and I regretted that
Orme and Quick were not with me to attempt escape. Indeed, I meditated
fetching or calling them, when suddenly I saw them returning, burying
a wire or wires in the sand as they came, and at the same time heard
a noise of thunderous blows of which I could not mistake the meaning.
Evidently the Fung were breaking down the farther bronze doors with some
kind of battering-ram. I ran out to meet them and told my news.

"Well done," said Orme in a quiet voice. "Now, Sergeant, just join up
those wires to the battery, and be careful to screw them in tight. You
have tested it, haven't you? Doctor, be good enough to unbar the gates.
No, you can't do that alone; I'll help you presently. Look to the camels
and tighten the girths. These Fung will have the doors down in a minute,
and then there will be no time to lose."

"What are you going to do?" I asked as I obeyed.

"Show them some fireworks, I hope. Bring the camels into the archway
so that they can't foul the wire with their feet. So--stand still, you
grumbling brutes! Now for these bolts. Heavens! how stiff they are. I
wonder why the Fung don't grease them. One door will do--never mind the
other."

Labouring furiously we got it undone and ajar. So far as we could see
there was no one in sight beyond. Scared by our bullets or for other
reasons of their own, the guard there appeared to have moved away.

"Shall we take the risk and ride for it?" I suggested.

"No," answered Orme. "If we do, even supposing there are no Fung waiting
beyond the rise, those inside the town will soon catch us on their swift
horses. We must scare them before we bolt, and then those that are left