her!" cried Mark. "Never mind us."

"No, no, my boy," panted his father, as he dashed up with presented
rifle. "We must have no bloodshed."

"But we must drive them back," cried the doctor sternly, as he made the
locks of his rifle click.

While these words were being spoken, the blacks, who had been startled
by the appearance of the new-comers and drawn back for the moment, began
to advance again, but only to receive another check caused by the
clicking of first one and then the other rifle; but as nothing followed
this they again, all moving as if by the same influence, took another
step forward as if to get a little closer before hurling their spears.

At that moment the shrill piercing note of Mark's whistle rang out, as
he blew with all his might a loud and ear-ringing call, the appointed
signal that he knew would bring help from all by whom it was heard.

This checked the blacks again, and one or two made an uneasy movement as
if to retreat; but this was stopped by a fierce yell from their leader,
the black who had received Mark's blow, and all began again to advance
with dancing movements which at another time would have excited mirth,
but which Mark read rightly as being the savages' self-exciting gestures
prior to a rush.

"Guns," whispered the boy to his cousin. "I'll stay."

Dean hesitated for a moment, and then dashed off to fetch the weapons
from the rough rack where they hung ready for use, leaving Mark with his
eyes running from black to black with the intent of seizing an
opportunity to snatch a spear if he could see a chance.

"I'm afraid we must fire," said Sir James, in a low hoarse voice which
was almost drowned by the fierce yellings of their enemy. "I'll fire
first--over their heads. You follow."

As Sir James spoke he raised his rifle, and drew trigger, there was a
sharp pat from the top of the wall above the heads of the blacks, and
the report raised a peal of echoes from the surrounding ruins. So
startling were the sounds that the blacks stopped short.

"Now!" cried Sir James, and the doctor fired in the direction of the
highest pile, which sent back a roar, and the report seemed to have
loosened one of the great needles of rock which had stood up for ages on
the top of a loose ridge, and now came down, bringing with it quite an
avalanche of stones, with such a thunderous crash that the blacks turned
and fled, yelling with horror, while Mak and Pig, who were coming from
where th