s dark, they
will be so thick round the place that a mouse couldn't make its way
through them, unobserved."

The situation was gloomy enough; but there was no lack of good
spirits among the young officers, the danger causing their blood to
course rapidly through their veins. Will sat on the floor, apart
from the others. They had made him their commanding officer, and
the responsibility of thinking for them devolved upon his
shoulders.

Suddenly a thought struck him, and he leaped to his feet, with a
shout.

"I've got it!"

"You will get it, if you don't mind," Hammond said, dryly; as a
bullet passed through one of the loopholes, and struck the wall an
inch or two from Will's head. "But what is it?"

"When it gets quite dusk we will call a parley, and tell them we
don't want to keep the women here. They are only in our way, and
eat up the food; so we will open the door, and let them go."

"But what will you do that for, Gale? You were saying, a short time
ago, that the women could be kept as hostages."

"So they might, Hammond; but it will be more useful to us to let
them go. There are seven women here. Six of them shall go out; and
with them, in the clothes of the seventh, Yossouf."

"Capital! Capital!" the others exclaimed. "Don't you think they
will notice him?"

"No," Will said, "we won't do it till dusk, and some of these women
are as tall as he is. They will hurry them away as quickly as
possible, so as to recommence the attack and, wrapped up as these
Afghan women are, no one could see the difference. Once fairly
away, we can trust Yossouf for finding an opportunity of slipping
away, and bringing us help."

Will now laid the plan before Yossouf, who at once agreed to
attempt it. The day passed slowly, the fire of the enemy being kept
up, without intermission.

"Now," Will said at last, "it is getting dark enough, let us put
the plan into operation. In the first place the women must be
separated, and taken into separate rooms; the one Yossouf has fixed
upon, as nearest his height, into a room by herself. Then Yossouf
must tell the old mother of the chief that they are to be released;
and that she must show herself on the roof, and make them stop
firing, till they have gone out. While she is doing that, he can
slip down and dress himself in the robes of the woman. She must be
gagged, to prevent her screaming, or making a row, as her
companions go out."

Greatly surprised was the old woman, at bein