depend more upon a crowbar than a rifle to sweep the ledge clear.
She might be in the way.

"Very well. The moment you tell me to get behind that fence I will do
so. Even there I can use a revolver."

That reminded him. His own pistol was unloaded. He possessed only five
more cartridges of small caliber. He placed them in the weapon and gave
it to her.

"Now you have eleven men's lives in your hands," he said. "Try not to
miss if you must shoot."

In the dim light he could not see the spasm of pain that clouded her
face. No Dyak would reach her whilst he lived. If he fell, there was
another use for one of those cartridges.

The sailor had cleared the main floor of the rock and was placing his
four rifles and other implements within easy reach when a hiss came
from beneath.

"Mir Jan!" exclaimed Iris.

"What now?" demanded Jenks over the side.

"Sahib, they come!"

"I am prepared. Let that snake get back to his hole in the rock, lest a
mongoose seize him by the head."

Mir Jan, engaged in a scouting expedition on his own account,
understood that the officer-sahib's orders must be obeyed. He vanished.
Soon they heard a great crackling among the bushes on the right, but
Jenks knew even before he looked that the Dyaks had correctly estimated
the extent of his fire zone and would keep out of it.

The first physical intimation of the enemy's design they received was a
pungent but pleasant smell of burning pine, borne to them by the
northerly breeze and filling the air with its aroma. The Dyaks kindled
a huge fire. The heat was perceptible even on the ledge, but the
minutes passed, and the dawn broadened into day without any other
result being achieved.

Iris, a little drawn and pale with suspense, said with a timid giggle--

"This does not seem to be so very serious. It reminds me of my efforts
to cook."

"There is more to follow, I fear, dear one. But the Dyaks are fools.
They should have waited until night fell again, after wearing us out by
constant vigilance all day. If they intend to employ smoke it would be
far worse for us at night."

Phew! A volume of murky vapor arose that nearly suffocated them by the
first whiff of its noisome fumes. It curled like a black pall over the
face of the rock and blotted out sea and sky. They coughed incessantly,
and nearly choked, for the Dyaks had thrown wet seaweed on top of the
burning pile of dry wood. Mir Jan, born in interior India, knew little
about the sea o