t there was a fearful scene of butchery among the baggage-animals, and
many unequal hand-to-hand conflicts. There was terrible slaughter also
among the working parties that had gone out to cut bushes with which to
finish the zerebas, with coats off and away from their arms. Some
individuals of the marines, who, as a body, suffered severely, were
surrounded by a dozen Arabs, and their bodies were afterwards found
covered with spear-wounds. This was the case with a sergeant named
Mitchel, who had charge of a wood-cutting party and had been quietly
chatting with our friend Stevenson just before the attack. Another case
was that of Private Stanton, who had been through the Egyptian campaign
of 1882, had fought at Kassassin, Tel-el-Kebir, El-Teb, and Tamai. When
this expedition of which we write was arranged, he was one of the first
to volunteer. He chanced to be outside the zereba when the attack was
made, and failed to appear at muster. Next day he was found dead, with
many spear-wounds, at some distance from the force. Poor fellow! he had
not been killed outright, and had attempted to crawl towards the
zerebas, but in his confusion had crept away in the wrong direction, and
had slowly bled to death on the sands of the desert.

During the rapid progress of this terrible scene of bloodshed, Miles and
his friend Armstrong stood and fought shoulder to shoulder in the front
rank at their allotted corner of the square--chiefly with bullet, but
also, on several occasions, with bayonet, when the rush of the enemy
threatened to break through all barriers, and drive in the line of
defenders. They would certainly have succeeded, had these defenders
been less powerful and resolute.

"Well done!" exclaimed a deep bass voice, in evident enthusiasm, close
to Miles.

The latter glanced round. It was the voice of his friend Jack Molloy,
who helped to work the Gardner gun, and who was at the moment admiring
the daring act of an officer of Sikhs.

Two men of the Berkshire Regiment, who had been employed outside the
zereba, were pursued by several Arabs, and it was evident that their
death was almost certain, when the Sikh officer referred to rushed out
to the rescue, sprang between the men and their pursuers, killed three
of the latter in succession with three rapid sword-cuts, and enabled the
soldiers to escape, besides which, he checked the rush at that part of
the square, and returned to his post in safety.

The cheer of t