FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72  
73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   >>   >|  
is arm in the direction of the cabin. "Quick, below for your life! If your face is seen you are doomed." It was too late. Just as George was about to dive below, there was a sharp report followed by the "plosh" of a bullet, as it dropped into the water just a few yards ahead of the vessel. "Duck down under the bulwarks," said Naoum hurriedly, "they can't have seen you yet. The bank is lined with rebels," he went on, gazing hard through the gathering darkness. "Allah! but they mean to bring us to book!" As he spoke there was a heavy rattle of musketry, and bullets flew in all directions around them. The crew sat huddled together in a place of safety, terror written in every line of their brown faces. Naoum alone seemed impervious to the danger, and watched every movement of the men on the bank. "What shall we do?" asked George, with a set, determined look on his face that made his question seem superfluous. "We won't surrender," he added in emphatic tones. "We'll run for it," was the quiet answer. "Their guns can't do us much harm. They couldn't hit a mountain." George peered over the side at the bank. "Hallo! what are they doing? Looks as if they were launching boats." Naoum watched their actions keenly, and his face took on a slightly anxious expression as he realized the truth of George's statement. "They _are_ launching boats, but what for?" he said, as if asking himself the question. Then a thought seemed to suddenly strike him. "I have it--yes, that's it." "What is it?" asked George, as Naoum walked towards the cabin. Without answering he disappeared, and a moment later returned with several rifles. These he served out to his men with a supply of cartridges. He then harangued them in Arabic, which George was only partly able to understand, but when he had finished, he observed the fellows line up under the bulwarks and load their rifles. "What's your idea?" asked George, as soon as Naoum had finished. "These rebels are going to follow us, and I have no doubt they will overtake us. Then will come a tough time," replied Naoum. "Ah! I understand. They mean to capture us if possible." "Yes. That is what they intend, and we shall stand a poor chance if they come up with us." "We'll not give in at any rate, but make a bold stand and give them a taste of what we are made of first," said George. Naoum and George now went together to the stern of the boat and watched anxiously the purs
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72  
73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
George
 

watched

 

finished

 

understand

 

rifles

 

question

 
launching
 

bulwarks

 

rebels

 
supply

served

 

report

 

cartridges

 

harangued

 
partly
 

Arabic

 

returned

 
disappeared
 

thought

 

statement


bullet

 

anxious

 
expression
 

realized

 

suddenly

 

strike

 
Without
 

answering

 
moment
 
walked

fellows

 

chance

 

intend

 

anxiously

 

capture

 

doomed

 

observed

 

slightly

 

follow

 
replied

overtake
 

dropped

 

terror

 

written

 
safety
 

huddled

 

vessel

 
movement
 

hurriedly

 

impervious