A swift retribution will come," replied the colonel, "but it will come
too late to aid us."

No person seemed inclined to talk. Sir Arthur sat up against the
parapet in a sort of stupor, the three Hindoos were grouped on one side,
and Momba mutely followed his master from point to point, as with Guy
and the colonel he made the circuit of the housetop.

And now for the first time it became evident that the presence of the
fugitives on the roof was known. Thousands of Arabs and Somalis
surrounded the building, their dark faces plainly seen in the glare of
the torches, but no hostile demonstration was made. They appeared to be
waiting on something or someone. It was very evident that the whole
population of the town was in revolt. It was equally plain, too, that
they had been prepared for this uprising, for it had apparently broken
out in all quarters of the town at once, and the expected signal had no
doubt been the approach of the Arabs from Berbera, for the vast number
of rifles used in the fight proved conclusively their arrival.

Wonderful success had crowned their plans. Yesterday the garrison at
Berbera had fallen to a man; and now Zaila was in their hands, and all
that remained of the British possessors was the miserable band of
fugitives on the residency roof.

With bitter feelings Guy looked down on the sea of faces. He was
wondering if he would ever see Calcutta or England again. But he had
been in bad predicaments before, and, hopeless as it now seemed,
something might turn up to save them yet.

Melton was inclined to think that the Arabs were only waiting for
daylight to make their attack, and yet they seemed to have no idea of
abandoning their position, but encircled the building with a sea of
torches, talking loudly and excitedly all the while.

Once Guy ventured to peer down over the parapet, and to his surprise he
saw Arab guards at the residency door, sternly keeping back the crowd.
Then he pulled aside the stone from the trap. All was dark and quiet
beneath. The solution to this mystery was close at hand.

Of a sudden a great hush fell on the vast crowd, the tumult died away to
a low murmur, and from the outskirts came a strange sound, at first low
and indistinct, and then louder and more vivid, like the tinkling of
bells mingled with the trampling of hoofs.

The Arabs and Somalis fell silently apart, leaving open a wide passage
like a swath cut through a field of standing corn that led straight