in an unpleasant manner."

"I'm ready," cried Desmond; "if you'll give the word, we'll all spring
out together and stop them before they reach it." Desmond told the men
what Rogers proposed doing; they, of course, were ready to obey him,
though it might have been safer to remain where they were. Still it was
important that they should conceal themselves till the last moment. The
leading Arab, with his sword in his teeth, was only about a couple of
yards or so below the platform.

"Let fly at the fellows," cried Tom. The men fired their muskets.
"Now, lads, we'll be at them," shouted their young leader, and,
springing up, he bounded over the rock, followed by Desmond and the four
men, just in time to catch the leading Arab as his hand was on the edge
of the platform. With a down-handed cut of his sword, Tom sent the Arab
falling headlong down the cliff. The next met with the same fate, but
the chief, who had allowed the other two to precede him, shouted to his
followers to fire at the Englishmen. The order was obeyed, and a shower
of bullets came whizzing by them. Tom, in return, fired at their
leader, and, without stopping to see the effect of his shot, shouted to
his men to fall back under cover before a second volley could reach
them. Scarcely had they got under shelter when the Arabs again fired.
He saw that his former manoeuvre would not be again executed with the
same success.

The death of two of their companions appeared to have damped the ardour
of the Arabs, who remained perched about the rocks, waiting for an
opportunity to pick off any of the defenders of the height who might
venture to show themselves. This, however, neither Tom nor his
companions intended doing. Tom had recovered his glass, which he had
left behind, and had taken a glance over the ocean to the northward in
the hopes of seeing the ship, believing that her appearance would very
quickly induce the Arabs to hurry off. She was nowhere to be seen,
though he caught sight of several dhows running to the northward.

While thus engaged, the voice of the old chief was again heard, and
though they could not understand his language, yet they judged from his
tones that he was endeavouring to induce his countrymen to renew the
attack. "It can't be helped," observed Tom calmly; "if they attempt to
storm our position we must drive them back. Our wisest plan will be to
keep under shelter as long as we can, and then to spring out on them as