war might be
despatched to render him assistance.

Jack was looking out for Hamed, when he caught sight of a figure running
along at full speed from the direction of the hill, and every now and
then casting a look behind him indicative of alarm. Jack immediately
summoned the men from the rocks, and, as he hurried forward, he
recognised Tim Nolan.

"Yer honour, it's bad news I bring!" he exclaimed, panting for breath,
though he did not forget to touch his hat to his commander; "the
spalpeens of Arabs have been and taken Mr Desmond, and our 'terpreter
Hamed, and they'll be after cutting their throats if we don't look sharp
and carry them help. As they were hurrying them down the hill, and
looking thunder and lightning at them, Hamed cried out to me, `Run for
your life and tell the captain!' and shure, run I did, for they'd have
been after cutting my throat if I hadn't."

On receiving this intelligence, Jack immediately despatched Mr Matson's
boat to the ship with directions to signalise Murray to send his boats,
well armed, on shore, desiring his own lieutenant to return with two
more from the ship. He immediately, with his boat's crew, pushed on in
the direction Tim believed Desmond and Hamed had been carried. Instead,
however, of going over the hill, he led his men round it at a turn,
hoping by this to cut off the Arabs as they descended into the plain.
Tim, one of the most active of the party, kept well ahead. He had just
rounded the rocky point, when he caught sight of a party of Arabs,
twenty or more in number, with Desmond and Hamed in their midst. Hamed,
by the gesticulations he was employing, was apparently expostulating
with his captors; while Desmond was using strenuous means to show them
that he was disinclined to move forward.

The Arabs were so engaged with their prisoners, that they did not
observe the approach of the English till they were close upon them.
Jack and his companions redoubled their speed.

"Hurrah!" shouted Tim. "Knock the blackamoors down right and left, and
we'll be up soon."

Desmond was perfectly ready to follow this advice, and two or three
well-directed blows enabled him to spring out from among the astonished
Arabs and join his friends. Hamed made a similar attempt, but, being
tripped up, was caught by the Arabs, two of whom held their daggers at
his breast.

"They stickee into me, they stickee into me!" shouted poor Hamed, "if
you not doee what they ask."

"What is