"I hope we
shall have a thousand at work to-morrow morning. You can take these
young gentlemen with you; they will remain under your command for the
present, and you will put them on rations. It will be a great thing
getting these gangs of natives at work. I shall have time now to put a
stop to the looting and incendiarism. Besides, they say the Egyptian
troops are approaching the town again. I only hope they will try to come
in."

There was a murmur of agreement among the circle of officers. The moment
the meal was over the party rose, for there was no time to waste.
Captain Archer, followed by the three boys and six marines, went over to
the group of natives, by whom one of the dragomans of the consulate was
standing.

"These are all I could hire to-day, sir," the man said. "They are too
much frightened to come out of their houses. To-morrow we shall get
plenty of men. The consul told me to go with you as interpreter."

"Thank goodness for that," the captain said. "I was wondering how I was
going to get them to understand me. Tell them to fall-in two and two and
follow."

Through the streets, where the heat from the houses was so intense that
they hurried through with their hands shading their faces, clambering
over masses of fallen stonework, broken furniture, and goods of all
sorts scattered about, the party made their way to the edge of the fire.
Here the flames were ascending, and the conflagration was still
spreading, although fortunately but slowly, for there was scarce any
wind.

"Now, lads," the captain said, "set to work and get down four houses on
each side of the way."

The marines set the example by entering the houses, and, running
upstairs, soon managed to break their way through the tiles and emerge
upon the roofs.

"Come on, darkies!" they shouted. "Don't be afraid of blacking your
hands!" They at once began to throw off the tiles, and were soon joined
by a score of the most active natives.

"That is right, down with them!" the captain shouted, and in a very few
minutes the last tiles had fallen. As soon as the shower had ceased the
whole of the contents of the houses were carried into the streets. Then
the marines began with the axes and crowbars with which they were
provided to tear up the floor-boards and break down the rafters and
beams. Then grapnels fastened to long ropes were fixed on the top of the
brickwork, a score of hands caught hold, and the lightly-built wall
readily yielded