ran off at the top of his speed. The prisoners now began
to recover from the first panic, and to guess the true state of the
case. Angry oaths were uttered, and they began to talk to each other in
rapid tones.

"You had better sit still!" Jim shouted. "The first man that makes a
move I will blow his brains out. Jack, you stand on one side of the
circle and I will stand on the other. The first man who moves in the
slightest, shoot him."

Jack moved round to the other side of the circle. The marauders, with a
foe behind and another in front armed with revolvers, and themselves
without weapons, did not dare to move, knowing that they would be shot
down before they could gain their feet. Half an hour passed and then
there was a tramp of feet heard outside, and a moment later a naval
officer accompanied by Arthur and followed by a party of ten
blue-jackets entered the room. In a couple of minutes the men's hands
were all tied behind them, and they were led outside the house.

"You have made a fine haul, young gentlemen," the officer said as he
walked from room to room. Everywhere articles of value were piled up,
and it was evident that the gang must for the last fortnight have been
engaged in looting all the villas and houses along the road to Ramleh.
"I expect we have got the whole gang, but I will leave four men here in
charge with orders to make prisoners of anyone that enters. We will
lodge these scoundrels in jail, and then make our report. There is an
immense lot of valuable property here, and I should think it had better
be taken down into the town and kept there until claimed by its rightful
owners."

Leaving the four sailors on guard, the party with the prisoners in their
midst marched down again to the town, and the latter were speedily
lodged in jail. On the affair being reported to Lord Charles Beresford
a party of marines and natives with hand-carts were sent up to the
house, and the whole of its contents brought down to an empty house in
the town. Here the articles were inspected by many merchants and other
owners of villas at Ramleh and near the town, and many of the articles
were at once identified by them. The next day the band of plunderers
were brought up before the court, presided over by one of the khedive's
judges; and the boys having given their evidence, and the owners of many
of the plundered villas swearing to their property, the whole band were
sentenced to receive three dozen lashes apiece and