"They can scarcely see us, and we
shall soon be out of sight altogether."
Five or six more shots were fired a few seconds later, as the men from
the guard house reached the gate. On looking back, when they had gone
another hundred yards, they saw a number of figures on the road.
"Not quite so fast, Surajah," Dick said. "It is going to be a long
chase, now. We have got three hundred yards start, and they won't be
able to load again, running at full speed."
For a time, their pursuers gained somewhat upon them; then, gradually,
they began to straggle, as the effect of the speed at which they were
running told upon them. When they reached the ruined village, there
were four men running together, some three hundred yards behind. The
rest were a considerable distance in the rear.
"Another mile or two, and they will all give up the chase except these
four, Surajah, and if they turn out better runners than we do, we can
make a stand. There are some more huts another two miles farther, and
we will fight them there."
They were going slower now, for although the downward course of the
road helped them a good deal, the run was telling on them. Not a word
was spoken, until they reached the second village.
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