Dick could hear a conference in low tones;
then all was silent. He went to the loophole at the corner, laid his
rifle in it, and waited, looking along the barrel. Two or three
minutes later the hole was darkened, and he fired at once. There was a
sound of a heavy fall, followed by cries of rage, and a moment later
there was a rush of men against the door.
Surajah ran across. Two spare guns were pushed through the loopholes,
one on each side of it. These had not been bored straight through the
wall, but at angles that would enable them to fire at anyone attacking
it. Looking along the barrels, each could see one of the group in
front, and fired at the same moment. With a yell of rage and surprise,
the assailants of the door sprang back and ran down the street.
"There are four less, anyhow," Dick said, as he and Surajah reloaded
the empty guns. "Those loopholes will puzzle them, and I don't think
they will care to come on again, for a bit."
There was a pause for some minutes, and then, from the huts opposite,
and from various points higher up the valley and behind, a dropping
fire was opened.
"Keep out of the line of the windows, whatever you do, Surajah; and it
will be just as well to lie down for a bit, until we see whether any
of their shots come through the wall.
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