Guy in the Jungle: or, A Boy's Adventure in the Wilds of Africa. Graydon William Murray

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      "I beg your pardon, Sir Arthur," said Guy, "but I was informed in London of the tenor of those despatches. Yesterday afternoon the Arabs at Berbera massacred the garrison to a man, and are doubtless now marching on Zaila. We barely escaped with our lives. Captain Waller and Mr. Forbes and his servant will confirm my statement."

      Sir Arthur sprang to his feet with a sharp cry.

      "What is this you tell me?" he gasped. "Can it be true?"

      Guy repeated his account, with all the particulars, but the governor actually seemed incredulous.

      "Colonel Carrington," he cried, "how many troops have we?"

      "Five companies of the Bombay Infantry," replied the colonel in a hollow tone. "We had six yesterday, but if this account be true – "

      "Don't delay a moment," shouted Sir Arthur; "prepare for the defense, colonel, and see that the steamer is ready in case it comes to the worst."

      The governor's condition was now truly pitiable. He was trembling with fright.

      "There is indeed but little time," said Guy. "There is danger at your very door. I see many Arabs and Somalis in the town."

      "True, true," groaned Sir Arthur, and, turning over the despatches with trembling hands, he added, "I am instructed to order troops from Cairo and Suakim. What madness! What madness!"

      Sir Arthur continued to talk in a rambling, excited way until Colonel Carrington assumed control of affairs.

      "Your steamer is here now?" he said to the captain. "Then you must make haste to Aden, and bring us what troops you can. I doubt, though, if we can resist a heavy attack for twenty-four hours. And you, gentlemen, you will return on the steamer?"

      "No, we will remain," Guy and Melton replied almost in one voice.

      The colonel glanced at them approvingly.

      "You are brave men," he said. "Stop!" he added suddenly. "You say you left Berbera at sunset last night, and were delayed by an accident. Were there any camels there?"

      "A caravan of two thousand arrived two days ago," replied Melton.

      The colonel's face paled.

      "Then the enemy are due here now," he said huskily. "On camels they could traverse the sixty miles in from fifteen to twenty hours. It is already dark," and he pointed out through the window.

      At this Sir Arthur groaned aloud, and tossed down three or four glasses of champagne in rapid succession.

      "To your steamer, quick!" cried the colonel, addressing Captain Waller; "and you, gentlemen, since you decide to throw your fate in with ours, come with me, and we will inspect the fortifications, and do what little we can."

      They had risen to their feet, and were giving a hasty look to their arms, when a bright flash lit up the gloom from without, followed by a sharp report, and at the same moment, from all quarters of the town, rose a continuous rifle-firing, a violent uproar and shouting, and a deep beating of drums.

      Sir Arthur sprang to his feet, crying frantically, "To the steamer, to the steamer – it is our only hope;" but before he could take a step the outer doors were burst open, shouts were heard in the hall, and then, through the curtained entrance, staggered blindly an officer of infantry, his uniform torn and disheveled, and blood pouring from half a dozen wounds. He plunged forward, and rolled in a lifeless heap at the very feet of Colonel Carrington.

      CHAPTER V.

      THE NIGHT ON THE ROOF

      The tragic scene described at the close of the preceding chapter, following on the very heels of the outbreak, was a fearful shock to all who saw it, and for an instant they could only stare at one another with mute, frightened faces.

      Colonel Carrington broke the spell. With drawn sword he made a dash for the door, closely followed by the rest, but before they could cross the apartment a louder burst of firing came from the very courtyard, bullets whistled through the windows, and then a scuffle began in the hall, and angry voices were heard. It was over in a moment; a cry of pain, a low groan, followed by the sound of bars dropped in their sockets, and then into the room burst three Hindoo soldiers, grimy with blood and powder.

      "Sahib colonel," cried the foremost, "we are lost. The Arabs and Somalis have revolted. Hundreds of them surround the residency. Yonder in the hall lies a dead Somali. We have barred the doors, but they will soon be in."

      Even as he spoke the portals shook under a succession of thunderous blows.

      "The rear door," cried the colonel. "We may escape that way."

      "No, no; the building is surrounded," rejoined the Hindoo. "There is no escape."

      He was right. Shouts were heard on all sides, the blows on the doors redoubled, and stray shots came in at the windows, both front and rear.

      Sir Arthur lay prostrate in his chair.

      "The roof! the roof!" he groaned. "We must take to the roof."

      "By Jove, he's right," cried the colonel. "It's our last hope. Blow out the lights and come on, quick!"

      The lamps were out in a second, but a dim glare still shone into the room from the torches outside. With an effort, Sir Arthur staggered to his feet. Two of the soldiers assisted him, and then in great haste they hurried through the hall to a rear room.

      The building was of one story, and from this apartment a ladder led to an open trap overhead.

      Sir Arthur was pushed up first, followed closely by the rest, and just as Momba brought up the rear and dragged the ladder after him, the great residency doors gave way with a crash, and a wild yell of triumph told only too plainly that the enemy had effected an entrance.

      Guy's quick eye observed a big flat stone lying near, a precautionary measure provided by some former governor, no doubt, and, calling on Momba to assist him, he dragged it over the trap.

      From below came a rush of footsteps and the sound of smashing furniture as the Arabs hurried to and fro in search of their prey.

      "We are safe for the present," said the colonel; "they can't possibly reach us, and they may not even discover where we are."

      The roof comprised the whole extent of the building, and was probably thirty feet square. It was surrounded by a stone parapet three feet in height, and from this parapet the little band of fugitives witnessed a scene that none forgot to his dying day.

      North and west of the residency the town seemed to be in comparative quiet and darkness, for only stray lights were to be seen at intervals. But off to the south lay the fortifications, and here a sharp conflict was waging.

      Through the darkness of the night the flash of every shot was seen, and all along the line blazed out three continuous sheets of flame as the beleaguered garrison poured their fire into the attacking parties that advanced from both sides.

      "They can't hold out an hour," said Melton. "The foe are too strong for them."

      A sharp cry from Captain Waller turned all eyes on the harbor, where the water was illumined by twinkling lights and the flash of rifles. The meaning of this was plain. The steamer had been attacked. No doubt those innocent looking dhows had been filled with armed Arabs, waiting СКАЧАТЬ