A GREAT DISASTER
The natives had furnished themselves with torches made from the
branches of resinous trees, and in the ruddy flare the painted bodies
of the warriors made an easy mark.
"Three hundred yards," said Mr. McKay, setting up the backsight of his
rifle. "Fire rapidly, but aim low. We may check the rush before they
come to close quarters."
The sharp reports of the rifles echoed along the rocky walls of the
defile, and a series of loud shrieks told that the fire had not been in
vain. Yet the onward rush was apparently unchecked, for though several
of the torches were extinguished, the savages still rushed to the
attack.
"Where's the searchlight?" muttered Mr. McKay, as he thrust a fresh
clip of cartridges into his magazine.
At that moment the giant beam swung majestically round and fixed itself
upon the gorge.
Under the powerful rays the scene of horror was thrown into high
relief. The upper part of the defile was literally choked with human
beings. A few of the foremost warriors, drawing clear of the press,
had managed to evade the death-dealing volleys, and with brandished
clubs and spears were rushing upon the barricade.
This much the defenders saw as the first flash of the searchlight was
thrown upon the scene. The next instant the shouts of triumph and pain
gave place to cries of terror.
The blinding rays, coming apparently from out of the earth, were far
more to be feared than the bullets. To the savage mind it was
magic--black magic.
The warlike mob seemed to melt away. Some of the warriors, throwing
down their weapons, rushed from the scene of action with their arms
pressed tightly across their eyes as if to shut out the penetrating
beams; others dropped where they stood, grovelling in the dust and
uttering cries, while in the space of five minutes the defile was
deserted, save by the dead and wounded and a few of the natives, whose
terror seemed to have rooted them to the earth.
"That's spotted them!" exclaimed Andy, as he threw down his over-heated
rifle. "I hope it will scare them right off the island."
"It has worked wonders," assented Mr. McKay. "But be careful, some of
those men are not dead, I feel sure. Bring down every man you see
moving."
Rifle on shoulder the lads waited. They quite realised the danger of
allowing the natives to lurk in the defile, and as each cautiously
moving body could be seen, as a terrified warrior slowly recovered from
his panic, a carefully aimed shot caused him to fall.
"We are comparatively secure till daylight," said Mr. McKay. "They've
had another lesson. Andy, you might relieve Terence at the
searchlight. Keep it fixed on the defile, though at intervals you
might direct it seawards. Quexo, I want you to carry up as many pails
of water as you can to Blight's cave. Ellerton, you're feeling fit, I
hope? Will you keep a look-out, I am going to have forty winks."
It was an exaggerated "forty winks." Mr. McKay, dead beat with his
exertions, slept like a log till daybreak, Terence keeping him company.
Ellerton had meanwhile climbed over the stockade and succeeded in
bringing back several of the terrified sheep, which throughout the
night had been huddled together in helpless terror.
Beyond an occasional shot as a few of the wretched natives attempted to
wriggle out of the death-trap, the rest of the night had passed without
further disturbance; but the dawn revealed a different state of affairs.
The discomfited savages were evidently built of stern stuff, for as
soon as it was light, undaunted by their defeat in the hours of
darkness, they took possession of the summit of the cliff overlooking
the defenders' lines.
Standing on the very edge of the precipice, like bronzed statues,
several of the chiefs surveyed the scene beneath them, till, having
taken in all that they wanted, they withdrew to the main body of
warriors.
Instantly the fierce shouts of the savages rent the air, and a shower
of stones and throwing-spears was hurled upon the white men's defences.
The missiles rattled on the iron roof of the house and upon the top of
the shelter over the searchlight; but the defenders, safe within the
covered-in barricade, were secure from the furious hail, though unable
to reply by a single shot. Several of the sheep were transfixed by
spears, each casualty being greeted with a hoarse roar of delight from
the attackers.
Terence, however, who had returned to his post at the seaward side of
the terrace, saw the possibility of the searchlight being damaged by
stones, and, regardless of the danger, he rushed from his shelter to
place a screen of planks over the partially exposed instrument.
His appearance was the signal for a redoubled discharge of missiles,
but coolly he continued his task.
"Get back to cover!" shouted Mr. McKay.
At that moment a stone caught the lad in the side, and staggering a few
paces he fell.
A yell of triumph greeted the success of the savages; but without a
moment's hesitation Ellerton rushed through the danger zone. Unscathed
he gained his friend's side, and to his relief found that the missile
had merely winded him.
Fortunately Terence had the presence of mind to stagger to the remote
side of the searchlight hut, where the two lads were protected from the
hailstorm of stones.
"Are you fit for a dash?" asked Ellerton after a while.
"Yes," replied Terence, "I'm ready now."
Seizing their rifles, the two friends rushed at top speed across the
open ground and gained the shelter of the palisade guarding the
cliff-path. Here they were, so to speak, on the wrong side of the
fence, and had there been any savages on the shore their position would
have been critical in the extreme.
As it was, they were able to keep up a constant fire upon the natives
on the cliff; but their foes seemed totally indifferent to the rifles,
though man after man was observed to fall.
The savages had not been idle. Realising that the buildings and the
barricade at the end of the defile were proof against stones and
spears, they rolled an enormous stone to the edge of the cliff with the
intention of dropping it upon the roofed-in stockade.
"Look out!" shouted Ellerton. "There's a rock about to fall on your
heads!"
Taking advantage of the warning shout, Mr. McKay, Quexo, and Andy
crossed the covered way to the opposite side of the defile. Not a
moment too soon.
In spite of a couple of successful shots by Ellerton, who managed to
bowl over one of the most active of the savages who were engaged in
rolling the ponderous rock, the mass of stone rushed down the slope and
shot clear of the cliff.
The next instant it crashed through the frail roof of the barricade,
and, in addition, smashed a huge gap in the wall of packing-cases and
chests.
"A near shave," ejaculated Mr. McKay. "If they keep that game up we
shall soon be without a roof to our heads."
Emboldened by their success, a considerable number of the savages
worked their way round to the head of the gorge with the intention of
charging the shattered defences, the remaining natives still keeping up
a telling discharge from the brink of the cliff.
"I must rush it," said Ellerton hurriedly, as he grasped the state of
affairs. "Keep a good look-out along the shore, Terence. If I fall,
don't attempt a rescue; there are not enough of us to throw ourselves
away like that."
Bending low, the lad ran across the danger zone once more, and although
several spears fell close to him, he gained the side of his companions
in safety.
Seen by day, the advance of the savages had an even more fearful
appearance than the night attack. Brandishing their weapons and
uttering awful yells, they rushed down the gorge, with one object in
view. They meant to come to hand-grips with the stubborn defenders of
the barricade.
"Now, Andy," remarked Mr. McKay quietly, "reserve your fire till the
thickest of the press passes yonder rock, then aim carefully at that
canister. Go on firing, you," he added to the other two lads.
The execution caused by the three rifles amongst that solid pack of
howling savages was great. No body of white men would have faced it,
but undaunted the warriors swept on.
Andy, finger on trigger, watched the advance till the critical moment;
but his arm was not so firm as it ought to have been, and the bullet
struck the rock a foot to the left of the tin of explosives.
"Miss, by Jove!" he exclaimed savagely as he jerked open the breach and
ejected the empty cylinder.
Ere he could again take aim, Mr. McKay's rifle spoke. There was a
blinding glare, followed by a deafening report, and the close ranks of
the savages seemed to be swept aside as if by a gigantic flail. Not
only did the dynamite charge scatter death amongst the natives, but the
concussion brought down huge masses of rock from the cliffs, their fall
adding to the terror and confusion of the attackers.
"That's fifty of them at the very least," exclaimed Andy. "A few more
coups like that, and we'll wipe them all out."
"It will teach them caution, I'm afraid," was his father's reply. "But
we've done very well up to the present. How's Terence?"
"He was only slightly hurt," replied Ellerton.
"No sign of any canoes?"
"No, sir."
"Thank Heaven for that," replied Mr. McKay fervently.
"The explosion also sent off the other canisters," observed Andy.
"Shall we place some others in the gorge when it is dark?"
"I don't think they will attempt that way again," replied Mr. McKay.
"They've had a rare fright, both by day and night."
"I noticed a crowd of them on the cliffs immediately above the cave
where the rest of the dynamite is stored," paid Ellerton. "If we can
use the stuff to no better purpose, why not set a time-fuse, and give
them another surprise?"
"It might be done, but there's a great risk to be run by whoever lights
the fuse."
"I'm willing to do it," said Ellerton resolutely. "I can creep along
the base of the cliff so as to be out of sight."
"Then do it, my boy. Now's the time to act, before they have got over
their last reverse."
Without a moment's delay, Ellerton dashed across the spear-encumbered
ground and gained the shelter of the overhanging cliffs. Then waving
his hands to his companions, he disappeared from view.
There was a lull in the fighting. The defenders, anxiously awaiting
their comrade's return, lay idle within their defences, while the
natives were content to hurl an occasional spear or stone upon the
roofs of the buildings to show that they were still determined to
continue the attack.
"I hope Ellerton's all right," exclaimed Andy uneasily. "He's been
gone quite long enough."
"I cannot help thinking the same," replied his father.
They waited another five minutes, then Quexo announced his intention of
going to search for Massa El'ton.
"Be careful, then, Quexo," said Andy. "Remember Mr. Ellerton may have
lit the fuse--set fire to great bang-up," he added, noting that the
mulatto looked puzzled over the word "fuse."
"All right, Massa Andy. Quexo he mind take care ob self an' Massa
El'ton."
Another five minutes passed in breathless suspense. What had happened?
Ellerton had only to cover a distance of about four hundred yards both
ways. Allowing for the rugged nature of the ground, and the necessity
for caution, he ought to have returned several minutes ago. Perhaps he
had stumbled and was lying helpless within a few feet of the heavily
charged mine.
Suddenly two revolver shots rang out in quick succession, and Quexo's
voice was heard shouting for aid.
"Stay here, Andy," exclaimed his father hurriedly, and grasping his
revolver he ran towards the scene of action, the report of another shot
greeting his ears as he went.
On rounding a spur of the cliff, a strange sight met his gaze. From
the summit of the cliff dangled a long rope of cocoa-fibre. Half-way
from the ground was a native, evidently badly wounded, grasping the
swaying rope with one hand while the other was pressed against his
side. On the ground at about twelve feet from the end of the rope lay
four bodies in a heap, and on arriving at the spot Mr. McKay discovered
to his consternation that two of the motionless forms were those of his
companions.
Quexo lay uppermost, a jagged spear-head buried deep in his back. One
hurried glance revealed the sad truth that the faithful mulatto was
dead. Under him were the bodies of two natives, both shot through the
chest, while underneath the ghastly pile was Ellerton.
As Mr. McKay stooped over the lad, a spear whizzed close to his ear and
sank deeply in the ground. It was a stern warning, and Mr. McKay took
advantage of it. Lifting Ellerton's body, he bore it to the shelter of
the cliffs, then as the rope began to tremble violently he stepped out
a pace, revolver in hand.
He fired, and two bodies came hurtling through space, striking the
ground with a heavy thud. A lucky shot had severed the rope as cleanly
as if by a knife.
There was no time to be lost. At any moment the mine might be sprung.
Hoisting Ellerton's body on his shoulder like a sack of flour, Mr.
McKay began his retreat, stepping over the rough ground with giant
strides, till the shelter of the cliffs came to an end. Here he
transferred his burden to his arms, and, protecting it as well as he
was able with his own body, he dashed across the open.
Unscathed he reached the roofed-in stockade, and breathlessly he
deposited the body of his comrade upon the ground.
"Dead?" asked Andy anxiously.
"No, only stunned. It's a bad business."
"And Quexo?"
"He's gone, poor fellow!"
"Oh!" Andy gasped, as if something had struck him; but the blow was a
mental not a physical injury. "How----"
His words were interrupted by a roar that seemed to shake the island to
its very foundations. The cliffs trembled, dislodging masses of loose
rock, while a blast of air swept over the terrace like a tornado.
The mine had exploded!