"I see. I suppose they are a fair height from the ground?"
"Yes--but there are such things as ladders," said Sir Richard dryly. "Of course a mere handful of men, given a sufficiency of ammunition, might keep an attacking party at bay almost indefinitely. But I'm afraid our supply of munitions is somewhat scanty, and with women--and children--to defend----" He broke off suddenly as the native began to speak.
"You go a-back, bring help, bring many gentlemens. Me and the Effendi take care of ladees ... but you go quick--bring the soldiermans...." He stopped, as though at the end of his suggestions.
"Yes." Sir Richard's face lighted up. "I see what he means. Anstice, you or I must make all speed back to Cairo and fetch out some soldiers. The barracks swarm with them, and if I know them they'll jump at the chance of a little scrap like this. With luck you'd be back in three days--less, if you pushed your horses--and by God I believe we could hold the Fort till then!"
As he finished the native nodded his head as though in approval of the plan; but suddenly his expressive features lengthened, and he said something in a lower tone to Sir Richard in which the words "El Hakim" occurred more than once.
Sir Richard listened restively, and uttered an exclamation of annoyance.
"Well, well, there's no need to repeat it so often! Anstice, this fellow points out that after all I had better be the one to go for help, as he says your aid is urgently required at the Fort. Besides Cheniston, who seems, from what I can gather, to be in about the same state as before, Garnett got wounded last night when the besiegers tried to force an entrance, and I suppose the sooner you get to them the better."
"Well, there's something in that," conceded Anstice, reluctant to deepen the disappointment in Sir Richard's face. "You see, sir, the sooner I fix up Cheniston the better--but why shouldn't this fellow go and fetch help instead of you?"
Sir Richard's eyes brightened, but after another colloquy with the Arab his former air of dejection returned.
"He says--confound him--that the authorities in Cairo would pay more attention to me than to him--and I suppose he's not far wrong. Also he points out that with his knowledge of the land and of the language he would be of more use to the garrison"--he used the word half ashamedly--"than I, who know little of either. His plan is for me to return immediately with all possible speed to fetch help, while you and he seek, under cover of night, to enter the Fort, a task which I gather," said Sir Richard grimly, "is not altogether devoid of risk."