"Be ready," hissed Nikka from the corner of his mouth, without shifting his eyes from our enemies.
His right hand was thrust into his waist-sash.
"I do not like this business," rasped Toutou, pulling a knife from inside his vest. "Somebody shall be tortured until he tells the truth."
I felt a pressure between Nikka and myself, and Kara's voice whispered:
"Run, you fools! To the House of the Married!"
Nikka's pistol flashed blue in the firelight.
"Shoot, Jack!" he cried.
A ruddy flame jetted from his muzzle, and the spy Petko dropped dead. Toutou LaFitte pushed Zlacho in the line of fire before himself, and dived into the encircling shadows as Zlacho crumpled up with a broken leg. Tokalji, Hilyer, Vassilievich and Hilmi scattered. I swung on my heel and shot twice over the group of Gypsies by the fire. I could not bring myself to shoot at them, for there were women and children close by. Then a bullet whistled past my ear, and Toutou's voice whined:
"No shooting! Use your knives! Take them alive!"
I had a fleeting glimpse of Kara, running at me with her knife raised.