“Our fellows were driving all before them when I last had a glimpse of them,” the medico replied.—“Hallo! who are these rascally-looking villains bearing down upon us?”
Turning in astonishment, I beheld four armed desperadoes swiftly approaching us from the rear.
CHAPTER III.
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.
It was a ticklish moment, but the surgeon was coolness itself.
“Stand steady, Darcy!” he cried to me in resolute tones, as he drew his sword from its sheath. “Empty your revolver amongst them, my boy, and be careful to take steady aim.”
I must confess that I felt a little flurried at this moment, though I tried hard to pull myself together, knowing how much depended upon my coolness and resolution. This attack by a detachment of the enemy was so sudden, and was made in such a determined manner, that it is small wonder that my presence of mind deserted me for a few moments.
Charlie tried in vain to rise, and then sank back in an exhausted state.
“Give me a weapon to defend myself with,” he said hoarsely; “I won’t be killed without a struggle, weak as I am.”
My friend’s faltering voice and pathetic request helped to recall my wits, and braced up my nerves like a powerful tonic. I darted to the dead blue-jacket’s side, and gained possession of his rifle and cutlass. The latter I handed to Charlie with the remark, “We’ll defend you, old chap, but you may as well have this bit of steel in your fist.” Then I glanced hurriedly at our approaching foes. They were only twenty yards distant. Every moment was precious indeed. There had been no time for me to obtain cartridges from the dead man’s pouch, but I now hastily opened the breech of the rifle and discovered, to my delight, that it was loaded. Without a moment’s hesitation I dropped on one knee, levelled the piece, and took careful aim at one of the leading desperadoes.
A jet of flame issued from the muzzle of the rifle as I pressed the trigger, and then a little puff of sulphurous smoke. At almost the same moment the man at whom I had aimed sprang several feet from the ground in a sort of convulsive bound, and then fell heavily to the earth a lifeless corpse.