The captain and Abdullah accordingly ordered their troops to fall back.
The excited crowd gave a yell of disappointment.
"I do believe we've defeated them, after all," cried Harry Girdwood.
But it was only a lull in the storm—a fatal presage of overwhelming disaster.
The Turkish commanders now resolved to make certain of victory by bringing up a cannon.
If, by this means, their troops could once effect an entrance—and this was almost certain—what could stop their progress.
What were Harkaway's mere handful of men against the thousands they would have to encounter!
Once more, and at greater peril than ever, Jack went on the housetop to reconnoitre.
He laid himself down flat that he might not be seen, but yet contrived to take a rapid glance of the position.
The house was detached on three sides; the fourth side was built against the wall of a mosque.