"'Tis you now, pasha, who have committed crime," said the lieutenant, "and for this I call you to account. Surrender to answer for this deed."
"Surrender to Christian dogs! Never," answered the fierce Ibrahim.
"Then, men, fire upon these Turks," said the officer.
The rifles of the sailors were accordingly brought to cover upon the pasha's force.
Ibrahim immediately recognised a fresh and imminent danger, and resolved on a retreat.
Turning his horse, he gave the signal to his followers, and the whole body marched off rapidly, pursued by the fire of the English.
During this parley, Kara-al-Zariel and his Arabs had taken advantage of the preoccupation of their foes, to withdraw to the range of rugged rocks near the shore, which would at once shelter them from the attacks of the Turks and give them the advantage of being near their English allies in the ship.
But the pasha, now that the main objects of his expedition had escaped him, did not make any further attempts to pursue the Bedouins.
He and the remnant of his forces made the best of their way across the desert to the town.
And now all attention was drawn towards Thyra.