"You have done well, my lad," he cried. "Do you think the stanchion will hold the weight of the heavy guns?"
"I hope so, sir," answered Helmar, eyeing the crowbar narrowly.
"Very well, I'll give the order to heave in the slack. We'll see."
"At last the gun reached the top." p. 151
He then gave the signal, and the engine began to steam slowly back to the town. The guide rope hauled taut, and then began to pass rapidly through the blocks. The hawser began to ascend. Up it came, lumbering along like a great snake until the block was reached. The officer signalled, and the engine came to a standstill. George passed the great steel rope safely through the pulley, and the work went on until the hawser had passed the second block on the railway. The engine then came back, and as soon as the great cable was secured to it, it started again for the town. The work had started in real earnest.
All this time the enemy's fire was kept up incessantly, the locomotive being an object for their gunners to try their skill. But for the Arabs' atrocious practice, the naval guns would never have been got into position; as it was, whilst Helmar and the officer stood looking on, the gun began slowly to ascend.
With a lynx eye, George watched the straining crowbar, fearful that it should draw and his work prove unavailing. It held, and, assisted by the men below, the heavy burden was steadily hauled up.
At last the gun reached the top, and Helmar breathed a sigh of relief as he saw it wheeled off to its position. After this, the other guns were fetched up in a similar manner, and in less than half-an-hour the whole battery opened fire on the enemy. The naval brigade's practice quickly silenced the enemy's guns, and long before sundown Arabi and his hordes were in full retreat.