‘Are you hurt?’ Mary asked breathlessly.

‘No.’

I didn’t pause, but ran into the outer room in time to see Mac standing in the open doorway, blazing away into the darkness like General Custer in his last stand.

As I joined him, he stopped firing and stepped back into the shelter of the doorway. ‘We got ’em pal!’ he exclaimed. ‘The whole damn five of them. How about a quick rush into the bushes before the rest of them get over here?’

Mary joined us.

‘Come on,’ I said. This is our chance. Mac’ll go first. Then you. I’ll be behind you. Jump for the bushes.

‘Ready?’

She nodded.

‘Go ahead.’

Mac took a flying leap through the doorway into the thick undergrowth below.