Below, Harris had just armed himself with a great iron bar; for he knew that the door was about to give under the attacks of the Germans.
"The fools!" he said to himself. "Why don't they blow the lock off?"
It seemed that the same thought struck the German first officer at about the same moment. Motioning his men back, he approached the door and put the muzzle of his revolver against the lock. He pulled the trigger, and when the Germans again surged against the door it flew open beneath their weight.
One man stumbled headlong through the door. As he did so, Harris raised his heavy bar and brought it down on the man's head. The German dropped with a crushed skull.
But before Harris could raise his weapon again the Germans had closed about him and sought to strike him down with the butts of their revolvers. The struggling figures were so closely entwined now that the enemy could not fire without fear of hitting one of their own number.
Harris struck out right and left and men staggered back before his terrific blows. Then came the sounds of running footsteps without.
"Back!" called the German first officer.
Two British heads appeared in the doorway almost simultaneously.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The Germans poured a volley into the two men and the latter sagged to the deck.