As, flying over the rugged mountain country, they whirled back toward Korakum, Roy Stone bethought him of Jack. Thereupon he opened communication, and Bob himself announced to his other chum the tale of his own rescue.
From Jack the party in the plane learned that the attack on Korakum via the subterranean river had begun fifteen minutes before, and was proceeding fiercely so far as Jack could tell from the distant sounds of rifle fire. His anxiety regarding the fate of his father and of the small band of Athensian rebels and Arabs communicated itself to them.
Instead of flying straight out to the desert and landing, it was decided to follow a route which would bring them over the scene of conflict, if for no other reason than to learn how affairs progressed. Should the revolutionists be forced to flee, it would not be safe for the airplane to land on the desert near the Great Road, inasmuch as, with damaged wheels, it would not be able to re-ascend and would be captured, even if they escaped.
Besides, as Roy Stone pointed out, there was the bare possibility that they might be able to render help. Four gas bombs remained. If the Janissaries had managed to effect a landing and were in considerable force, dropping of the gas bombs amongst them would wreak havoc.
Accordingly, under Amrath’s guidance, Frank altered his course and presently, after scaling the mountain range blocking the upper end of Korakum valley, dropped down spiralling above the plain.
Amrath had glasses to his eyes and was studying the scene below. Evidently, the fight had gone against the revolutionists. No longer did they hold the earth works at the tunnel mouth, although heaps of bodies entangled among the stakes in the river and lying thick along the river bank and up to the top of the ramparts showed they had wreaked deadly execution before retiring.
Retiring now they were, however, but in good order. The horses of the revolutionists and the camels of Mr. Hampton and his party had been brought up in readiness for a quick retreat, and mounted upon them the defenders were fleeing down the valley, well in advance of the Janissaries. The latter, afoot, were rapidly being outdistanced.
That there had been losses amongst the defenders was only too sadly apparent. Of the gallant little band of eighteen, ten Athensians and Mr. Hampton, Ali and their six Arabs, only a dozen were left. But Amrath’s glasses showed him bundles being borne away with them by the living, and he knew them for the bodies of those who either had been wounded or slain. Perhaps, they had only been wounded.
Where the walls of the pass through which ran the Great Road out from ancient Korakum to the desert drew close together, the revolutionists, anticipating the necessity for falling back in case of attack, had thrown up a strong barricade across the pass from wall to wall. For this they were making and even as he watched, Amrath saw them pass in single file through a breach left for that purpose. He knew that they would drop into place a sheath of timbers and prepare for a final stand.
Rapidly the result of his observations were communicated to his companions, and Roy Stone radioed them to Jack. The latter was wild with anxiety for his father, and announced he would take his rifle and go to the barricade to offer his assistance. He explained a messenger had left for the other pass on receipt of the warning from the airplane of impending attack, but that so far help had not arrived.