A few shots from the Arabs produced an immediate effect among the torches. They no longer moved, but held their places quietly.
"Get that?" muttered Dick. "Kulki's men stuck their torches in the ground. Now they must be climbing up the cliffs in the dark."
As the Arab horsemen charged the brush where the torches flamed they were met by a stinging shower of arrows coming from unseen foes. At once their cries of "Allah, il Allah," were changed to howls of anger and shrieks from the wounded. Yet they charged on, shooting at the torches and driving ahead with flashing scimiters.
But the Gorols were not near the torches and shot more and more arrows from places of safety.
"Give 'em the axe!" cried Dan. "Here come the Taharans!"
As he spoke, Raal's men raced in open formation upon the disorganized Arabs, only pausing long enough to discharge a flight of arrows at the enemy.
Now the Arabs, caught between two attacking troops, were at a loss which way to face.
Dick, with Dan at his heels, scrambled down from the ledge of the cliff side and joined the Taharans with the war cry:
"Tahara Rax!"
"Give 'em the axe!" echoed Dan.