“Very true; but we can stand considerable hunger an’ thirst before we’ll come out to be killed.”
Now it was Jenkins who led the way, and he traveled at full speed until the footsteps of the pursuers could be heard close in the rear, when he halted.
“Go on, boys; I’ll try to stop ’em once more, an’ on the next tack we must sight the shaft, or give up all hope of gettin’ back there.”
“Come on, chillun! Don’t stop now when dem debbils are so nigh!” Andy shouted, and in another instant a cry of terror burst from his lips as he ran almost into the arms of a black man.
The devotees of voudooism were not so dumb as the mate had fancied, and instead of following behind, a portion had circled around the party, thus cutting off the line of the proposed retreat.
“Why don’t you go on?” Jenkins cried, angrily.
“Because they have succeeded in surrounding us,” Gil replied, but by no means calmly. “It’s a question of fighting, now, whether we want to or not.”
“Then be careful that every shot tells,” the mate cried, taking no heed of the fact that in the intense darkness it was impossible to do more than fire at random.