“I am afraid that we will have to,” said Mr. Bruce, “until these fellows will kindly consent to go away.”
“But can’t we beat them off?” said Harry.
“No. I think not,” said Mr. Bruce. “We are about twenty-five, and they must number fully one hundred.”
“We ought to be good for that number, I should think,” said Mr. Graham.
“I don’t know,” said Mr. Bruce, “they may fight better in daylight. They were taken by surprise the other night, and had but little else to do but run. I am in for giving them a chance to show their fighting qualities at any rate. As you say, we can’t stay here; if we do, we may be attacked by such a horde of these blacks that we could do nothing but surrender.”
“Then we had better get to fighting at once,” said Mr. Graham. “It will be better, perhaps, for us three to head the column, for with our fire-arms we may scare them away, leaving the road open to us.”
“I think as you do in the matter,” said Mr. Bruce.
Onrai was told then, to form his men into columns of threes and not to make a rush, or use the daggers until they were attacked by the negroes. The men formed, and Mr. Graham, Mr. Bruce and Harry heading the column, they started for the crevice. Here they saw the negroes, still waiting for them, their black faces grinning hideously in the semi-light. Slowly our friends advanced with their revolvers in position, ready to start at a given signal from Mr. Bruce. The negroes seemed to consider this a matter of amusement, for they only grinned the broader, and yelled the louder when they saw the queer column approaching them.
The party advanced until only a few feet from the negroes, who were so confident of capturing their enemies alive, they had not even brought with them the ugly-looking hatchet. They took no concern at the approaching column then, but looked on, as though the whole matter was a huge joke. So when Mr. Bruce said deliberately: “Now make ready, fire,” and the three leaden missiles went on their mission of death, the negroes jumped backward, and several, losing their balance, fell into the ravine. Again the pistols were raised, and three more shots were fired.
“We are disturbing them,” said Mr. Bruce. “Once more, and we will have them on the run.”