"And water?"
"Enough to spare, unless——" Sir Jehan paused, then in a lower tone he continued: "Unless they discover the underground aqueduct from the hills."
Reeves gave a low whistle.
"I hope they won't," he replied bluntly.
"I'd give anything to have my binoculars here," he exclaimed, after Sir Jehan had passed on. "Those fellows are up to some mischief," and he pointed to the Arab encampment.
"What do you think they are up to?" asked Gerald.
"Something I've never known the true Arabs do before. They are actually entrenching themselves I believe."
"Well, what does that mean?"
"That they've someone with them who has been trained in a European army. Usually the Arabs are content to make a zariba of thorns, when they go to the trouble of making defensive works at all; but I would bet my bottom dollar that they are digging like fury over there."
Just before sundown a fierce musketry fire was opened upon the city on all sides, and by the relative positions of the puffs of smoke the correspondent knew that the enemy were firing in extended order. Nearer and nearer they came, and, although the fire slackened somewhat, it continued throughout the night, so that the defenders had but little chance of rest. Occasionally they would return the compliment with a round from one of the guns; but since the damage done upon the scattered line of riflemen would hardly justify the expenditure of powder, Reeves ordered the other gunners to stand by but not to reply.