"What's the move?" enquired Dacres when the Lieutenant returned safely to shelter.
"It may work; it's a little ruse," replied Osborne. "They'll see the tins easily enough. I've put the best side of them facing outwards. If they think that we'll be able to repeat the curtain-of-fire business, they'll think twice before making a frontal attack. It's quite bad enough to be taken in the rear of both flanks, without a direct rush."
"There's the green banner again," exclaimed Fane. "That looks like business."
"Steady, my lads," shouted the heroic skipper. "Let 'em have it."
The rattle of musketry sounded along the shore. The result surpassed all expectation, for, to the defenders' surprise, scores of Senussi toppled over on the sand, some writhing, although for the most part those who fell lay still. The rush ended abruptly, the rest of the Arabs turning and running at full speed for the shelter of the dunes.
"That's knocked the stuffing out of them," declared Captain M'Bride. "Now, lads, there's another haul of equipment."
A dozen or more of the seamen who did not possess rifles made their way through the zariba, and approached the fallen foe with the intention of despoiling them of their arms. While engaged in this task, quite fifty of the fallen Senussi sprang to their feet, and fell upon the tricked men. The ruse was disastrous as far as the defenders were concerned, for those remaining in the trenches dare not fire for fear of hitting their comrades. Before a rescue-party could approach, the over-eager despoilers, hopelessly outnumbered, were cut down to a man, while the cunning Arabs, pursued by a fierce fire from the vengeful defenders, succeeded in regaining the main body with severe losses.
The handful of the Portchester Castle's crew who had fallen in this daring ruse could ill be spared. Although they had fought and died gamely, and had accounted for more of the enemy than their own numbers, the relative loss went against the beleaguered force. They had gained experience at a high price.
Another grave discovery was brought home to the sorely pressed men. Their ammunition was running short. Magazine rifle-fire is apt to make heavy inroads upon the stock of cartridges, and, although the men had exercised considerable restraint and had hardly thrown away a single shot; the fact remained that the supply had dwindled down to less than a couple of hundred.
"And the worst of it is," confided Major Fane, "we have those four women—passengers from the Sunderbund—in our hands. They are as plucky as one could wish; by Jove, they are! If the worst comes to the worst——"