The Rajah's Fortress — page 181: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

170 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. “ Who’s coming now?” interrupted Bolton. “ Why, it’s Mombagolo.” The savage hurried up brandishing his rifle, and shaking his grizzled locks. “ Funny noise over there,” he said, pointing one hand toward the main gate. ‘ Dacoits on shore mebbe. Better come see.” Leaving the intensely disgusted McGore at his post, Forbes hurried across the court, followed by Bolton and the savage. They mounted the platform at the side of the gate. Inthe dry bed of the lake nothing could be seen; but directly across Forbes could faintly make out the spur of rock. He listened for a little while, but all was still, and he began to think Mombagolo had been mistaken. Under this im- pression he was about to start off on another round of inspection, when the savage held up his hand with a warning gesture. Forbes heard this time a slight crackling in the bushes, and while he was straining his eyes to hear more, without an instant’s warning a great pine tree was hurled from the spur of the rock, and the upper end crashed down on the ledge that ran along outside the stockade, forming a natural bridge over which the enemy could cross. Quick as it fell in place, a group of dusky forms sprang out on it, and were almost half way across before Forbes fully realized what had taken place. COLUM 1OOO SS co