The Rajah's Fortress — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

172 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. point where the trunk touched the rocky ledge. “Come back, come back!” Bolton cried ex- citedly, while the foe, struck dumb by such a daring act, made no move for a full minute, thus giving Forbes almost time to accomplish his object. They then opened a straggling fire, and the bullets pattered on all sides of him. Clip! clip! clip! went the axe. One more blow and down went the tree with a crash, while Forbes, with a bullet in his arm, and the blood dripping from a graze on his cheek, fell back inside the court, and the gate was speedily shut and barred by McGore. The dacoits poured another futile fire into the stockade. Then Bolton turned the cannon on the rock and the little brass monster spit out its charge with a roar, but with no visible effect. The foe were plainly preparing for some new move, and all waited with deep anxiety. It was strange that in the excitement no thought was given to the other quarters of the stockade. All was centered on the point under attack. And yet there was one not so heedless. How- sata, one of the savages, a sharp, keen fellow, who could scent danger afar off, slipped up the court unperceived. Poor fellow! he little knew he was going to his doom. Fate was stalking ‘about in unexpected rlaces that night, and as Howsata reached the extreme upper end of the court, the dread messenger fell on him so swiftly that he COLUM 1OOO SS co