The Rajah's Fortress — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 931 CHAPTER XXVII. THE ATTACK BEGINS. THE cool air of the cavern had a rapidly brac- ing effect on Guy. Topee put a flask to his lips and in a moment or two he was all right except for his hearing, which was almost entirely gone. Had the cannon held an ordinary load the effects of the explosion in the confined chambers of the fortress would have been much more disastrous, and Guy would not have escaped so easily. It is strange that no one thought of examining it and thus assuring the success of the undertaking. A very small charge of powder, probably intended to clean the barrel of long accumulated dirt, had been placed inside ready for use in the morning, and of course the first drop of the melted lead had touched it off. No time was lost in the cavern. Though the walls shut out all sound, Topee knew that by now the dacoits must have discovered all and would eventually find the secret passage, though whether they could open the door or not was a different matter. COLUM 1OOO SS co