The Rajah's Fortress — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

50 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. reluctant to post any more sentries along the steps, but it was a plain necessity, and besides a dozen men volunteered for the dangerous duty. Two were placed on the fourth step from thie bottom, and two half way up where Rodman had been posted. It would be a difficult task now for the dacoits to approach without being discovered, and Guy felt considerably relieved in mind as he made a survey of the ground with a view to fortifying it. It required but a short time to convince him that nothing could bedone. The open space front- ing the pagoda was so narrow that no room fora barricade existed, even had there been materials for its construction, though Guy had intended mak- ing use of the idols if nothing better offered. Nor would it be safe to intrench themselves within the pagoda. The enemy could swarm around it on all sides and butcher them like ratsinatrap. They must stand out on the stone front and make the best defense possible. Meantime all remained quiet, and Guy entered the pagoda to take a look at Rodman, who had been placed on a matin the corner. His broken leg had been rudely set, but the poor fellow was still un- conscious and breathing heavily. “The gun must have struck him on the head and then run over him,” said the soldier who was watching at his side. “ But the skull is not frac- CONMUC WOO SS co