But by cutting down the fringe at the end of the road to let Rustum Khan through we had forfeited the last degree of secrecy.  If the Turks could come again and force the gut of the pass, nothing but the hardest imaginable fighting could prevent them from swinging round at that point and making use of our handiwork.

“That castle has become a weakness, not a strength, Colonel sahib!” said Rustum Khan, striding through the trees to where Monty and Fred and I were standing.  “I have lost seven and thirty splendid men, and three and forty horses.  One more such charge, and—­”

“No, Rustum Khan.  Not again,” Monty answered.

“What else?” laughed the Rajput.  “That castle divides our forces, making for weakness.  If only—­”

“We must turn it to advantage, then, Rustum Khan!”

“Ah, sahib!  So speaks a soldier!  How then?”

“Mahmoud knows by now that the trees are down,” said I.  “His watchers must have seen them fall.  Some of the trees are lying outward toward the ramp.”

“Exactly,” said Monty.  “His own inclination will lead him to use our new road, and we must see that he does exactly that.  The guns are making the ramp too hot just now for amusement, but let some one—­you, Fred—­run a deep ditch across the top of the ramp; and if we can hold them until dark we’ll have connected ditches dug at intervals all the way down.”

Looking over the top of the trees I could just see the Montdidier standard bellying in the wind.

“I’ll bet you Mahmoud can see that, too!” said I, drawing the others’ attention to it.

“Let’s hope so,” Monty answered quietly.  “Now, Rustum Khan, find one of those brave horsemen of yours who is willing to be captured by the enemy and give some false information.  I want it well understood that our only fear is of a night attack!”

“You say, Colonel sahib, there will be no further use for cavalry?”

“Not for a charge down that ramp, at any rate!”

“Then send me!  My word will carry conviction.  I can say that as a Moslem I will fight no longer on the side of Christians.  They will accept my information, and then hang me for having led a charge into their infantry.  Send me, sahib!”

Monty shook his head.  Rustum Khan seemed inclined to insist, but there came astonishing interruption.  Kagig appeared, with arms akimbo, in our midst.

“Oh, sportmen all!” he laughed.  “This day goes well!”

“Thank God you’re here!” said Monty.  “Now we can talk.”

“That Will—­what is his name?—­Will Yerkees is a wonderful fighter!” said Kagig, snapping his fingers and making the joints crack.

“He accuses you of that complaint,” said I.

“Me?  No.  I am only enthusiast.  The road behind Beirut Dagh is rough and narrow.  The Turks had hard work, and less reason for eagerness than we.  So we overcame them.  They have fallen back to where they were at dawn, and they are discouraged”—­he made his finger-joints crack again—­“discouraged!  The women feel very confident.  The men feet exactly as the women do!  The Turks are preparing to bivouac where they lie.  They will attack no more to-day—­I know them!”