“Of course I can!”

“Are all the women on the floor?”

“Three women and the child.”

“Can you close the trap-door again?”

“Surely!  It is only opening it that is difficult.”

“Then close it before you go.  I’ve got a reason!  Send one of my men up here with a lantern—­one of those that are burning in the magazine.  I want to signal.”

“Very well, sahib!”

“Then take the women, with four of my men to help them walk, and get out as quickly as you can by the way we all came in.  Wait for the rest of my men when you reach the opening in the outer wall, and when they reach you allot two men to carry each woman, and run—­ the whole lot of you—­for the army over yonder.  One of the women will object.  She will want to see me first.  Use force, if necessary!”

“Are you, then, not coming, sahib?”

“I have another plan.  Here they come!  Hurry now, be off with the women!  Volley-firing—­ready—­present!”

Pattering footsteps sounded on the causeway, and a little crowd of nearly doubled figures came up it at a run.

“Fire!”

The volley took the rebels absolutely by surprise, and no man could miss his mark at that short range.  Five of the rebels fell back headlong, and the rest, who followed up the causeway, turned on their heels and ran.

“’Bout turn!” Brown shouted suddenly.  “Use the steel, men!  Use the steel!”

His own sword was flashing, and lunging as he spoke, and he had already checked a sudden rush by the prisoners.

They had thought the moment favorable for joining in the scrimmage from the rear.

“All right!  That’ll do them!  I’ll attend to ’em now!”

A man came running up with the lantern Brown had asked for, and Brown took it and began waving it above his head.

“They must have heard that volley!” he muttered to himself.  “Ah!  There’s the answer!”

A red light began to dance over in the British camp, moving up and down and sidewise in sudden little jerks.  Brown read the jerks, as he could never have read writing, and a moment later he answered them.

“Now, down below, the lot of you!  Give me your rifle, you.  I’ll need it.”

“Not coming, sir.”

“Not yet.  There’s something else yet, and I can do it best.  Besides, some one has got to guard the causeway still.  There might be a rush again at any minute.  Listen now.  Obey Juggut Khan implicitly as soon as you get down.  His orders are my orders.  Understand?  Very well, then.  And you without a weapon, your job is to shut the door that you leave the magazine by tight from the outside—­d’you understand me?  Call up when you’re all through the door, and then shut it tight!”

“But, how’ll you get out, sir?”

“That’s my business.  One minute, though.  Here they come again.  Get ready to fire another volley!”