The war-cry of the Arabs was again raised.
They dashed at a portion of the living ring that surrounded them.
They cut their way through the circling ma.s.s of steel.
CHAPTER Lx.x.xVII.
STILL THE BATTLE RAGES.
At that moment Kara-al-Zariel"s horse received a mortal wound, and sank beneath the chief.
He fell heavily, and narrowly escaped being trampled to death by his own advancing men.
But procuring another steed, he again led the van.
Jack Harkaway had already had two horses killed under him.
He was disfigured by blood and smoke, and dizzy with weariness and excitement, but he still fought like a lion, for it was for life.
The task of breaking through the Turkish ranks was a terrible one.
Many Arabs fell dead in the desperate attempt.
As fast as the gaps were made in the ranks of the enemy, they were filled up by fresh men.
The horses trampled upon the weary limbs of the wounded.
Into this wild _melee_ Jack plunged, closely followed by his friend Harry.
Our hero struck down a gigantic Turk, fired a revolver into the face of another, and gave a cut right and left with his sword.
Taking advantage of the pa.s.sage thus made, the other Englishmen rapidly followed their leader.
Thyra was led by the waiter and the diver, while Mole and Figgins mutually a.s.sisted each other.
It was amid shots falling like hail in every direction, and menaced by killing blows from heavy sabres that the retreat was made.
Thyra performed another act of heroism at this juncture.
A Turkish sergeant, on foot, fired straight at her as she pa.s.sed.
By the width of scarce an inch, the bullet missed piercing her brain, but she answered it by a shot which sought and found the heart of the Turk, and he fell dead instantaneously.
In this way all the Englishmen got through the ranks of the foe and joined the chief.
The rest of the Arabs followed, but they had a hard task to do so, for the enemy now overwhelmingly outnumbered their reduced force.
But our friends were not to escape even thus easily.
The Turks made fresh and vigorous efforts, not only to prevent their retreat, but to effect their capture.
Seeing the peril they were in, Jack called to Thyra and said--
"My good girl, you have acted with heroic bravery, but our danger is now greater than ever, and you must quit this scene."
"Never, dear Jack, whilst you are imperilled," she firmly replied.
"But you can aid me more that way than by staying," he said. "Listen, yonder is the sea, not more than two miles off. There is an English ship in the bay; its gallant sailors will not fail to a.s.sist their countrymen in distress. Go to them at once, your steed is swiftest of all. Ride, ride for your life, dear girl."
Thyra needed no further urging.
"I will bring a.s.sistance to you," she cried, "or perish in the attempt."
She turned her steed, and was off in a minute at lightning speed.
On came the Turks, now headed by Abdullah, for his comrade, the captain of the guard, had been desperately wounded.
"We must capture them!" he cried to his men. "Forward, men; death or victory."
Jack and his men saw that resistance was useless against so overwhelming a force.
Flight was the only chance remaining to them.
Yet they could not give in without some attempt to punish their enemy.
Jack levelled his pistol at the vizier"s head, but by a dexterous movement he avoided the shot.
"Yield, Christian dogs!" he thundered. "Yield to might and right, for your capture or death is inevitable."
"You do not know us Boys of England," cried Jack. "We may be taken dead, but while a breath of life remains, we will never surrender to black-hearted Turks."
The vizier answered by ordering his men to surround the Christians, which they did their best to accomplish.
But by an agile movement, Jack and his friends suddenly turned and galloped off.
It was not in the direction of the sea, for retreat was at present cut off that way, but across the desert that they fled.
"Forward!" cried Abdullah. "They must not escape us."
For a considerable time this chase continued, till the English, by "doubling" again, changed the direction of their flight, and made towards the sea.
Hope arose within their hearts, for they saw a considerable number of well-armed English sailors, led by Thyra, coming towards them.
A few minutes" galloping joined them with these welcome allies, and this reinforcement enabled Jack again to defy the Turks.