"Is that Private Gray?" said the voice. "Mr Ali, is that you?" cried Gray, leaning towards him. "Yes, it is I," said the figure, crawling rapidly towards him. "What are you doing with the enemy?" "Trying to make my way to you. They will not see now. Give me your hand, and I will climb up." Gray leaned out over the breast-work, gave his hand to the young man, and, with a little exercise of his muscular strength, half-drew, half-aided him to climb into the stronghold--just as Captain Smithers and Tom Long leaped upon them, seizing each his man, and holding his sword to his throat. "You doubly-dyed scoundrel!" cried Captain Smithers. "Caught him in the act! Call the guard there!" "Don't you know me, Long?" said a voice that made Tom lower his sword point. "Ali!" cried Captain Smithers; "you here?" "Yes, I am back," said the young man sadly. "Gray, my good fellow," cried Captain Smithers, "fate seems to have ordained that I should doubt you." "Fate is sometimes very cruel to us all, sir," said Gray, coldly, as the captain set him free, and turned to Ali. "You found them, then?" "No," said Ali, sadly. "But the stockade?" "What stockade?" "Where you found them. The steamer went off early in the night." "The steamer went off? Where?" "Don't waste time, man, in puzzles," cried the captain, excitedly, as he felt that something was wrong. "You sent a messenger?" "I sent no messenger," said Ali, excitedly. "Yes, yes; the man with the writing in a bamboo?" "I sent no man," said Ali, sadly. "You have been cheated--over-reached by your enemies." "But did you not find them?" "No, I was hemmed-in at every turn; and at last, in despair I have crawled back here, hardly saving my life, your sentries are so keen." "This is dreadful," said Captain Smithers. "How we have been deluded!" He took a few steps to and fro, and then paused before Ali, gazing at him searchingly. "Sir," he said, "we are each of different nations, and your people are at war with mine. Why should I trust you? why should I believe in your words? How do I know that I am not talking to one who believes it to be a virtue to slay people of my creed?" Ali looked at him wonderingly for a few moments before he spoke, slowly,-- "Because you know that I am honest," he said; "and if I am not, you have your resource there. Kill me." Captain Smithers resumed his agitated walk to and fro. "This is dreadful!" he said, excitedly. "Those poor fellows have been inveigled away like the hunting-party, and perhaps by this time there is a second massacre." "I think you exaggerate," said Ali, quietly. "The hunting-party have been led away by a ruse, and the steamer sent upon an errand by a clever trick. But Captain Horton and Major Sandars are not men to give up the lives of their following without a bitter struggle. And as for Lieutenant Johnson--" "And Mr Roberts," interposed Tom Long.