They started at once, and ran up the track, taking much comfort from the knowledge that the projecting rock would for some distance conceal them from the enemy. But after a few hundred yards the track both ascended and wound slightly to the right, bringing them once more into full view. They had no sooner reached this point than loud shouts behind them announced that the pursuit had been resumed. They glanced back, then ahead, measuring with their eyes the gaps that separated them from safety on the one hand, and capture on the other. A couple of bullets whistled over their heads, but the firing ceased, and they guessed that the enemy were confident of being able to overtake them. Such assurance was misplaced. The track in this part of the ravine, the scene of the morning’s disaster, was particularly rugged, and gave no advantage to the mounted men. Moreover, there were at intervals isolated rocks behind which the boys could have posted themselves as they had already done, and the Kalmucks approached these heedfully, reining up until assured that they had no similar ambuscade to fear. "Lucky they don’t know we’ve only two shots between us," said Bob as he sprinted along by his brother’s side. "A good spurt and we’re home." They were both good runners, though their want of training showed itself in a certain shortness of wind. They gained the bridge, saw at a glance that the pursuers were still several hundred yards away, and seizing the rope began to swing themselves hand over hand across the stream. At their previous crossings they had exercised some little caution, in case the rope should break under their weight. Now, however, they put everything to the hazard, realizing that to fall into the stream would be no worse than to be caught. The Kalmucks had been informed by Nurla of the destruction of the bridge, and had anticipated an easy capture. When they saw the boys swinging themselves across they gave utterance to renewed shouts; some flung themselves from their horses and ran forward to swarm over in the same way: others reined up and once more began to fire. The fugitives were still some few feet from the farther side, and momentarily expected to be hit, when there was a sudden diversion in their favour. They heard shouts in the opposite direction, from beyond the rocks on the other side of the clear space on which the aeroplane rested. Immediately afterwards several rifle shots rang out. For a second they halted in their progress, in the fear that they were the targets of another hostile band. But next instant it flashed into Bob’s mind that the volley must have been fired by their own Pathans, whose arrival they had long expected. "Come on, Law," he cried. "We’re all right now."