ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE
“We must first,” Cabot replied, “for as yet I have no plans.”
Accordingly they their way to a of trees near the arsenal. Where they they were by and darkness, but the was in a of light which from large on a the wall. Along the top of the high walked with rifles.
Cabot his plans.
Turning his and over to the best in the party, he the as follows: “When I my hand so, then shoot the to I am talking. Follow that by a at the nearest light. Then, under of the darkness, across the plain and join me at the wall.”
Without any he walked out into the light.
As he approached the there out the of “Halt!”
He halted.
“Who is there?”
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“Not so loud!” he cautioned. “You see I am unarmed. Let me approach near the so that I may my mission, which is for your alone.”
The his assent, and Cabot nearer.
“Halt!” The Cupian on the repeated, but this time in a low tone.
Cabot again, this time almost directly under the light.
“Stand where you are,” said the soldier, “while I let a ladder. Make any attempt to flee, and I shall fire.”
Myles where he was, with every of terror, as the Cupian let a rope from the top of the wall, and descended.
“Hold up your hands!”
Up Cabot’s right hand. It was the on with the sharpshooter. Ping! The to the ground without a sound. Ping! The light out. Hastily the earth-man his white for the black of his enemy, and up the latter’s and cartridge-belt. It good to have a rifle-shaped in his hands once more in place of the of the ants.
Just then a voice him from the top of the wall. “What’s the trouble?”
Out of the Myles called back:
“I a sutler, and just as I was about to search his the light out. Have you your light with you?”
“Yes.”
“Then come on and help me search.”
The second sentinel, for a taste of sutler’s food after of rations, started to the rope ladder; but as he the ground Cabot to his and put a single through his brain.
Out of the around him there seven forms. They were Buh Tedn and the six Cupian from the hills. Buh Tedn started to with the guard, but Cabot stopped him, saying, “No; your would give you away. Let one of the others assume the of this sentry.”
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One of the others the exchange.
Then said their leader: “Two of the of the are now cleared. Do you, marksman, the and walk this beat, Yuri’s guardsman.”
The man did so, while those close to the wall. Soon Cabot a to the right of the beat. Then a voice from above called softly:
“One less guard, O Cabot. Three of the are now cleared. I have the up here.”
Myles and one more the parapet; soon all three were walking post with the of old war-time practice, while the other five members of the party to the rope under the of the wall. Cabot himself walked the post, and took pains to meet the sentry. Thus nearly a of time passed.
Finally an officer with a approached along the top of the to the left. Cabot to the right-hand end of his beat, and his own to close at hand.
As the near he sang out, “Halt!”
The halted.
“Who is there?” the earth-man demanded.
“Relief.”
“Advance one and be recognized.”
The officer forward.
“Advance relief.”
The officer the forward, it again, and called out, “Number four!”
Thereat one of the from the ranks at port-arms. Cabot himself came to port in unison.
At this point the ended. Tilting his gun from its position, Myles two shots, and the officer and the new Number Four upon the parapet.
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Instantly the whole was in confusion, but they their to reply Myles and his them with bullets.
One of them, more quick-thinking than the rest, without being hit, and then a on Myles Cabot, who, his all down, had just paused to breathe. Neither he his saw his move, and Myles’s other man was walking his post, to the right, in a manner, so as to no attention from the on.
Everything was all set for the which would put an end to the of the of Cupia from the Yuri and his allies.
But just as the soldier was about to the trigger, a arm across his and him backward, so that his gun off in the air. It was Buh Tedn, who had to the top of the in the of the squad. A from Cabot’s put an end to this last enemy.
Then the seven the and themselves, Cabot on the of the officer. There were eight bodies, but some had from the in the struggle. No time be to for these, and eight was more than for the present purposes.
Myles his men in two ranks, them off, them to the right, and along the parapet, up his one already posted man as he went.
Number Six was in true form. He was too of off to notice the of the officer who him. Similarly with Numbers Seven, Eight, Nine, and so on.
As he came to Number Eleven, Cabot to worry for that his supply of new might out. Why hadn’t he some to have his own men him after being posted? But then he that that would do, for it would have been noticed by the others. He was in a fix.
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Number Twelve was relieved, all seven of his own men were gone, and Myles Cabot himself at the of a of the enemy. What he do at Number Thirteen?
But just as he was this question over in his mind, he came to a long leading from the wall, to a small the and the main arsenal. He as though to the squad; and they, without command, past him, turned, and past Number One the ramp. This was the guard-quarters; there were no more to relieve.
Inside the he gave the commands: “Relief—halt! Left—face! Port—arms! Open—chambers! Close—chambers! Dismissed! Hands up!”
The last was not in the Manual. The men, on their way to the gun rack, stopped in surprise. Up their hands, some their rifles, but some them.
“It is Cabot the Minorian!” one of them shouted.
The was in the extreme. The Cupians were the room, so that it was for Myles to them all with his rifle. They were characters, of the type, of Prince Yuri. If they started any trouble, Myles to one, or at most two, of the seven the would him. Furthermore, they it.
“Back up, all of you, into that corner! Quickly!” he directed.
But they did not budge. Gradually to over their visages. They that they had him at bay, than he them. And what a prize he would be for presentation to King Yuri! Why, the king might them to a party.
The earth-man them, unafraid. He still had the on them, and he to press his to the limit.
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“You one over by the rack, into the corner,” he ordered, “or I’ll shoot you first.”
The Cupian with alacrity.
“You with the scar! Lay your gun! Now you into the corner!”
The second soldier did so. Things were nicely. One by one he the Cupians him. But, just as he was in his triumph, his gun was from behind. Turning, he saw Number One at him.
One from his in that and the to the floor. But Myles wheel to those in the guardroom, they had him and him to the ground.
“Capture him alive!” some one shouted, and that was the last that he heard, for something in his portable radio set, and from then on he was to antennae-emanations. All that he was an occasional shot.
In of the numbers upon him, he with and fists, until at last, the weight to lessen. Finally he to his and his tormentors. Could it be that single-handed, he had eight Cupians?
But no, for the he were Buh Tedn and his own men. The eight on the floor.
The were given. A quick that the head-set and the apparatus-belt were damaged, so the radio man a and paper and wrote: “My and the were the fight. Luckily there is another set in the airplane. One of you go and it.”
One of the party withdrew. The others, in hand, to search the building, but not a did they find, although the had been occupied.
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It likely that, the in the guardroom, the of the guard, being unable to the arms racks, had left the building.
So Myles and his party on to the door which from the into the yard. As they they were met with a from the arsenal, and three of their number down. The a and the door.
Then they their way to the which the main arsenal, but two more of them were off they how perfectly they were by the rooms within. One of these two was Buh Tedn. Myles Cabot and one Cupian were all that were left of the party.
As as possible the two all the lights in the guardhouse, and then to the roof, which was and by a low which protected them from themselves against the of the lamps.
Crawling along the to the nearest the arsenal, they over. The of a Myles to his head, and he his to as well. With his gone, he not and it was too dark to write. But the other him to the opposite edge, where they succeeded in the at Posts Two and Three, which were the only sight.
There appearing to be nothing to be up there, they into the and took up their station at of the upper story, from which they at every of movement in the direction of the arsenal, taking to to the and then after each shot.
Finally their gave out, and Cabot to the for more. But a long and search only a rounds.
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Myles returned to the upper and through the rooms to his friend. But it was his foot, than his out-stretched hand, which him. The Cupian dead.
Myles Cabot alone, with only about a dozen cartridges, was the defense of the building. No life to be on the side, so he the and looked out at the wall.
Dark were along where Post No. 12 should have been. The earth-man let them have it with fire, and they disappeared.
He now in that direction, and then the lights there out, so that the no longer against the sky. From time to time he where he the was, so as to keep the invaders, and thus soon his ammunition.
“Thank heaven,” he said to himself, “the door is barred!”
But as he said this he that he had to the door which opened toward the wall; and as he this there came a of many the which from the to this door.
