Only two of the women came to the surface, struggling wildly and screaming for help.

With scarcely a thought of what he was doing, Gregory unclasped his sword belt, dropped his pistol, and sprang overboard.
One of the women had sunk before he reached them, the other was on the point of doing so, when he caught her by the arm.

She at once clung to him, and he had hard work to disengage her arm from his neck; then, after turning her so that her face was above water, he looked round.
The gunboat was already a hundred yards away.

Her wheel was revolving, so as to keep her in her place facing the redoubt, and the stream was driving him fast away from her.
Within ten yards of him was a black head, and a moment later Zaki was beside him.

He had been working at Gregory's Maxim, and had suddenly missed his master.