It was a relief, indeed, when day fairly broke; for then they could see their foes at a distance and, by a steady fire, force them to take to shelter.

When they got into cover, the tribesmen continued to fire upon the block house; but the besieged did not reply, for they had only twenty rounds per man left.
Another mouthful of water was now served to all and, the two unwounded men having been placed in the upper story to keep watch, the others sat down under the loopholes, in readiness to leap to their feet and fire, if an alarm was given.
At length, about eleven o'clock, the fire of the enemy suddenly ceased and, a few minutes later, a relief party marched up.

The men cheered lustily as the barricade was removed, and Lisle and the six men came out.

The officers ran forward and warmly greeted Lisle, shaking hands with him and the men of his little party.
"Thank God we have found you alive, Bullen! We hadn't even a hope that you had survived; for we found poor Macintyre and his party, all killed and cut up.

We started this morning, as soon as your absence was discovered, and have been searching ever since; but I doubt if we should ever have found you, had we not heard firing going on up here.