The Washington times., 1904-11-13

pursueFS, the prince cIleu 0tdlu idHI'
and fired.
The Alden seemed to have been /
lifted clean out OF water and plunged /
ten yards forward. Dorotr had /
TIGHT grip on the wheel or she would 4
have been thrown fiat. The echoes Of /
that heavy shot resounded over the /
waters and a chorus OF shrleks rang /
back from the pursuers.
''If that did no damage. a certainly ]
frightened them somewhat" cried Bar
don above the roar Of the steam. He |
found his binocular and ran with 1t to |
Dorothy.
Just watch the next shot" he said. /
THE stars are out and IT is lighter. I
am sure ! can disable them before they /
catch us"
The strange craft was still bearing /
down upon them. She fred tive shots !
in quick succession at the Alden. the /
second one crashing into the vessels /
sidc.
1t was nearing the gray OF morning
now; ard when Bardom trained his gun
upon the enemV he was surprised TO
see her full outline. Stand fast" came
the order. and again the Alldeen's stern
chaser spoke
You've carried away her smoke
stack" cried Dorothy. triumphantly.
Again, again.
The prince loaded and fired once more.
and this time Dorothy plainly saw the
1 black craft careen TO starbOard.
/ Glorious" she shouted. IN her eX-
element the girl let go Of the wheel and
/ clapped her hands
''Watc'. the course" cried Bardon.
mo grounding here or We are lost"
/ Two more screaming shells passed
over them, so close that Dorothy
! thought she felt the wind upon her
cheek,
She now began % he possessed OF that
peculiar sense o. recklessness and bra
vado which cl aracterizes all strong
souls IN the very heat OF combat. Al
| though she trembled. it was not with
! fear. Her face was pallid as marble,
vet II wore the look of certain heroism.
II hate the thought OF exposing that
little woman Ike that" murmured the
| prince. and I am really convinced that
1 the helm can he worked from back here
1 under cover. Let me see"
i He entered the shelter Of the armored
| cabin and found a rude arrangement
for steering the yacht under Ore
Come in here quick" he cried wildly
! You can manage the helm from this
shelter. Come. quickr'
Dorothy ran back. and her fingers
/ had scarcely left the wheel when ball
struck it.
II was found possible 20 manage the
helm under this cover, the tilleT
ropes passing through a secondary
1tsering apparatus. so the prince went
hack 10 his engine and his gun. breath
Ing easier.
A backward glance showed that the
lpursuers were closing upon them.
''The red nag Of All" said Bardof.
who now saw the coiors horne by the
enem..
As he exposed himself, half dozen
u rifles were fred from the shelter OF the
enemy's cabin, and the prince dropped.
Are you hurt?" cried Dorothy in
alarm.
"Safei" answered the prince. Then
he shouted: stand fast" and a well di-
rected projectile plunged through the
armored cabin Of the black bark, and a
shrek went up which echoed far over
the bleak wastes.
From the banks OF the river the bat
tie was watched by the gathering hun
dreds. some on camels. some on horses
all running along and trying 10 keep
pace with the fighters The fact that the
bark bearing the red flag Of the Khalifa
All should be firing upon the steamer
flying the black ensign OF the supreme
Khalifa Abdulla seemed beyond COM
prehension. Both vessels were going like
mad.
Suddenly Dorothy gave a strange cry,
and the prince ran 10 her, thinking that
she had been wounded by stray bul-
let. He found her pointing helDlessly
toward what appeared 10 be a white
wall stretching across the Nile a short
distance ahead. beyond which there
seemed TO be nothing-an awful precI-
pice, a void eternity Of space.
Good heavens. What is that2" she
moaned.
THE cataract" answered the prince
THE sixth cataract / did not expect
to reach it FOR a full nOur yet"
What Is 10 be dOne?" interrupted the
girl quickly. 1T looks like the jumping
of place Do you think we can run the
falls?"
A terrific jolt a lurch which tilted
/ and both occupants Of the craft fell 10
their knees.
we got II that time But this won't
do / must fight DO your best to bring
US through the rapids"
+ but can't undertake so momentous
} a thing alone. We shall be wrecked,
sure as fate"
DO your best" called back the prince,
for another shot had Numbered along
the Alldeen's ribs. making every fiber
culver
The firing became rapid now. As fast
as the prince could load and send his
shells into the pursuer the enemy re-
turned the vOlleys. They seemed 10 be
completely dumbfounded with each ter
rife blow.
The extent Of the damage could moi
be seen. but il must have been consid-
cradle. for the interior Of the craft was
crowded with shrieking. bowling der
wishes
The ammunition OF the rear gun had
run out, and with the last shot from
the red hot five-pounder the prince
crept into the engineers cabin and
stopped the engine This gave his pilot
a better chance 10 pick her way through
the cataract. and time for the pursuers
to pass them, so that IL would be pos
sible for the pursued 10 train upon them
: then the deadly seven-pOunder forward.
Soon the black bark was ahead and
then. under a rain OF rifle FIRE the prince
{ lvT no