"It won't do to let them come too near," added the physician. "Try to
make every shot tell."

As he spoke he took the best aim he could and fired. Jack Everson was
but a moment behind him, and Anderson discharged his gun almost
simultaneously.




CHAPTER XII.

A WHITE MAN'S VICTORY.

It was clear that the reception was a stunning surprise to the Asiatics
in the other boat. In times of confusion and terror strong men often
sit dazed and meekly submit to massacre when sturdy resistance would
leave a far different tale to tell. Such was the case at Meerut, at
Delhi, at Cawnpore, at Lucknow and scores of places where the human
fiends revelled in massacre and crime.

But here, where evidently the same submissiveness was expected, the
miscreants were fired upon before they had discharged a single shot
themselves. Not only that, but the Caucasians kept the thing up. This
was contrary to all rule and precedent.

If, however, the white men did not wait to be slain, neither did the
dusky barbarians sit still and allow themselves to be shot down. They
ceased paddling and appealed to their guns, whose bullets began
whistling about the heads of the defenders in the other boat.