"Come, Lacey, it will be an anxious night.

The moon is full, and Ebn Ezra Bey has his work cut out--sharp work for all of us, and..." Lacey could not hear the rest of his words in the roar of the artillery.
David's steamers in the river were pouring shot into the desert where the enemy lay, and Achmet's "friendlies" and the Egyptians were making good their new position.

As David and Lacey, fearlessly exposing themselves to rifle fire, and taking the shortest and most dangerous route to where Achmet fought, rode swiftly from the palace, Ebn Ezra's three steamers appeared up the river, and came slowly down to where David's gunboats lay.

Their appearance was greeted by desperate discharges of artillery from the forces under Ali Wad Hei, who had received word of their coming two hours before, and had accordingly redisposed his attacking forces.

But for Achmet's sharp initiative, the boldness of the attempt to cut off the way north and south would have succeeded, and the circle of fire and sword would have been complete.
Achmet's new position had not been occupied before, for men were too few, and the position he had just left was now exposed to attack.
Never since the siege began had the foe shown such initiative and audacity.