He turned and threw up his gun, but before he could level it, they both threw themselves upon him.
Taken wholly by surprise, he staggered backwards.

He was but a pace from the edge of the steep declivity, and in another moment he fell backward, his gun exploding in the air as he went.

The boys heard his body as it rolled and crashed through the slight brushwood on the slope.

Fainter and fainter became the sound, and then it suddenly ceased.
As long as it continued the boys stood motionless, and were turning to go, when there was the crack of a rifle, and a ball whizzed between them.

Leaping round, they saw the guard, whom they had supposed to be insensible, had risen to his feet.