Their shots came sometimes singly in quick, sharp throbs, and sometimes in a rolling volley, with a sound like a boy's stick drawn across iron railings.

The hill buzzed like a bee-hive, and the bullets made a sharp crackling as they struck against the rocks.
"You do no good by exposing yourself," said Belmont, drawing Colonel Cochrane behind a large jagged boulder, which already furnished a shelter for three of the Soudanese.

"A bullet is the best we have to hope for," said Cochrane grimly.

"What an infernal fool I have been, Belmont, not to protest more energetically against this ridiculous expedition! I deserve whatever I get, but it _is_ hard on these poor souls who never knew the danger." "I suppose there's no help for us ?" "Not the faintest." "Don't you think this firing might bring the troops up from Halfa ?" "They'll never hear it.

It is a good six miles from here to the steamer.