"Are you asleep, man ?" Surajah was not asleep, but he was confused by the suddenness of the fray, and was still doubtful whether Dick had not made an entirely unprovoked attack upon the strangers.

However, he perceived that it was now too late to discuss that point, and was a question of fighting for his life.

Accordingly, he fired both barrels of one of his pistols.

One of the men dropped.
"Your sword, Surajah!" Dick exclaimed, as he grasped the scabbard of his own weapon in his left hand, while in his right he held his other double-barrelled pistol.
Their antagonists, with yells of fury, were now upon them.

Dick shot one, but the next man he aimed at darted suddenly aside when he fired.
Dick dropped his pistol, and grasped the hilt of his sword just in time to ward off a blow aimed at his head.