"
His grimy hearers nodded mechanically. They knew, without being told,
that they should fire no more until at close quarters in some
final rush.
"Only a few more rounds apiece," he continued. "Our friends outside must
have run nearly as short, according to the coolie we took prisoner in
the tunnel. But they'll get more supplies, he says, in a day or two.
What's worse, his Generalissimo Fang expects big reinforcement, any day,
from up country. He told me that a moment ago."
"Perhaps he's lying," said Captain Kneebone, drowsily.
"Wish he were," snapped Heywood. "No such luck. Too stupid."
"That case," grumbled the captain, "we'd better signal your Hakka boat,
and clear out."
Again their hollow eyes questioned each other in discouragement. It was
plain that he had spoken their general thought; but they were all too
hot and sleepy to debate even a point of safety. Thus, in stupor or
doubt, they watched another afternoon burn low by invisible degrees,
like a great fire dying. Another breathless evening settled over all--at
first with a dusty, copper light, widespread, as though sky and land
were seen through smoked glass; another dusk, of deep, sad blue; and
when this had given place to night, another mysterious lull.
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