第58部分(第2/7 页)

：　to　wait　till　he　heard　the　thieves　push　open　the　French　windows；　then　to　strike　the　match　（for　the　night　was　pitch　dark）；　and　by　its　light　to　fire　at　them　over　it　before　they　could　attack　him。

For　a　long　while　he　sat　thus；　and　twice　he　heard　the　loose　stones　dropping　as　his　assailants　began　to　climb　up　the　wall　beneath　the　window；　but　on　each　occasion　they　were　frightened　by　the　clamour　of　the　dogs；　which　at　length　grew　so　loud　that；　thinking　our　Indian　servants；　who　slept　at　a　distance　from　the　house；　would　be　aroused；　the　thieves　took　to　flight　without　the　dollars；　leaving　nothing　but　some　footprints　behind　them。

“And　why　did　you　not　e　and　wake　me？”　I　asked　when　he　had　finished　his　tale。

“Oh！”　he　answered；　“I　nearly　did　so；　but　I　knew　that　you　were　very　tired；　also　there　was　no　use　in　both　of　us　handing　in　our　checks；　for　there　were　a　dozen　of　those　devils；　and；　had　they　got　into　the　room；　they　would　have　made　a　clean　sweep　of　us。”

I　did　not　make　any　reply；　but　I　remember　thinking；　and　I　still　think；　that　this　conduct　showed　great　courage　and　great　unselfishness　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Jebb。　Most　people　would　have　retreated　at　the　first　alarm；　but　this；　with　the　utter　fearlessness　which　was　one　of　his　characteristics；　he　did　not　do；　since　the　dollars　in　his　charge　were　too　heavy　to　carry；　and；　before　men　could　be　found　to　assist　him；　they　would　have　been　secured　by　the　robbers；　who　knew　well　where　to　look　for　them。　In　the　rare　event；　however；　of　the　supply　of　personal　pluck　proving　equal　to　such　an　occasion；　how　many　of　us；　for　the　reasons　given；　having　a　well…armed　white　panion　at　hand；　would　have　neglected　to　summon　him　to　take　his　part　in　the　fray？　A　man　must　be　very　brave　and　very　unselfish　indeed　to　choose　to　face　a　band　of　Mexican　cut…thr