CHAPTER 2
As the arabs started to assault the wall, the Legion, still taking heavy fire from the arab rifle unit, began to loose men. Lieutenant Devaux cursed at the fact the Arabs were so obviously keeping away from the mined buildings, after all the work they had invested in preparing them. Hofstedter pointed out that now was a good time to try the few sticks of dynamite they had kept in reserve. 

Vucks ordered a few men from the south wall to reinforce the north and he, Devaux and Hofstedter began hurling dynamite over the wall at the Arabs. 

The effect was as devastating as it was unexpected.  The hard stony ground did nothing to absorb the blasts and the assault rapidly withered as body parts started to litter the ground at the base of the wall.

Both sword units disintegrated into the sands, but the rifle armed unit, out of dynamite throwing range,  continued to pour fire up onto the walls, gradually taking its toll on the defenders.

El Zahira started to apply the pressure.  Jaleel's camel troop charged in from the west, the small scouting group in the police station, realizing that they would be cut off, made a mad dash for the next buildings. Jaleel's captured machine was following close behind with the barrel of powder captured from the well site strapped to the top of his machine.
Sporadic rifle fire from the camel troop only hastened the scouting parties retreat to the next building. Most of the camaleers were armed with spears.  They spent a few moments at the building hiding the scouting party until they realized the futility of spears against buildings. The determined rifle fire form the legionnaires hastened their departure.

As they moved away from the building a terrible din form the sky erupted to their rear and sent the camels into a horrified panic.

Capitainne Froggles had arrived in his Bleriot aeroplane and flew almost directly over the camels who began to flee.  A few rounds from the QF75 mm sealed their fate and they departed the battle area. 

The legion scouts ran for the fort. Capitainne Froggles made a few passes over the fort. Took a few pot shots at the Arabs but didn't actually hit anything. His  presence did however upset the horses, whose riders spent most of their time trying to keep them under control.

Froggles dropped a message into the fort with the distressing news that the relief column is still many hours away.

With the aeroplane passed, El Zahira launched a new major attack on the now weakened south wall. Again, two sword armed band but flanked on either side with two more bands armed with modern rifles, courtesy of the their deceased Spanish former owners.

The Arab rifles put a steady withering fire into the walls of the fort.

It is at this point that Jaleel began his terror attack. He revved his machine and headed directly for the sandbags and the position of the Quick Firing 75 mm Gun. His intention being to burst through the sandbag wall and blow up the gates of the fort in a suicide attack that will surely bring victory. He got within a few yards of the sandbags when his valiant effort was brought to a sudden anticlimactic ending as a single piece of shrapnel blew off  his head and the automobile drifted off the road harmlessly out of control. 

The Machine Gun position got off a few rounds into the flanking rifle unit that was  protecting the assault on the south wall. The MG then pulled back into the relative safety of the fort along with the scout party that had also reached the fort gates.

The gun was pulled back towards the gates but the gunners disabled and abandoned it as they realized they were not going to make it in time.  The rifle units to the north and south as well as El Zahiras guard were closing in.

Unexpectedly the Red Shadow came galloping in from the west. Could this be the arrival of the relief column? He yelled to Lt. Benoit from the scouting party that the column was still some hours away and then attempted to reach the fort with his four guomiers.  All the guomiers were savagely cut down by enfilading rifle fire from the flanks, and the Shadow received a great wound in the shoulder.  Realizing he was being cut off Benoit closed the door leaving the Shadow no option but to turn and and try and save himself.

The Situation at Fort Les Miserable was now appearing very desperate indeed.
 
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