, 1880-12-10

without any disguise, or had he some
further strategem in preparation? No
one could say.
Suddenly, rs Ismail stopped to plunge
his light wooden dipper into the water,
it slipped from MS hands aud went float
ing away down stream. a cry Of dis
may, a loud laugh from the Sepoys, and
then the boy was seen running frantic
ally along the bank and trying in vain to
catch the vessel as it tioated past
'What on earth is he up to?' grunted
the Colonel, completely mystitied.
81 see" cried Major Armstrong, tri-
umphantly; there's boat yonder
among the reels, and he's making for it.
Well done, my brave boy"
But ut that moment yell OF rage
from the Sepoys told that the trick was
discovered
Luckily those on the bank had left
their pieces behind or poor Ismpil would
soon have been disposed Of; but the
alarm instantly brought up crowd of
armed comrades, whose bullets fell like
hail around the boat and its gallant little
pilot.
"Let us fire volley and make show
of sallying out, said the Colonel; It'll
take their attention from him"
But in this lie was mistaken.
The first rattle of musketry from be-
hind the house did indeed recall most of
Ismail's assailants, but at least dozen
were left, who kept up an. incessant fir
ing, striking the boat again and again.
All at once the Colonel dashed his
glass to the floor with frightful oath.
Between the two guests of smoke he
had seen the boat turn suddenly over,
and 60 whirling down the river, keel up
ward.
''There's an end of the poor lad" NUT
tered the veteran brokenly. "God bless
him for brave little fellow. And now,
old friend, we must just die hard, for
there's no hope left"
The first few hours of the night passed
quietly, and the. exhausted defenders,
utterly worn out, slept as if drugged by
opium. But little after midnight the
quick ears Of the two veteran officers
the only watchers in the whole garrison,
except the sentries hemselves-caught
faint stirring in the surrounding thickets,
which seemed to argue some movement
on the part of the enemy.
Listening intently for few moments,
they felt certain that they were right,
and lost no time in arousing their men.
The scanty store of food were opened
once more, ond, crouching together in
the darkness, the doomed men took what
they fully believed to be their last meal
on earth.
They're coming" said Maj. Arm
strong. straining his eyes into the gloom
through loop-hole. II hear them
creeping forward, though l can't SEQ
| them"
What the deuce was that?" ex.
claimed the Colonel, suddenly. 1t
looked like a frey arrow flying past"
"It's worse than that, t" said the Major,
in low voice. 'The rascals are shoot
ing lighted chips of bamboo on to the
roof to set it on fire. Send the women
up with buckets to food the thatch;
there's not moment to lose."
"I'll go and see to it myself?" cried
Mrs. Currie, Fastening out of the room.
But the power of this new weapon had
already become fatally manifest. The
house was an old one, and dry as tinder
from the prolonged heat, and as fast as
the flames were quenched in one place
they broke out in another.
When lay dawned the fire had already
| got firm hold of one corner OF the build
| ing, and a crushing discharge was poured
upon all who attempted to extinguish 1T,
| while the triumphant yell of the human
tigers below told them that they feltsure
of their prey.
''It's all over with us, old fellow, said
the Colonel, grasping the old comrades
hand; "but at least we shall have done
our duty"
"Give me one of your pistols" whis-
pered Mrs. Currie to her husband, in
voice that was not her own. II must
not fall into their hands alive"
At that moment Maj. Armstrong was
seen to start and bend forward, as if lis
tening intently; for he thought-al-
though he could scarcely believe his
ars-that he had suddenly caught
faint sound Of distant firing.
In another instant he heard it again,
and this time there could be no more
doubt, for several of the others lad
caught it likewise, and gleam of hope
once more lighted up their haggard faces
and bloodshot eyes.
Louder and nearer came the welcome
sound, while the sudden terror and con-
fusion visible among the enemy showed
that they, too, were at no loss to guess
its meaning.
Then high above oil the din rose the
well-known "hurrahp and through the
smoke-clouds broke charging line OF
glittering bayonets and ruddy English
faces, sweeping away the cowardly MUIR
derers as the sun chases the morning
mist
"That boys worth his weight in gold,
said Col. Annesley, as few hours later,
he listened to Ismail's account of how he
had dived under the boat and kept it be-
tween himself and the Sepoys, that they
might think him drowned. Hes the
pluckiest little fellow I've seen, and