The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-09-04
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and trying in vain to clutch the vessel as it
Aoated past.
"what on earth's he up TO ?" gruhted
the colonel, completely mystifed.
al see /" cried Major Armstrong triumph
antly, "there's q boat yonder among the
reeds, and he's making right for it. Well
done, my braye boy -
But at that moment q yell Of rage from
the sepoys told that the trick was discov-
| cred.
Luckily those on the bank had left their
pieces behind, or poor Ismail would soon
have been disposed of; but the alarm in
stantly brought up crowd of their 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; 9TH take
take their attention from him."
But in this he was mistaken.
The first rattle of musketry from the be-
sieged house did indeed recall most Of Is
malls assaiants, but at least a dozen were
left who kept up an unceasing fire, striking
the boat again and again.
All at once the colonel dashed his glass
to the floor with frightful oath.
Between two gusts of smoke he had aeen
the boat turn suddenly over, and GO whirl-
ing away down the dark river, keel up.
ward
"There'a an end of the poor lad" mutter-
ed 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 with opium.
But little after midnight the quick ears of
the two veteran officers--the only watchers
in the whole garrison, except the sentres
themselves-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 stores of food were opened
once more, and, crouching together in the
darkness, the doomed men took what they
fully believed to be their last meal on earth.
"They're coming !" said Major Armstrong,
straining his eyes into the gloom through a
loophole. "1 hear them creeping forward,
though can't see them"
"What the deuce was that" exclaimed
the colonel, suddenly. at looked like a
fiery arrow flying past"
"It's worse than that" said the major in
a low voice. "The rascals are shooting light
ed chips of bamboo on the roof to set it on
fire. Send the women up with buckets to
food the thatch there's not moment TO
lose."
an go and see to If 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 onej 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 day 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 it,
while the triumphant yells of the human
tigers below told that they felt sure of their
prey
"It's all over with us old fellow" said the
colonel grasping his old comrades had "but
at least we shall have done our duty"
"Give me one Of your pistols" whispered
Mrs. Currie to her husband, in voice that
was not her own. al must not fall into
their hands alive"
At that moment Major Armstrong was
seen to start and bend forward, as if listen.
ing iutently for he thought-although he
could scarcely believe his ears-that he had
suddenly caught a fain. sound Of distant
firing.
In another instant he heard il again, and
this time there could be no more doubt, fol
several of the others had caught it likewise
and CLEAN of hope once more lighted W
their haggard faces and bloodshot eyes.
Louder and nearer came the welcome
sound, while the sudden terror and confu
sion visible among the enemy showed tina
they, too, were at no loss to guess its mean
= ing.
Then high above all the din rose the vel
known "IIurrah |" and through the smoke
clouds broke a charging line of glitterinl
bayonets and ruddy English faces, sweeping
away the cowardly murdereFs as the sur
chases the morning mist.
: "That boys worth his weight in gold,
said Colonel Annesley, as, few hours late
4 he listened to Ismails account of how h.
! had dived under the boat and kept it be
tween himself and the sepoys, that the!
I might think him drowned. "He's the pluck
t lest little fellow I've ever seen, and, altho
Y he belongs to the major, Pm going to taxi
e my share of helping him on, by Jove"
: THE DONK EY'S LAMENT.
go, when was little ass,