Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-08-16


would have been over at one blow, but
hour passed after hour, and there was
no sign of an assault.
At length, as afternoon gave place to
evening. movement began to show it.
self in the enemy's lines. Their curls
of smoke, rising above the trees, showed
that the evening meal was in prepara-
tion and several figures, with pitchers
in their hands, were seen going toward
the river, among whom the colonel's
keen eye soon detected Ismail.
"By George p cried the old soldier,
slapping his knee exultingly, ''that lads
worth his weight in gold There's his
way down the river right over to him,
without the least chance of suspicion +!
Why, he's born general-nothing less.'
Every eye within the walls was now
turned anxiously upon the distant group
fearing to see at any moment some
movement which would show that the
trick was detected. How did Ismail
mean to accomplish his purpose Would
he plunge boldly into the river, without
any disguise, or had he some further
strategem in preparation? No one could
say.
Suddenly. as Ismail stopped to plunge
his light wooden dipper into the water,
it slipped from his hands, and went
floating away down the stream. A cry
of dismay. loud laugh from the Sc
poys, and then the boy was seen run
ming frantically along the bank, and
trying in vain to clutch the vessel as it
Aoated past.
"What on earth is he up to % grunt-
ed the colonel, completely mysti6ed.
81 seeP' cried Major Armstrong.
triumphantly, 'there's boat yonder
among the reeds, and he's making right
for it. Well done my brave boy"
But at 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 Is
mail would soon have been disposed of !;
but the alarm instantly brought up a
crowd of their armed comrades, whose
bullets fell like hail around the boat
and its gallant little pilot.
"Let us fire volley and make a show
of sallying out" said the colonel; "it'll
take their atteLtion from him."
But in this he was mistaken.
The first rattle of musketry from the
besieged house did indeed recall most of
Ismail's assailants, but at least 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
seen the boat turn suddenly over, and
60 whirling away down the dark river,
keel upward.
There's an end of the poor lad, "
muttered 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 pass
ed quietly and the exhausted defend
ers. utterly worn out, slept as if drug
ged with opium. But little after
midnight the quick ears of the two vet
erans oficers-the only watchers in the
whole garrison, except the sentries them.
, selves-caught faint stirring in the
. surrounding thickets, which seemed te
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 waking their men
The scanty stores of food were opened
once more, and, crouching together il
the darkness, the doomed men took wha
they fully believed to be their last mea
on earth.
They're coming p said Major Arm
strong, straining his eyes into the gloon
through loophole. 81 hear then
creeping forward, though l can't Sc,
them"
"What the deuce was that % exclaim
? ed the colonel, suddenly. '.It looked
like fiery arrow flying past"
"It's worse than that" said the ma
q jor, in a low voice. "The rascals ar
8 shooting lighted chips of bamboo on t.
: the roof to set it on fire. Send th,
e women up with buckets to flood the
a thatch-there not moment to lose 7
D "l'll go and see to it myself J" crie'
: Mrs Currie, fastening out of the room
J. But the power of this new weapo
t had already become fatally manifest
e The house was an old one. and dry a
tinder from the prolonged heat, and a
- fast as the flames were quenched in on
e place they broke out in another.
l. When day dawned, the fire had al
J. ready got firm hold Of one corner q
the building. and a crushing discharg
n was poured upon all who attempted
e extinguish it. while the triumphan