Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-03-27

/ ana tCllHL thCm Il was our dong.
At that moment an eXultant yell from
/ the enemy came pGaling through the still
air
"That's the story of our being short of
water, Tor guinca!" said the major. Ill
was very good idea OF his. II it only
delays their attack two days longer there
! may be time for help TO arrive yet
Slowly and YEARLY the long hours Of
that fearful day wore on. The heat was
so terrific that even the native soldiers of
the garrison could barely hold their own
against it, and the handful of IN gishmen
were almost helpless Had the Scpoys
attacked them then, all would have been
over AT oac blow; but hour passed after
hour. and there was no Sign of AN as
sault.
At length as afternoon gave place to
evening. II movement began to show itself
in the eHcmys lines. Their curls of smoke
rising above the trees, showed that the
/ evening meal was in preparation, and sew
eral figures, with pitchers in their hands,
were seen going toward the river. among
/ whom the coloncls keen eyes soon de.
tectcd Ismnil
-By George" cried the old soldier slap.
/ ping his knee exulting'y that lads
worth his weight in gold There's his
way down TO the river right open to him
without the least chance OF suspicion
! W Ivy he Il born general nothing less
Livery eye within the walls was now
turned anXiouslF upon the distant group
/ fearing to see at any moment some move
mcnt which would show that the trick
was detected How did Isnai mean to
accomplish his purpose? Would he
/ plunge bodily into the river without any
| disguise or had he some further stratagcm
/ in preparation? No one could say. sud
} al. Loo, t,lt. 10
| light wooden diprcr into the water it
slipped from his hands and went floating
away down stream. \ cry of dsmay,
/ loud laugh from the Sep Us, and then the
boy wa, seen running irantcally along
bank tryinI N vain to clutch the vessel rs
it lloatcd past
"M hat on earth is he up to-" gruntcd
the colonel, completely my stilicd.
q" see" cried Mai Armstrong trium.
/ phantly; there Il boat yondcr among
the reeds, and hes making right for it,
ell done, my brave boy
But ut that moment IA yell Of rage from
( the Scpols told that the trick wa, discov-
cred. Luckily those ON the bank had left
their pieces behind. or poor lslnail would
soon have beer disposed OF; but the
alarm instantly brought up crowd OF
/ their armed comrades, whose bullets felt
Like hail around the boat and its gallant
little pilot
ret us fire vollcy and make a show
Of sullyinG out, said the colonel. lit Ii
take their attcution from min.
But in Til, he was mistakcn. The first
rattle OF muskclry did indeed recall most
/ of lsmail aSsailants but at least Il dozen
were let who kept up an unceasin. firing,
striking the boat again and again. All at
once the colonel dashed his glass to the
7 tlDpr N'it "a fri trl,t fIl oath u,
gusts of smoke ne had seen the boat turn
suddenly over and 90 whirling away
/ down The dark river, keel upward.
"Thcrc an end of the poor lad, NUT
tered the veteran, hrokculy. God bless
him for brave little fellow .lnd now,
old friend, We must just die hard, for
there's no hope left
The first lew hours of III ni.ht passed
quietly, and the exhausted dc. cudrrS, ut
tcrly worn out Slept lis if druyg,d with
opium. huI little after midnight. the
. quick ears Of the two veteran OilIcCrS-thG
only watchers in the whole garrison. cY.
Cept thc scntries themselves caught u
faint stirring in the surrounding thlcNCts,
which seemed to ARGUE some movement on
the part OF the enemy. istcning in
. tCntlv for It few moments. they felt Ger.
tain that they were right, and lost no time
in awakening Their men, The ,canty
stores OF food were opened once more,
and crouching together III the darkness,
the doomed men took what they iuliy be
lieNCd to be their last meal on earth.
They re coming, said Ma Armstrong.
strauing his eyes into the gloom Though
loui hole. - hear them creeping for
ward though can yet see them
Nv hat thc deuce was that" exclaimed
the ,oIoucl, suddenly lit looked ike a
I fiery arrow nNinr past
Its worse than that, said the ma Tor
III n low voice The rasCalS arc shooting
lighted chips of bamboo on the roof 70
set it on ire. send the women up with
buckets to food tie thatch-there not "a
moment TO lOse!"
"l'll go and see to it myself. cried Mrs
Curric Fastening out OF the room.
But the power of this new weapon had
already become fatally manifest. The
house was an old one, dry as finder
from the prolonged heat. and as fast as
the flames were qucuchcd in Que place
they broke out in another. When day
dawncd the fire had already got firm
hold Oh one corner Of the building and a
crushing discharge was poarcd upon all
who attempted to eXtingu,sh it, while the
! triumphat wells of the human tigers lie
low told that they felt sure of their prey.
"ltS all over with us. old fellow said
the colonel, SraSplng ms old comrades
! hand, but AT least, We shall have done
our duty.
Give me one OF your pistols" wills.
percd Mrs turric to her husband, in a
voice that was not her own. " must not
fall into their hands alive.
At that moment Aai. Armstrong was
seen to start and bend forward, as ii
listening intcntly, for he thoughl-al-
though he could scarcely believe his cars
that he had suddenly caught Il faint
sound OF distant firing In another instant
he heard it again and This time there
could be 10 doubt. for several Of The
Others had caught it likewise, and Il
CLEAN oI hope once more li-htcd
up their hag ard uccs and blood
shot eyes. Louder and nearer came The
welcome sound. while Ia. sudden terror
and confusion visible among the enemy
showed that they, too were at no loss 10
guess il, meaning. Thea higl above the
din rose tine Wcii-kuDWI "liuWah.' and