Part 39 (1/2)

The Doctor lay looking along his rifle. Presently he fired, and as if it had been the signal five cannon boomed out almost at the same moment, the other being fired a quarter of a minute later. Three of the shot struck the house below the parapet, the others went overhead.

”I hit my man,” the Doctor said, as he thrust another rifle through the loophole. ”Now, we will see if we can keep them from loading.”

Simultaneously with the roar of the cannon a rattle of musketry broke out on three sides of the house, and a hail of bullets whistled over the heads of the defenders, who opened a steady fire at the embrasures of the guns. These had been run in, and the natives could be seen loading them. The Major examined the work through a pair of field gla.s.ses.

”You are doing well,” he said presently; ”I have seen several of them fall, and there is a lot of confusion among them; they will soon get tired of that game.”

Slowly and irregularly the guns were run out again, and the fire of the defenders was redoubled to prevent them from taking aim. Only one shot hit the house this time, the others all going overhead. The fire of the enemy became slower and more irregular, and at the end of an hour ceased almost entirely.

”Doctor,” the Major said, ”I will get you and Farquharson to turn your attention to some fellows there are in that high tree over there. They command us completely, and many of their bullets have struck on the terrace behind us. It would not be safe to move across to the stairs now. I think we have pretty well silenced the battery for the present.

Here are my gla.s.ses. With them you can easily make out the fellows among the leaves.”

”I see them,” the Doctor said, handing the gla.s.ses to Farquharson; ”we will soon get them out of that. Now, Farquharson, you take that fellow out on the lower branch to the right; I will take the one close to the trunk on the same branch.”

Laying their rifles on the upper row of sandbags, the two men took a steady aim. They fired almost together, and two bodies were seen to fall from the tree.

”Well shot!” the Major exclaimed. ”There are something like a dozen of them up there; but they will soon clear out if you keep that up.”

”They are not more than two hundred yards away,” the Doctor said, ”and firing from a rest we certainly ought not to miss them at that distance.

Give me the gla.s.ses again.”

A similar success attended the next two shots, and then a number of figures were seen hastily climbing down.

”Give them a volley, gentlemen,” the Major said.

A dozen guns were fired, and three more men dropped, and an angry yell from the natives answered the shout of triumph from the garrison.

”Will you go down, Mr. Hunter, and tell the ladies that we have silenced the guns for the present, and that no one has received a scratch? Now, let us see what damage their b.a.l.l.s have effected.”

This was found to be trifling. The stonework of the house was strong, and the guns were light. The stonework of one of the windows was broken, and two or three stones in the wall cracked. One ball had entered a window, torn its way through two inner walls, and lay against the back wall.

”It is a four pound ball,” the Major said, taking it up. ”I fancy the guns are seven pounders. They have evidently no b.a.l.l.s to fit, which accounts for the badness of their firing and the little damage they did; with so much windage the b.a.l.l.s can have had but small velocity. Well, that is a satisfactory beginning, gentlemen; they will take a long time to knock the place about our ears at this rate. Now we will see if we cannot clear them out of the gardens. Captain Doolan, will you take the gla.s.ses and watch the battery; if you see any movement about the guns, the fire will be reopened at once; until then all will devote their attention to those fellows among the bushes; it is important to teach them that they are not safe there, for a chance ball might come in between the sandbags. Each of you pick out a particular bush, and watch it till you see the exact position in which anyone firing from it must be in, and then try to silence him. Don't throw away a shot if you can help it. We have a good stock of ammunition, but it is as well not to waste it. I will leave you in command at present, Doolan.”

Major Hannay then went down to the storeroom.

”I have come to relieve you from your confinement, ladies,” he said. ”I am glad to say that we find their b.a.l.l.s will not penetrate the walls of the house alone, and there is therefore no fear whatever of their pa.s.sing through them and the garden wall together; therefore, as long as the wall is intact, there is no reason whatever why you should not remain on the floor above.”

There was a general exclamation of pleasure.

”That will be vastly better, uncle,” Isobel said; ”it is hateful being hidden away down here when we have nothing to do but to listen to the firing; we don't see why some of us should not go up on the terrace to load the rifles for you.”

”Not at present, Isobel; we are not pressed yet. When it comes to a real attack it will be time to consider about that. I don't think any of us would shoot straighter if there were women right up among us in danger.”

”I don't at all see why it should be worse our being in danger than for you men, Major,” Mrs. Doolan said; ”we have just as much at stake, and more; and I warn you I shall organize a female mutiny if we are not allowed to help.”

The Major laughed.

”Well, Mrs. Doolan, I shall have to convert this storeroom into a prison, and all who defy my authority will be immured here, so now you know the consequence of disobedience.”

”And has no one been hurt with all that firing, Major Hannay?” Mary Hunter asked.