But as the smoke lifted, to my great delight I saw the sowars all in
confusion, and cantering away, while the little line of infantry was
doubling back towards their supporting line, through which they passed,
and formed up again nearer to us.

There was another yelling, and a fresh body of sowars came tearing down
the road, but only to be sent to the rightabout in the same way, for the
volley they received emptied several saddles, and they dared not face
the double line of bayonets, but turned and cantered back.

Then the same evolution was gone through again by the line of foot, and
this was repeated twice with the effect of drawing in the straggling
force, till the foot regiment was condensed, and our position
strengthened.

"I don't think much of their charging," I said to Brace. "Why, our men
wouldn't have turned back like that. We should have gone through them,
guns and all."

Brace smiled, as we stood close beside a couple of our pieces, all there
was room for in that narrow road, waiting for an opportunity to bring
them into action, which, so far, we had been unable to do for fear of
injuring our own men. Two of our guns were planted further back, facing
in the other direction, in case of an attack in our rear, while, right
and left, the men of the foot regiment held the houses which lined the
road.

For a few minutes after the repulse of the last charge by the sowars,
the enemy made no sign, and a quick consultation was held between the
colonel of the foot regiment and Brace, in which it was decided to
advance at once further into the town to where we had made our
head-quarters, and where our provisions and ammunition were stored, so
as to occupy that much stronger position, in case the enemy was in
force, as only a small guard had been left. For that was a good central
position selected for its opportunities for defence, and an advance was
made at once.

We only had about a quarter of a mile to go, and as the men sent in
front were about half-way along the road toward where we should have to
turn off at right angles, we suddenly became aware of the advance of a
stronger body of cavalry, and this time the guns were brought into
action, a couple of shots checking their advance, and giving us time to
reach the open square, and the large buildings which we had occupied for
quarters in conjunction with the foot regiment.

The men left as baggage-guard over the stores and elephants gave a loud
cheer as