as quiet, the people in the native
houses there having gone round to the front, to watch what was
doing. Harry stood there for a few minutes, watching the men at
work, and saw with satisfaction their heavy tulwars rapidly cutting
through the soft wall. He told them that, when they had finished,
four of them were to remain to guard the hole, in case any might
try to force their way in; and the rest were to return, to aid
their comrades at the gate.

He had no great fear that the attempt would be made to enter in
that direction, for the windows in the back of the house were, like
those in front, large; and anyone attempting to climb the walls and
enter the garden would be liable to be shot down from the windows,
as they could not be covered, as were those on the other side, by a
fire kept up from the houses outside. The entrance into the garden
from the house was made by a small door, at the bottom of a
staircase leading from what had been the zenana, for the gardens
were always considered the special domain of the ladies. There was
another small door for the servants' offices, used by the men who,
early in the morning, went in to keep the garden in order.

When Harry rejoined the party in front, he found that the gates
were yielding. The lower portion had been almost chopped away; but
here the wall of stones prevented an entrance, and the men with
their axes could scarcely reach to touch the upper half. Presently,
however, the hinges of the upper end of one of the half doors
yielded to the weight. A great shout arose from the mob; and the
musketry, hitherto directed against the windows, was now
concentrated on the opening.

But it was no longer one sided. The troopers, glad that the time
for inaction had passed, returned the fire with vigour. They had
shifted the upper line of stones, so that there was room between
each for a musket barrel and, lying in shelter, they were enabled
to take deliberate aim at their assailants. At every shot a man
dropped, and the crowd opened speedily, and cleared away from the
line of fire.

There was a pause of some minutes, and then a strong party of
soldiers rushed forward, and began to try to pull down the barrier;
a number of others opening fire over their heads, so as to prevent
the defenders from standing up to fire down into them. It was
evident that, ere long, a slope would be formed outside by which an
assault could be made.

That his men would for some time repel any atta