ed their discomfiture. Appalled by a discharge against which
they had no shelter and which was wholly unexpected, those near whom the
stones had fallen turned, and in their panic swept those below them on
the road down into the valley, many being overthrown and trampled to
death. Ignorant of what was going on behind them, the crowd above the
spot where the stones had fallen were still pressing upward, those in
front hewing with their scythes and axes at the pikeheads.

Hector ran back there. "The two rear ranks will now fire!" he said.

The men dropped their pikes, and two volleys of musketry were poured
into the insurgents. Those of the front line were swept away by the
fire, and for a moment the whole recoiled.

"Now, men," Hector shouted, "cross the breastwork and sweep them away
with your pikes!"

With a cheer the men leapt over the embankment. There was room for ten
abreast, and in a treble line with levelled spears they bore down upon
the rebels. The charge was irresistible. A few of the leaders of the
peasants threw themselves on to the spears and died there, the others
strove, but in vain, to fly. Their comrades behind, ignorant of what was
going on, still pressed up, and it was not until the screams and shouts
of those in front, and the pressure downwards, brought the column to a
stand and then bore it backward, that they learned that the defenders
had taken the offensive, and were sweeping all before them. Then a panic
arose, and the peasants rushed down the road, the tenants above saluting
them as they passed with another volley of rocks. Halfway down the hill
Hector halted his men, and led them up to the intrenchment again over a
road encumbered with dead bodies.

"I think that will do," he said. "After the tale those who have got
down safely will have to tell, we may be sure they will do nothing until
morning, and it may well be that they may think it advisable to be off
to attack some other place not so strongly defended. However, we will
presently beat them up, and if possible capture their cannon, and
without them they could not hope to take any fortified house well
defended."

For a time there was a prodigious din in the valley, sounds of men
shouting and quarrelling, of others trying in vain to make their voices
heard, and to address the excited peasants. In an hour it quieted
down, and by midnight all was still. Hector had been busy with his
preparations.

"How many horses have we?" he asked.