ws, a hot fire answered the incessant fusillade of
the Spaniards. The French and English officers were obliged,
constantly, to impress upon the men that they must husband their
ammunition; as there was no saying how long they might be besieged
before a detachment, strong enough to turn the scale, arrived.

"Maintain a fire heavy enough to make them keep at it. Their
ammunition is likely to run short as soon as ours, and there is not
much chance of their being able to replenish it. But don't fire at
random. Let every bullet tell. Take a steady aim at the windows
through which they are firing."

Late in the afternoon the fire of the guerillas slackened a good
deal, and it was evident that their leaders were enjoining them not
to waste their ammunition. As it became dark, the officers gathered
again in the body of the church. The total loss had risen to
thirty-two killed and fifty wounded, the English casualties being
about a third of the whole.

"It is a heavy loss," the major said, "and I have noticed that, as
the fire slackened, the proportion of men hit has been larger. I
suppose that they are only keeping their best shots at work."

"I should fancy," Terence said, "that if we were to make a sortie,
we could scatter them altogether. As soon as it is dark we might
get out by that sacristy door at the rear. They gave up the attack
on that side some time ago, as they could not get any shelter; and
when they found that was so, they betook themselves to houses where
they were better covered. If we were to go out noiselessly and
sweep round the village; so as to fall upon it in two bodies, one
at each end; they will take us for a body of troops just arrived.
Even if they do hear us, as we go out, we can go straight at them;
and should, I have no doubt, be able to clear the place with a
rush.

"The only thing is, major, I should be glad if your soldiers would
take off their coatees, too, so that there would be nothing to
distinguish our men from yours. What do you think?"

"I think that it will be much the best plan," Captain Travers said.
"In the first place, it is probable that they will try to burn us
out, tonight; and we could not hope to prevent their piling faggots
against the doors, in the dark. For that reason, alone, I think
that it will be much better to attack them than wait for them to
attack us.

"We need only leave some twenty of the less seriously wounded men
to guard the place. When we sally out, the