her man snatched up one of them, and flung
it across the street. It fell upon some straw that had been
thoroughly soaked by the water, and burned out there harmlessly.

It was not long before the servants began to arrive with the full
buckets and, when these also had been emptied, Terence, glancing
over, had little fear that the pile could now be lighted. The pails
were sent down again, and he waited for the next move.

The fighting had ceased at the other door. The soldiers having
drawn back from the barricade, to see the effect of the fire. Ryan
ran across the plank and rejoined Terence.

"Things are quiet there, for the present," he said. "There has not
been much harm done. When they had partly broken down the door,
they began firing through it. Bull and Macwitty kept the others
back from the line of fire, and not a pistol has been discharged
yet. Bull cut down one fellow who tried to climb over the
barricade, but otherwise no blood has been shed on either side."

Help was coming now. One of the Portuguese officers was admitted,
with twenty-four men that he had picked up. The others came in
rapidly and, within a quarter of an hour, three hundred men were
assembled. All were sober, and looked thoroughly ashamed of
themselves as they were formed up in the courtyard.

Terence went down to them. He said no word of blame.

"Now, men," he said, "you have to retrieve your characters. Half of
you will post yourselves at the windows, from the ground floor to
the top of the house. You are not to show yourselves, till you
receive orders to do so. You are not to load your guns but, as you
appear at the windows, point them down into the street. The
officers will post you, five at each window.

"The rest of you are at once to clear away the furniture in the
hall; and, when you receive the order, throw open the door and pour
out, forming across the street as you do so. Captain Ryan will be
in command of you. You are not to load, but to clear the street
with your bayonets. If any of the soldiers are too drunk to get out
of your way, knock them down with the butt end of your muskets; but
if they rush at you, use your bayonets."

He went round the house, and saw that five men were in readiness at
each window looking into the street. He ordered them to leave the
doors open.

"A pistol will be fired from the first landing," he said; "that
will be the signal, then show yourselves at once."

He waited until Ryan's party had c