ion drawn to the fact that a large party of
Malays were bringing bundles of wood, branches of trees, and handfuls of
resin, which they were piling up against the barricaded door.

This he well knew meant fire, and the question arose how it was to be
stopped.

"They must never be allowed to light it, my lads, as our lives and those
of the ladies would not be worth five minutes' purchase. Cease firing
on this side, and reserve your cartridges for any who come to fire the
pile."

The men responded with a grim smile, and stood waiting for the party
whose duty it would be to try and burn them out; and in this time of
mortal peril, when danger of so great a kind stared them in the face,
the men stood patiently awaiting their fate, seeming the while to repose
the greatest confidence in their captain, and standing ready to obey his
orders to the last.

It was a splendid example of what discipline and confidence could
effect. The men felt that if their lives were to be saved, it would be
through carefully carrying out the wishes of their officers, and hence
no murmur was heard, each man's face wearing a grim look of
determination, that seemed to be intensified as Sergeant Lund came round
laden with cartridges, a packet of which he handed to each in turn.

"Some sergeants," he said, as he finished his task and stood rifle in
hand by the group whose duty it was to shoot down the bearers of the
dammar-torches that they felt sure would be used, "some sergeants would,
I dare say, be shaking hands with all their mates at a time like this,
and looking at things as all over; but I don't, my lads, for I've a sort
of faith in our luck turning up shiny side outwards; so cheer up, all of
you."

"All right, sergeant," was the reply.

"I wouldn't trust too much to luck though, my lads," he continued, "but
I'd squint straight along the barrel of my rifle when I fired. You may
be very sorry for the Malay chap you shoot at, but I'd shoot him first
and be very sorry afterwards."

"Right, sergeant," said Private Sim, who had been fighting very manfully
all day; "they needn't come and be a-trying to burn us out unless they
like, need they?"

"No, Sim," replied the sergeant; "but they will, and it strikes me that
they'll be come before long, too. Isn't that smoke in amongst those
bushes there?"

"Smoke it is," said one of the men, excitedly.

"Don't jump about like that, my lad, but keep cool, or you'll be wasting
your cartridges,