" said the sergeant. "Where's the captain? He was here
just now."

"Gone round the other side," said Sim. "Here they come, sure enough.
Look; there's a dozen men with torches."

"All right, my lads," said the sergeant. "I don't see that it matters
about the captain not being here; you know your duty."

"Yes, sergeant, to shoot down those men."

"No, no, my lads; what you've got to do is to put those torches out, and
the way to do it is with the bayonet. Stand ready there to slip over
the breast-work, all of you, then a sharp run, and meet them as they
come, and then back again under cover."

As he spoke the smoke of the dammar-torches could be seen, and some ten
or twelve Malays came running across from the earth-works to set fire to
the pile.

There was not a man behind the breast-work whose breath did not come
thick and fast at the sight of the lights; for brave as they were, they
knew that once the building they defended caught fire, the dry,
sun-baked wood must flare away like so much paper; and there were women
shut in there with them, whom it was their duty to defend.

It was no wonder then that the men tightly grasped their bayonet-armed
rifles, and stood waiting for the command, that did not come. For just
as it was upon the sergeant's lips a panting noise was heard, and as
every eye was directed up the river, the masts of the steamer were seen
coming along above the trees, and for the present the little garrison
felt that they were saved.

CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

HOW ALI WENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND.

A tremor of excitement seemed to run through the attacking party; men
hurried here and there; the bearers of the dammar-torches paused
irresolute, and it was evident to the besieged that contrary orders were
being given.

It was also evident to them that the danger signal they were flying was
plainly understood upon the steamer, for the noise of the engine had not
been heard a minute before there was the heavy report of one of the
guns, and almost simultaneously the crash of a shell, which burst over
the heads of the thronging Malays, about fifty yards in front of the
fort.

No one seemed to be injured, but this dire instrument of warfare caused
a complete scare amidst the attacking party: men running in all
directions, and then seeming to go over the same ground once again, as a
second shell burst with its harsh tearing metallic-sounding crack.

Again came the report of a gun, and the shell bu