nd. "They can tight,
though. We must have killed hundreds, but they come on all the same.
There were thousands of them all about the hills here yesterday."

"But where are they now?" asked Bracy.

"They melted away like snow last night and this morning, just when we
were expecting an assault on the old fort yonder, which we thought would
be final."

"Final?"

"Yes; we were getting dead beat. That's what makes us all so fond of
you."

"I see," said Bracy, who noticed a hysterical vibration in the youth's
voice.

"That was the first inkling we got of your coming."

"What! Didn't you hear from our messengers?" said Roberts.

"Didn't they get through?" cried Bracy.

"Get through? No. They wouldn't let any messengers get through. Never
mind. You've all come, and if we don't have a jollification to-night my
name's something else."

"Then you're all right for provisions?"

"Oh yes, for some time to come. Ammunition was his weak point. We've
blazed away till the men's barrels have been hot."

"It seems as if the men of your regiment are beggars to fight too," said
Bracy dryly, "judging by the appearance of some of you."

"Fight? Obliged to," said the subaltern, laughing. "Talk about
practising the art of war; we ought to pass any examination. But,
joking apart, it has been an awful time for the poor women and
children."

"Ah!" cried Bracy. "You have women and children yonder?"

"Yes, any number, bless 'em! The ladies and the men's wives have worked
like slaves--hospital work, you know. As to our doctor, he'll be mad
with joy to meet yours to share the work with him. Ah! there they go."

For just then a burst of cheering came from the grim walls of the old
fort, which were lined by its occupants; and mingled with the
enthusiastic cries came the strains of music.

"You have your band, then?" said Roberts.

"Bits of it," said the subaltern dryly. "The brass instruments are
battered horribly; and as for the wood, they are all cracked and
bandaged like wounded men; while the drums are nearly all as tubby as
tom-toms, through the men having mended them with badly-cured
goat-skins. I say, though, talk about goat-skins, I ought to have added
sheep."

"Why?" said Bracy.

"Are you fellows fond of shooting?"

"Yes," said Bracy eagerly. "Is it good up here?"

"Grand, when there's a chance of the shooting being all on your side."

"The beggars try to stalk you, then, sometimes?" said Robert