ed with loss, but the column suffered severely
from the fire on the heights.

"We must stop here," the officer in command said, "or we shall not
get the baggage through before nightfall; and then they would have
us pretty well at their mercy. The Punjabis must go up and clear
the enemy off the hill, till the baggage has got through."

The Punjabis were soon gathered and, led by an English officer,
they advanced up the hill at a running pace, until they came to a
point so precipitous that they were sheltered from the enemy's
fire. Here they were halted for a couple of minutes to gain breath,
and then the order was given to climb the precipitous hill, which
was some seventy feet high.

It was desperate work, for there were points so steep that the men
were obliged to help each other up. Happily they were in shelter
until they got to within twenty feet of its summit, the intervening
distance being a steep slope. At this point they waited until the
whole party had come up; and then, with a cheer, dashed up the
slope.

The effect was instantaneous. The enemy, though outnumbering them
by five to one, could not for a moment withstand the line of
glittering bayonets; and fled precipitately, receiving volley after
volley from the Pioneers. As the situation was commanded by still
higher slopes, the men were at once ordered to form a breastwork,
from the stones that were lying about thickly. After a quarter of
an hour's severe work, this was raised to a height of three feet,
which was sufficient to enable the men to lie down in safety.

By the time the work was done, the enemy were again firing heavily,
at a distance of four hundred yards, their bullets pattering
against the stones. The Punjabis, however, did not return the fire
but, turning round, directed their attention to the enemy on the
other side of the valley, who were also in considerable force.

Illustration: He carefully aimed and fired.

"Here!" the officer said to Lisle, "do you think you can pick off
that fellow in the white burnoose? He is evidently an important
leader, and it is through his efforts that the enemy continues to
make such fierce attacks."

"I will try, sir," Lisle replied in Punjabi; "but I take it that
the range must be from nine hundred to a thousand yards, which is a
long distance for a shot at a single man."

Lying down at full length, he carefully aimed and fired. The
officer was watching through his field glass.

"That was a good s