o talking, no noise, no firing, bayonet only. As if nothing
unusual was occurring, the bugle from the fort sounded the last
post.

At the start the pace was for some time good but, after passing
Prempeh's palace, the road became a tortuous track and, at every
yard, the tall grass became thicker and, here and there, a fallen
tree lay across the path. The dead silence that prevailed rendered
every one nervous. At last they came in sight of the great cotton
tree. Here all halted, and crouched down.

Two leading companies formed up and were awaiting orders when,
suddenly, two signal guns were fired and, instantly, the line of
timbers was lit up by a glare of fire, and a crashing volley of
slugs was poured in. Lieutenant Greer, who was in front of the
column, fell, seriously wounded. Then, with a shout of rage that
almost drowned the order, "Charge!" they leapt to their feet and
dashed forward.

Nothing could stop the impetuous charge and, when they reached the
stockade, they scaled it and poured headlong over it. In front of
them was the war camp, through which ran a road, now crowded with
the panic-stricken defenders. As the enemy ran from their huts,
they were cut down in numbers with swords and bayonets. The din was
tremendous; yells, shouts, and groans rent the air. The path was
strewn with corpses.

The headlong race continued. Three villages had been passed, but
there was a fort behind. This also was carried. Then there was a
halt, on account of the exhaustion caused by the speed with which
all had run. There was no fear that the panic-stricken foe would
rally; but there was the possibility of a counter attack, by the
Ashantis from the war camp to the left; for it was not known that
the panic had spread to these, also, and that they too had fled in
disorder, never to return.

The four camps were burnt, one after another; the stockades pulled
down; and the force, still half mad with the excitement of the
fight, marched back to the fort. The number of casualties was very
small. Hardly one, indeed, had taken place, except those caused by
the first volley of the enemy.

In one of the houses they entered, a child was found asleep. It had
been left behind, and had not been aroused by the noise. Terrified
as it awoke, it clung to a white man for protection, and was taken
by him to a place of safety.

The force reached camp at eleven o'clock, having accomplished their
work with a success altogether beyond expectati