st from their shelter and rushed forward.
The defenders also sprang to their feet, and their rifles flashed
out with a stream of fire. But the vacancies thus caused in the
enemy's ranks were immediately filled.

"Now with your bayonets," the sergeant shouted. "Keep in a close
body, and do you two wounded men cover us with a constant fire."

Then, with a cheer, the six men and the sergeant rushed forward.
Much as the Afridis feared the bayonet, confident in their strength
they withstood the charge. They had, fortunately, emptied their
rifles before rushing forward but, drawing their knives, they
fought fiercely. These, however, were no match for the bayonets
and, consequently, they suffered heavily.

Three of the Pioneers received severe gashes. The group were
brought to a standstill, and they stood in a little circle while
the attack continued. One sepoy was stabbed to the heart by a
fanatic, who rushed at his bayonet and, pushing himself along, fell
dead as he struck his fatal blow.

Things were looking very bad. Scarce one had escaped without a
wound, and the sergeant had dropped, bleeding profusely; when, to
their delight, a volley burst from within fifty yards of them and,
in an instant, their assailants turned and bolted.

After the sergeant had dropped, Lisle had somehow taken his place,
cheering the men on and lending his aid to those most severely
pressed. Once or twice he managed, after despatching an assailant,
to slip a couple of cartridges into his rifle, and so added to the
execution. Indeed, it was in no small account due to his exertions,
after the sergeant fell, that the resistance was maintained.

A minute later, the active little Ghoorkhas rushed forward; and
those who first arrived passed the little knot of defenders with a
cheer, and set off in pursuit of the enemy. Presently, however, one
of their officers came up.

"You have had a stiff fight, lads," he said, "and by the look of
the ground round about, you must have defended yourselves
gallantly; for there are a dozen dead bodies lying near you, and I
can see many more, a little way up the hill. What have been your
losses?"

The sergeant raised himself on his elbow.

"We had two killed, as we came down," he said, "and two others
wounded. I believe one has fallen here, and I think most of us are
wounded with knife thrusts."

"Well, you have done splendidly, sergeant. I will detach men to
help to carry you and the wounded men down to th