rows were carefully
collected and made use of against the enemy, at whom we shot whenever
opportunity offered. We did them but little damage, however, since they
were extremely careful not to expose themselves.

In this fashion three dreary days went past, unrelieved by any incident
except a feint, for it was scarcely more, which the Abati made upon
the second night, apparently with the object of forcing the great gates
under cover of a rainstorm. The advance was discovered at once, and
repelled by two or three volleys of arrows and some rifle shots. Of
these rifles, indeed, whereof we possessed about a score, the Abati were
terribly afraid. Picking out some of the most intelligent soldiers we
taught them how to handle our spare guns, and though, of course, their
shooting was extremely erratic, the result of it, backed up by our
own more accurate marksmanship, was to force the enemy to take cover.
Indeed, after one or two experiences of the effect of bullets, not a man
would show himself in the open within five hundred yards until night had
fallen.

On the third afternoon we held a council to determine what must be done,
since for the last twenty-four hours it had been obvious that things
could not continue as they were. To begin with, we had only sufficient
food left to keep our force from starvation for two more days. Also
the spirits of our soldiers, brave men enough when actual fighting
was concerned, were beginning to flag in this atmosphere of inaction.
Gathered into groups, they talked of their wives and children, and of
what would happen to them at the hands of Joshua; also of their cattle
and crops, saying that doubtless these were being ravaged and their
houses burned. In vain did Maqueda promise them five-fold their loss
when the war was ended, for evidently in their hearts they thought it
could only end one way. Moreover, as they pointed out, she could not
give them back their children if these were killed.

At this melancholy council every possible plan was discussed, to find
that these resolved themselves into two alternatives--to surrender,
or to take the bull by the horns, sally out of the palace at night and
attack Joshua. On the face of it, this latter scheme had the appearance
of suicide, but, in fact, it was not so desperate as it seemed. The
Abati being such cowards it was quite probable that they would run in
their thousands before the onset of a few hundred determined men, and
that, if once vic