oor beast!" exclaimed Jack with a shudder. "I will put it out of its
agony. They will not hear my Mauser from such a distance."

Stepping up to the wounded animal, he placed his pistol close against
its chest and pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through its heart
and killed the suffering animal instantly.

"Now for the stones!" he said quietly. "I'll lever them up, and then
help you to put them in position. Hurry up! I see those fellows are
getting the other gun into place, and preparing to fire it."

Jack took a hasty view through one of the loopholes with his glasses,
and then proceeded to prise up the slabs from the kitchen floor. Five
minutes sufficed to complete the work, and just as they were preparing
to descend into the bomb-proof chamber once more, a loud and incessant
rat, tat, tat sounded in the distance, followed an instant later by a
continuous hum overhead, and then, as the range was found, by a stream
of one-pounder shells which hurtled through the farmhouse, smashing
walls, chairs, and everything in their way into matchwood.

"Come down, lads!" cried Frank Russel anxiously. "That's a quick-firing
Vickers-Maxim barking. They'll give us a long dose of that while the
mounted men ride closer, and then there'll be a rush. Get your guns
ready, and immediately the firing ceases climb out of this and man the
walls. I expect they'll come mostly from the front, for they don't know
of this cellar, and will fancy we are all wiped out. Well, we'll teach
them something, that's all."

"Then it is agreed we hold our fire till they are within a few yards of
the railings," said Jack. "A volley to start with will be the thing,
and then when they reach the garden we will use our magazines."

"That's it, lad!" Frank Russel answered. "We all understand, and we'll
hold our fire till you give the word. George! they are pouring it in
this time!"

There was good cause for this last remark, for above their heads there
was a perfect pandemonium, in which the loud rip, rip, and scream of a
flow of shells predominated, while now and again a dull, heavy thud, as
one struck the slabs above, caused all to start nervously.

But they were well protected, and although the position was not exactly
pleasant, or devoid of danger, they bore the bombardment with a serenity
which was wonderful. At any moment one of the iron missiles might find
its way into the cellar, and deal a sudden and awful death to all.
Indeed