f
danger in the walls claimed more vigorous attention. Onward hopped and
crawled the enemy and stormed the fire. The leading files were roasted
alive, those following tumbled over their dead bodies into the flames.
Had the rest wished to take warning by the fate of their comrades--which
they did not--they would have found it impossible to escape, for those
behind pushed them on. The fire was filled with the dead, overwhelmed
by the dying, fairly put out by both, and the victorious army marched
over in triumph. Then the outhouse met them, but they scorned to turn
aside, although there was a four foot wall, which one might have
supposed more practicable. They walked straight up the outhouse and
over it, and were triumphantly descending the other side in myriads
before they were discovered and met, with shrieks of vengeance, by Mrs
Marais.

"It's of no use, lads," gasped old Marais, pausing for a moment to
recover breath; "the place is doomed."

"Don't say so, father," cried Hans.--"Come on, boys! we've nearly
stopped them at this gate."

Nearly,--but not quite! A few minutes later and the strength of the
garrison began to fail.

"How long--has this--lasted?" asked Considine, pausing for a moment
beside Bertha, and panting violently.

"Since--breakfast," gasped the exhausted girl; "we--dis--covered them--
just after you--left us.--See! they come!"

"Hallo! this way, Hans! bring the flags!" shouted Considine, observing
the tremendous body of reserves which were following up the success of
the stormers of the fire.

It is a curious fact that the waving of flags had been found of more
avail on that occasion than most other means. The beating of the enemy
with bushes and blankets was no doubt very effective, but it killed,
scattered, and confused them, so that they pressed, as it were blindly,
on their fate, whereas the flag-waving appeared to touch a cord of
intelligence. They saw it, were obviously affected though not killed by
it, and showed a tendency to turn aside. It was however only a
tendency; soon the advance was resumed in force. The human giants were
beaten--fairly overwhelmed. The wall was scaled and the garden finally
entered by countless myriads of this truly formidable though
individually contemptible enemy.

Thus are the strong at times confounded by things that are weak!

Had these been flying instead of pedestrian locusts they might, perhaps,
have been turned aside by fires, for this is