of
wine, they continued by degrees removing the barriers opposed to them.

"We shall have to retreat!" exclaimed Don Rebiera; "very soon they will
have torn down all. What do you think, Signor Easy?"

"Hold this as long as we can. How are we off for ammunition?"

"Plenty as yet--plenty to last for six hours, I think."

"What do you say, Mesty?"

"By holy St. Patrig--I say hold out here--they got no fire-arms--and we
ab um at arm-length."

This decision was the occasion of the first defence being held for two
hours more, an occasional relief being afforded by the retreat of the
convicts to the covered carts.

At last, it was evident that the barricade was no longer tenable, for
the heavy pieces of furniture they had heaped up to oppose entrance were
completely hammered to fragments by poles brought up by the assailants,
and used as battering-rams. The retreat was sounded; they all hastened
to the other story, where the ladies were already placed, and the
galley-slaves were soon in possession of the first floor--exasperated by
the defence, mad with wine and victory, but finding nothing.

Again was the attack made upon the second landing, but, as the stairs
were now narrower, and their defences stronger in proportion, they for a
long while gained no advantage. On the contrary, many of their men were
wounded and taken down below.

The darkness of the night prevented both parties from seeing distinctly,
which was rather in favour of the assailants. Many climbed over the
fortress of piled-up furniture, and were killed as soon as they appeared
on the other side, and, at last, the only ammunition used was against
those who made this rash attempt. For four long hours did this assault
and defence continue, until daylight came, and then the plan of assault
was altered: they again brought up the poles, hammered the pieces of
furniture into fragments, and gained ground. The defenders were worn
out with fatigue, but flinched not; they knew that their lives, and the
lives of those dearest to them, were at stake, and they never relaxed
their exertions; still the criminals, with Silvio at their head,
progressed, the distance between the parties gradually decreased, and
there was but one massive chest of drawers now defending the
landing-place, and over which there was a constant succession of blows
from long poles and cutlasses, returned with the bullets from their
pistols.

"We must now fight for our lives," exclaime