ff now, and give up the attempt for a little
time at least. True, there were five more charges in his gun, and only
four of the Uhlans, so that it seemed as though he might be equal to the
task of holding them in check, but one victim was enough to satisfy him.
"They're going to try it again, Rod!" cried Josh, shrilly.
He was trembling violently with the excitement, and his face had taken
on the look of one wrought up to the fighting pitch. To tell the truth,
Josh had but a single regret just then, which was that he did not
possess the mate of the weapon his chum gripped in his hand.
"And I'd never have bothered just peppering 'em in their legs, either,"
he afterwards affirmed, when talking matters over with Hanky Panky;
"they were meaning to get us, and if the shoe happened to be on the
other foot who would be to blame?"
When Rod saw that the four men once more picked up the heavy ladder and
started to swing it forward he realized that it was up to him to try
again. By gradually reducing the number of their foes he must in the end
check their drive.
So he coolly picked out the next victim. As before, it had to be one of
those in front, so as to bring confusion to the charge, as the rest were
bound to trip over him should he fall.
All this while there arose from different quarters loud outcries and
shouts of laughter from the spoilers, filled with the mad desire to
inflict a reign of terror and frightfulness upon the natives. Shots were
also heard at intervals, women screamed, children shrieked, dogs barked,
and taken in all it was a combination of sounds never to be forgotten by
those who happened to be in the little French village.
Well, Rod was just as successful with that second shot of his as he had
been on the former occasion. With the report of his weapon he could see
the man start, and give every evidence of being hard hit. He managed to
keep from falling, however, being sustained by his grip on the ladder,
as well as the impetus of his companions' advance.
It might have altered things somewhat had Rod been given an opportunity
to discharge a third shot, this time selecting the other fellow in the
van; but before he could really grasp the immensity of this idea it was
too late.
The heavy ladder struck the already weakened door, and such was the
force with which it was hurled forward that it tore the latter from its
hinges and sent it to the floor, the end of the ladder projecting
several feet
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