aid. "I
am glad to say that we find their balls will not penetrate the walls
of the house alone, and there is therefore no fear whatever of their
passing through them and the garden wall together; therefore, as long
as the wall is intact, there is no reason whatever why you should not
remain on the floor above."

There was a general exclamation of pleasure.

"That will be vastly better, uncle," Isobel said; "it is hateful being
hidden away down here when we have nothing to do but to listen to the
firing; we don't see why some of us should not go up on the terrace to
load the rifles for you."

"Not at present, Isobel; we are not pressed yet. When it comes to a real
attack it will be time to consider about that. I don't think any of us
would shoot straighter if there were women right up among us in danger."

"I don't at all see why it should be worse our being in danger than for
you men, Major," Mrs. Doolan said; "we have just as much at stake, and
more; and I warn you I shall organize a female mutiny if we are not
allowed to help."

The Major laughed.

"Well, Mrs. Doolan, I shall have to convert this storeroom into a
prison, and all who defy my authority will be immured here, so now you
know the consequence of disobedience."

"And has no one been hurt with all that firing, Major Hannay?" Mary
Hunter asked.

"A good many people have been hurt, Miss Hunter, but no one on our side.
I fancy we must have made it very hot for those at the guns, and the
Doctor and Mr. Farquharson have been teaching them not to climb trees.
At present that firing you hear is against those who are hiding in the
gardens."

An hour later the firing ceased altogether, the natives finding the fire
of the defenders so deadly that they no longer dared, by discharging a
rifle, to show where they were hiding. They had drawn off from the more
distant clumps and bushes, but dared not try and crawl from those nearer
the house until after nightfall.

The next morning it was found that during the night the enemy had closed
up their embrasures, leaving only openings sufficiently large for the
muzzles of the guns to be thrust through, and soon after daybreak they
renewed their fire. The Doctor and Mr. Farquharson alone remained on
the roof, and throughout the day they kept up a steady fire at these
openings whenever the guns were withdrawn. Several of the sandbags were
knocked off the parapet during the course of the day, and a few shot
found thei