ar that
blaze away at them as fast as you can. Your twelve shots will check them
long enough to give us time to get in and fasten the door. We shall
be round the corner of the house before they can get fairly over the
breastwork. We will set to work to raise that as soon as it gets dark."

A breastwork of sandbags had already been erected behind the breach, in
case the enemy should make a sudden rush, and a couple of hours' labor
transformed this into a strong work; for the bags were already filled,
and only needed placing in position. When completed, it extended in a
horseshoe shape, some fifteen feet across, behind the gap in the wall.
For nine feet from the ground it was composed of sandbags three deep,
and a single line was then laid along the edge to serve as a parapet.

"I don't think they will get over that," the Major said, when the work
was finished. "I doubt if they will be disposed even to try when they
reach the breach."

Before beginning their work they had cleared away all the fallen
brickwork from behind the breach, and a number of bricks were laid on
the top of the sandbags to be used as missiles.

"A brick is as good as a musket ball at this distance," the Major said;
"and when our guns are empty we can take to them; there are enough spare
rifles for us to have five each, and, with those and our revolvers and
the bricks, we ought to be able to account for an army. There are some
of the servants and syces who can be trusted to load. They can stand
down behind us, and we can pass our guns down to them as we empty them."

Each man had his place on the work assigned to him. Bathurst, who had
before told the Major that when the time came for an assault to be
delivered he was determined to take his place in the breach, was placed
at one end of the horseshoe where it touched the wall.

"I don't promise to be of much use, Major," he said quietly. "I know
myself too well; but at least I can run my chance of being killed."

The Major had put Wilson next to him.

"I don't think there is much chance of their storming the work, Wilson;
but if they do, you catch hold of Bathurst's arm, and drag him away
when you hear me whistle; the chances are a hundred to one against his
hearing it, or remembering what it means if he does hear it."

"All right, Major, I will look to him."

Four men remained on guard at the breach all night, and at the first
gleam of daylight the garrison took up their posts.

"Now mind,