strong desire
to see the fighting, but his principal motive in asking to be
allowed to accompany Stanley was that, although greatly impressed
with what he had seen of the drill and discipline of the white and
native regiments, he could not shake off his faith in the
Invulnerables; and had a conviction that the pagoda would be
captured, and therefore wished to be at hand, to bring up Stanley's
horse at the critical moment, and to aid him to escape from the
assailants.

Fires were burning, as usual, at several points on the terrace. Two
companies were under arms, and were standing well back from the
edge of the platform, so as to be out of sight of those in the
forest. The rest of the men were sitting round the fires. Their
muskets were piled in lines hard by.

When he alighted, the general proceeded to the battery.

"Have you everything in readiness, Major?" he asked the officer in
command.

"Yes, sir. The guns are all loaded with grape and, as it will be
very dark when the moon has set, I have pegged a white tape along,
just under each gun; so that they can be trained upon the causeway,
however dark it may be."

"That is a very good idea," the general said. "There is nothing
more difficult than laying guns accurately in the dark."

The colonel now arrived, a soldier having brought the news to him,
as soon as the general reached the platform.

"I see that you are well prepared to give them a hot reception,
Colonel."

"I hope so, sir. I have a strong patrol out beyond the causeway. My
orders are that they are to resist strongly, for a minute or two,
so as to give us time to have the whole of our force in readiness
here. Then they are to retreat at the double to the foot of the
hill; and then to open fire again, so that we may know that they
are out of the way, and that we can begin when we like. We have
been making some port fires this afternoon, and I have a dozen men
halfway down the hill and, directly the outposts are safely across,
they are to light the port fires, which will enable us to take aim.
These white tapes will be guide enough for the artillery; but my
men would make very poor shooting, if they could not make out the
muzzles of their guns. Anyhow, I don't think that it is likely that
the enemy will get across the causeway, however numerous they may
be."

"I don't think they will, Colonel. Certainly, so far, they have
shown themselves contemptible in attack; and have never made a
successful st