se was now but some fifty yards
from the wall that surrounded the foot of the hill, and the
causeway behind was occupied by a solid mass of men. Then came the
sharp order to the artillerymen, and gun after gun poured its
charge of grape into the crowd while, at the same moment, the
infantry began to fire, by companies, in steady volleys. For an
instant the din of the assailants was silenced, then their shouts
rose again and, after a moment's hesitation, they continued their
advance.

But not for long. None but the most disciplined soldiers could have
advanced under that storm of grape and bullets and, in ten minutes,
they fled in wild confusion, leaving the causeway thickly covered
with the dead. Again and again the British cheers rose, loud and
triumphant; then the infantry were told to fall out, but the guns
continued their fire, until the fugitives were well in the forest.

Between the shots the general listened attentively, and examined
the country towards the town through his glasses.

"Everything is quiet," he said. "It is probable that, if those
fellows had carried the hill, they would have made a signal, and
there might have been a general attack. As it is, the affair is
over for the night; and the Invulnerables will have some difficulty
in accounting for their failure, and loss.

"Now, gentlemen, we may as well have up the horses, and ride back.
We hardly expected to get away as soon as this."

"Well, Meinik, what do you think of your Invulnerables, now?"
Stanley said, as the Burman, after picketing his horse, came up to
his room to see if he wanted anything, before lying down on his bed
in the passage.

"I don't know," the Burman replied, gravely. "They may be holy men;
and proof, perhaps, against native weapons; but they are no good
against your cannon and muskets. I understand, now, how it is that
you beat us so easily. Your men all stood quiet, and in order; one
only heard the voices of the officers, and the crash as they fired
together.

"Then, your guns are terrible. I have seen ours firing but, though
our pieces are smaller than yours, your men fire five shots to our
one. I stood by while they were loading. It was wonderful. Nobody
talked, and nobody gave orders. Each man knew what he had to
do--one did something and, directly, another did something and,
almost before the smoke of the last shot was out of the gun, it was
ready to be fired again.

"It is clear to me that we have not learnt how