of the buildings, the
firing of the Malays from the sheltering trees and cultivated gardens of
the station had little effect, while of the many spears that were thrown
after the first attack was made, hardly one found a victim.

The men, in obedience to orders, were now firing only from time to time
at the sheltering Malays, who kept on creeping up to hurl a spear in at
a dimly seen open window, more than one not being sharp enough in
jumping back, for his activity was checked by a bullet which sent him
tottering for a few yards before falling heavily with a groan.

This had the effect of bringing the flash and heavy, dull report of the
old, cast-off military muskets which the Malays were using; and as these
weapons flashed, the defenders of the various buildings seized the
opportunity to return the fire, guessing at the enemy's position by the
light.

Just about this time, when a loud yelling from the direction of the
river suggested that a fresh party of the enemy were landing from boats,
a dimly seen officer hurried through the darkness to one of the upper
rooms.

"Who's in here?" he cried angrily.

"Me, sir--Smithers, sir."

"You are wasting your cartridges."

"Am I, sir?"

"Yes. Wait till we get some daylight, unless you can make sure of your
man."

"All right, Mr Maine, sir. It is you, isn't it? I was getting a bit
excited-like. One moment, sir: have you seen my missus?"

"Your wife? No. Why?"

"She telled me she was coming up to help the Doctor."

"Oh, nonsense! She ought to be with the women. I will tell her if I
see her.--There, look," whispered Archie--"to your left! There are
half-a-dozen fellows at least creeping through that patch of fog."

"They look big 'uns, too, sir," whispered the man excitedly, as the
indistinct figures were magnified by the mist. "Would it be waste of
cartridges, sir, to get two in a line and let go?"

"No. Fire!"

_Crock_ went the rifle, and the figures that had loomed up seemed to
melt away. But as soon as the rifle had flashed there was the _fad,
fad, fad_ of hurried steps, something whizzed in at the window, and with
a dull thud a spear stuck in the floor of the room.

_Crack, crack_ came from Archie's revolver as he fired it twice in the
direction of the spear-thrower, an answering yell suggesting that one of
the shots had had effect.

"There, keep a sharp lookout, and only fire when you are sure," said
Archie as he made for the door, striking