nature of the defences of the estate, and ascertaining its weak points.
But Jack would have none of it; the moment that they came within point-
blank rifle range he opened fire upon them with his sharpshooters, and
only three of the half-dozen were able to make good their retreat.

Meanwhile the main body of troops gradually debouched into view upon the
plain--a motley crowd of infantry clad in rags so effectually bleached
and discoloured by exposure to rain and sun that it would probably have
puzzled their own officers to name the various regiments to which they
belonged; about one hundred cavalry; and three batteries of field
artillery: the whole accompanied by an enormous number of baggage,
ambulance, and ammunition wagons, water carts, and nondescript vehicles
of every imaginable description, and an immense lowing, bellowing, and
bleating herd of captured cattle, sheep, and goats, many of which seemed
to be half-mad with terror. Mounted officers in scores dashed
frantically to and fro among this medley of men, vehicles, and animals;
and finally, when the herd of cattle was at length separated from the
main body and driven off, a detachment of some three thousand men, and
one battery of guns, with a proportion of the wagons and other vehicles,
halted on the plain, with the evident intention of attacking the estate,
while the remainder of the body went forward.

The attack began immediately. A puff or two of white smoke had revealed
to the reconnoitring parties the lurking-place of those who had fired
upon them, and they had of course pointed out the spot to the
artillerymen as that upon which they were to concentrate their fire;
with the result that immediately the guns were wheeled to action front,
they opened a hot fire upon the bamboo coppice. But, as on the occasion
of the previous attack, no sooner had the reconnoitring parties
withdrawn than Jack moved his sharpshooters from their cover of bamboo
to that of a line of artfully constructed earthworks, which, while far
enough removed from the bamboos to be perfectly safe from the artillery
fire which he felt certain would be immediately opened upon them,
equally commanded the road leading to the ruined bridge, and enabled him
to effectually check all endeavours to reconnoitre that point of
approach. The result was that after the bamboos had been fiercely
shelled for some ten minutes, without producing a single casualty among
the defenders, another reconnoitrin