what was
going on.

Two of the boats were sunk by the discharge of the grape; but the
others, without checking their course, pushed on.

"Quick, lads, give them another round before it is too late."

The guns were loaded with incredible quickness, and two more of the
boats were shattered, their swarthy occupants striking out for the
shore, making for the most part towards the battery, as did the boats.
Twenty of the sailors and as many marines were at once called in from
the bank to aid in the defense of the battery, and a desperate conflict
was presently raging here and along the bank, the Malays, swarming up,
striving to force their way up through the embrasures, or to climb the
sandbags; but as fast as they did so, they were cut down or bayoneted by
its defenders. Those trying to land at other points were impeded by the
bushes, and numbers were killed; but they pressed on so furiously that
at last Mr. Ferguson, who had been moving backwards and forwards along
the line, thought it best to call the men in, and in a minute or two
the whole party were collected in the little fort, and ranged along the
sides.

With furious yells the Malays came on, and although swept by volleys of
musketry reached the bamboos, which they strove in vain to pluck up
or climb. In the meantime the eighteen pounders had never ceased their
fire, the sailors working them steadily, regardless of the fight that
was going on on either flank. Here the little brass guns did good
service; each time they were fired the recoil sent them tumbling from
the top of the sandbags, only, however, to be seized, sponged, and
loaded, by the four sailors in charge of each, and then lifted to their
place again, crammed with bullets to the muzzle, in readiness to check
the next charge of the Malays. Suddenly their yells redoubled, and were
answered by similar shouts from the forest.

"The rajah's troops have come up," the first lieutenant said to the
marine officer; "our position is getting serious. Do you think that we
could make our way back to the boats without great loss? We have sunk
two of their craft, have badly damaged the others, and inflicted very
heavy loss on them."

"It would be a very risky operation; but it might be done, Ferguson.
Listen!"

There was a fresh outburst of shouts, this time on the path by which
they had come. Evidently a number of the newly arrived Malays had struck
into it by some other track from the town.

"That settles it