torches showed that blood had begun to flow from hands and arms.

"We must do something different to this," cried Ralph, as soon as the
yells of derision which greeted their repulse were over.

"Yes, young idiot! Go home to bed," shouted the captain hoarsely. Then
he burst into a savage tirade of curses, for Dummy, in his rage at being
right at the back, had thrown another blazing torch straight in over the
bristling pike-heads, lighting up the interior, and showing the savage
faces of the defenders close together. Ralph judged that the link had
struck the captain.

"Stand fast, men," he whispered. "We may make them charge out that way.
Go on, Dummy, and half-a-dozen more of you throw in your links all
together."

The order was obeyed, after the torches had been waved into a fierce
blaze, and they flew in, scattering drops of burning pitch, bringing
forth an outburst of yells of rage and pain, and a quick movement showed
that the marauders were about to rush out. But the voice of Captain
Purlrose was heard thundering out the words:

"Stand fast! Only a few drops of pitch, and a singe or two. Here, two
of you, throw them back." An exchange of burning missiles now took
place for a few minutes, which soon ended on the part of the defenders,
who, roaring with rage and pain, kept on trampling out the torches now
thrown.

"Stop!" cried Mark. "It's of no good. The cowards will not come out.
Here, Ralph Darley."

There was a few moments' whispering, resulting in orders being given to
the men, two of the Edens, and two of the Darleys standing aside, ready
for some action.

"Now for another charge," whispered Mark. "Take as long a hold of your
pikes as you can, and when I give the order, let your points be all
together like one. Ready? Forward!"

As the little party advanced, with their pike-heads almost touching,
while those of their enemies were advanced to defend the opening, the
two men on either side darted close up, shielded by the wall, passed
their arms over with a quick motion, and each grasped and held fast one
or two pike-shafts, in spite of the efforts of their holders to get them
free.

But there were enough left to defend the hole, and one by one, in spite
of the desperate efforts made to hold them, the imprisoned weapons were
at last dragged away, to reappear, stabbing furiously, till, breathless
with their exertions, the men once more drew back, several of the Edens
in their rage snatch