who cheered
loudly, after their fashion, as he came up to them.

There was no more firing that night, and taking it in turns, we, some of
us, had a sleep, I among the rest, all dressed as I was, and with my gun
in my hand, ready for use at a moment's notice; and I remember thinking
what a deal depended on the sentries, and how thoroughly our lives were
in their hands; and then my next thought was how was it possible for it
to be morning, for I had only seemed to close my eyes, and then open
them again on the light of day.

But morning it was; and with a dull, dead feeling of misery upon me, I
got up and gave myself a shake, ran the ramrod down my piece, to see
that it was charged all right, looked to the cap, and then once more
prepared for the continuation of the struggle, low-spirited and
disheartened, but thankful for the bit of refreshing rest I had had.

A couple of hours passed, and there was no movement on the part of the
enemy; the ladies never stirred, but we could hear the children laughing
and playing about, and how one did seem to envy the little
light-hearted, thoughtless things! But my thoughts were soon turned
into another direction, for Lieutenant Leigh ordered me up into one of
the rooms commanding the gateway, and looking out on the square where
the guns were standing, and came up with me himself.

"You'll have a good look-out from here, Smith," he said; "and being a
good shot--"

He didn't say any more, for he was, like me, taken up with the movement
in the square--a lot of the mutineers running the two guns forward in
front of the gate, and then closing round them, so that we could not see
what was going on; but we knew well enough that they were charging them,
and there seemed nothing for it but to let them fire, unless by a bold
sally we could get out and spike them.

Just then, Lieutenant Leigh looked at me, and I at him, when, touching
my cap in salute, I said, "Two good nails, sir, and a tap on each would
do it."

"Yes, Smith," he said grimly; "but who is to drive those two nails
home?"

I didn't answer him for a minute, I should think, for I was thinking
over matters, about life, and about Lizzy, and now that Harry Lant was
gone, it seemed to me that there might be a chance for me; but still
duty was duty, and if men could not in such a desperate time as this
risk something, what was the good of soldiers?

"I'll drive 'em home, sir," I says then quietly, "or they shall drive me
hom