ne to a short distance, now returned with a quantity of firewood,
which they threw into all the out-buildings nearest the house; and
setting light to them, they were soon blazing furiously.

The enemy took care not to give us a moment's respite. Although nearly
a hundred of them had been killed or badly wounded, they still
outnumbered us as ten to one. Already eight of our men were _hors de
combat_,--a heavy loss among so small a number,--yet no one quailed, or
talked of surrendering.

While the flames were raging round us, the banditti once more came on to
the assault on three sides of the house. We flew to our posts--my uncle
dragging one of the guns to the south side, and I taking mine to the
north. The enemy shouted loudly as they advanced. My father and uncles
encouraged the men to remain firm, and I did my best. "Hurrah! sure
they'll run soon!" shouted Tim, imitating our example.

The guns were prepared; and waiting till our assailants were close to
the walls, we discharged them as before. We now saw that they had got
fresh battering-rams; my gun having swept away most of the men carrying
that on the north side, while the musketry from the loopholes in the
upper story played havoc among their ranks.

Aqualonga appeared everywhere--now on one side, now on the other; in
vain we endeavoured to pick him off--he seemed to bear a charmed life.
We knew him by his Spanish uniform; but in his appearance there was
nothing to show him to be a chief, for he was short and
broad-shouldered, with remarkably ugly features. Yet the man, though
serving in a bad cause, had the spirit of a hero; and his courage
animated his followers, or they would not have persevered so long.

In this attack they kept up as hot a fire as at first--when suddenly it
ceased. On looking out we saw them retiring rapidly down the hill on
both sides, and forming out of gun-shot on the west. Our hopes rose,
but it would not do to be too sanguine: they might be preparing for a
third and more desperate attack. Could we resist that attack? We had
not more than three or four rounds of ammunition for each musket; and
not so much, should we again have to load the guns. My father, animated
by the spirit of his youth, proposed to charge down the hill and put the
enemy to flight; he had called some of the men together for that
purpose, and many were ready to follow him. Tim and I, of course, were
eager to do so; but my eldest uncle interfered, and