ack
them."

"Let us give them three hours," Harry said, "the sea wind will be
blowing strongly, then."

The greater portion of the men who were to remain behind were to be
stationed on the side on which the sortie was to be made, so as to
cover the retreat of the others, by showers of arrows. The rajah's
principal officer was placed in command here. His orders were that,
if the enemy came on too strongly, he was to issue out with a
hundred men, and aid the party to beat back their assailants.
However, Harry did not think it likely that this would be the case.
The Malays would be scattered all over the town--some, perhaps,
even beyond the outer palisades--and before they could assemble in
force, the party ought to be safe within the palisade again.

Just before ten, the two hundred men who were to make the attack
sallied out. They were led by the rajah, while Harry was to lead
the firing party. He chose this part, because he would not be able
to crawl across the open space as noiselessly as the Malays could
do.

During the day, a number of hides had been hung on the palisades,
so that the enemy should not notice that a gathering of men, with
torches, was assembled there; and in order that the light might not
be conspicuous at this spot, fires had been lighted at other
points, in order to give the impression that the defenders were
holding themselves in readiness to repel another attack. The
bamboos had been removed, ten minutes before the party issued out.
So noiseless was their tread that Harry, though close to the
entrance, could not hear it; and when he looked out, as soon as the
last man had passed, he could neither see nor hear anything. The
men had all thrown themselves on the ground, as soon as they had
passed out, and were crawling forward without a sound being
audible.

Harry and Abdool had both armed themselves with a kris and spear.
Behind them were the torch bearers, arranged four abreast.

It seemed an age before the sound of a horn rose in the air.
Instantly they dashed through the opening, followed by the men and,
at full speed, crossed the cleared ground. Already the sound of
shouts, violent yells, and the clashing of blades showed that the
rajah's men were at work.

Scattering as they reached the houses, the torch bearers ran from
hut to hut; pausing for a few seconds, at each, till the flame had
gained a fair hold. In less than a minute, sixty or seventy houses
were in flames. Harry had the