He went at once to the rajah. The chief had been up till midnight,
and then retired; leaving orders that he was to be called, directly
an alarm of any sort was given. He was seated with two or three of
his councillors, talking, when Harry, with the interpreter,
entered.

"Your people say they hear sounds, Rajah. I can hear nothing,
myself, but I know their hearing is keener than mine. I am uneasy,
for even they cannot see the faintest glow that would tell that a
fire is being brought up. In my opinion, we had better leave only
two hundred men at the palisade, and bring the rest in here. We can
lead them out, at once, if any point is hotly attacked; and it
would prevent confusion, if the stockade were suddenly forced. The
enemy may be bringing up hundreds of ladders and, in the darkness,
may get up close before they are noticed."

"Do as you think best," the rajah said and, at once, went out and
sent officers to bring in three hundred of the men; and also, at
Harry's suggestion, to tell the others that, when the rajah's horn
sounded, all were to leave the stockade and make at once for the
entrance through the wall.

Another half hour passed. Even Harry was conscious, now, that there
was a low dull sound in the air.

"I cannot think what they are doing," the rajah, who was now
standing on the wall, close to the gate, said to Harry. "However
numerous they may be, they should have moved as noiselessly as we
did, when we went out to attack them."

"I don't think that it will be long before we know, now, Rajah."

He had scarcely spoken, when there was a loud shout from the
palisade in front of them. It was on this side that the men had
been posted so thickly, as it was of all things necessary to defend
this to the last, in order to enable those at other points to make
their way to the gate. The shout of alarm was followed, almost
instantly, by the sound of a horn and, immediately, a tremendous
yell resounded on all sides.

It was answered by the shouts of the garrison and, a moment later,
a score of balls composed of matting, dipped in oil or resinous
gum, were thrown flaming over the palisades. These had been
prepared the previous day, and the men charged with throwing them
had each an earthenware pot, containing glowing charcoal, beside
them. Their light showed groups of men, twenty or thirty strong,
advancing within twenty yards of the palisade.

"They are carrying trees, to batter down the stockade, Rajah!"