but a feint."

Then he returned to the first party.

"Get the two guns," he said, "out of their embrasures and wheel them
here. It is likely enough that we may be hotly attacked presently."

They waited half an hour, by which time the wagons were beginning to
pour out of the town.

"We have done our business, lieutenant; the citadel is revictualled. Ah!
here come the enemy, just too late."

A strong body of troops were seen marching rapidly towards them, and
almost at the same moment a heavy fire broke out in the street. The
guns had been loaded from a small magazine in the bastion, and had been
trained to fire along the rampart. When within a hundred yards the enemy
opened fire. Hector ordered the men to lie down and not to reply until
he gave the order. They lay in two lines, the first were to fire and the
second to reserve their fire until ordered. He took his post at one gun
and the lieutenant at the other. A messenger had been sent along the
wall to bring up the twenty-five men of the other wing. When the enemy
were within fifty yards he asked quietly, "Does your gun bear well on
the centre of the column?"

"Yes, captain."

"Then fire!"

The ball cut a way through the dense column.

"Load again!"

The four men, told off to the duty, leapt to their feet. There was a
halt for a moment, and then the Spaniards came on again. When they were
within twenty paces Hector fired, and at the same time shouted, "First
line give fire!" and twenty-five muskets flashed out, every ball taking
effect on the head of the column. The Spaniards recoiled, the leading
ranks being swept away and many of those behind wounded, for three balls
had been rammed down the mouth of the cannon fired by Hector, and these
and the musketry volley had done terrible execution. At this moment the
twenty-five men sent for ran up.

"Second line give fire!" Hector shouted; and the discharge added to the
confusion in the column, and many ran down some steps into the lane by
the side of the wall.

"Have you loaded again, lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir, with three balls."

"Then form up, men, and deliver your fire," Hector said to the
newcomers. "Now, lieutenant, touch it off."

As the discharge rang out, mingled with the roar of the guns, Hector
shouted, "Fix bayonets, and charge!" The wooden shafts of the bayonets
were thrust down the barrels of the firelocks, and with a cheer the
seventy-five men rushed upon the shattered head of the column. T