galleys were also brought up to destroy or tow away
the defenders' fire ships. Paleologus himself was down by the shore
directing the preparations. Some of his best troops were placed upon the
floating bridge, and, when all was ready, the order was given to pull
upon the rope. No sooner, however, did the strain come upon it than
there was a jerk, the rope slackened, and it was at once evident that
the anchor had been discovered and the well laid plan disconcerted.
Paleologus was furious, but, believing that the attack he had arranged
would still be irresistible, he ordered a number of boats to take the
bridge in tow, while a still larger force was to make a direct attack
upon the breach. The movement was to be conducted as silently as
possible until it was discovered, and then a dash forward was to be
made.

It was two o'clock before the fresh arrangements were completed and
the boats put out. They had gone but a short distance when the anxious
watchers in St. Nicholas learnt by the dull, confused sound that came
across the water, that the attack was, in spite of the failure of the
plan to take the bridge silently across, to be persevered in. A cannon
was at once fired to give notice to the other batteries to be in
readiness, and as soon as the dark mass of boats was made out the guns
of the fort opened a destructive fire upon them, and a moment later were
seconded by those from the fortress; these, however, were at present
being fired almost at random, as the Turkish boats could not be made out
at that distance. Now that all need for concealment was at an end, the
Turkish war cry rose shrilly in the air, and the boatmen bent to their
oars. The great cannon at St. Anthony's Church hurled their tremendous
missiles at the tower, seconded by the fire of a number of other pieces
that had in the darkness been brought down almost to the water's edge.

As before, the boats swept up to the foot of the breach, the Turks
leaped out, and, undismayed by the storm of shot, climbed up to the
assault. The short ladders that they had brought with them enabled them
to surmount the escarpments so laboriously made, and with loud shouts
of "Allah!" they flung themselves upon the defenders on the crest of
the breach. Here they were met by a line even more difficult to break
through than before. The knights were ranged three deep; those in the
front were armed with swords and battleaxes, while those in the other
two lines thrust their spea