ed, Percy's voice was heard shouting--

"Come to the front! come to the front! They are trying to get in over
the gate."

Rupert, Crawford, Lionel and Mangaleesu, with several men, hastened to
his assistance. They were barely in time to drive back the assailants,
who, while their companions had been engaged at the right side, had
managed to place some rudely constructed ladders against the stockade.
At the same time showers of assegais came hurtling through the air.
Mangaleesu had thrown aside his shield, that he might use a club, with
which he had supplied himself, with better effect. He was followed
closely by a light active figure, whom Percy recognised as Kalinda.
Where the Zulus appeared the thickest, there they were to be found, and
many an assegai was caught by the young Zulu woman, and hurled back at
the assailants of the fort. At length a piercing cry was heard above
the shouts of the combatants.

Mangaleesu was no longer seen wielding his club, and Percy caught sight
of a number of Zulus attempting to climb up at the spot he had hitherto
been defending. Ever prompt in action, he immediately turned one of the
swivel guns, loaded to the muzzle with bullets, and directed it so as to
sweep the wall.

Groans and cries followed the discharge, and the dark mass of human
beings, with the ladders on which they had stood, fell crashing below.
Still others came on, evidently determined to gain an entrance at all
costs.

Although the muskets of the defenders had performed their deadly work,
they themselves had not escaped unscathed from the assegais of the
Zulus. Several had been hurt, and Crawford had a severe wound in his
left shoulder.

Frequently old Vermack's voice had been heard shouting, "Fire away,
boys! fire away! don't spare the savages." There was little necessity
for this advice, however. Every man knew that should their assailants
once get in, the lives of all would be sacrificed.

It would have been well had the captain's orders not to throw a shot
away been obeyed. As it was, however, every one loaded and fired as
fast as possible, often over the heads of the enemy.

Percy, who had been employing his swivels with great effect, at length
shouted out to Lionel to go and get some more powder. "I've nearly come
to the end of mine," he said.

Lionel hurried off, but just as Percy fired his last shot he came back
with the alarming intelligence that the magazine was empty.

"Our father and C