our men will aim still worse. One
good thing for us is that the gentlemen on the English saddles, who head
the enemy, have never stormed any but a petticoat fortress before. We
will bring all our men to the front, and leave only two or three
sentinels behind; we will trust Rebecca's story."

Fresh cartridges were given out, and a fresh detachment stationed at the
windows, additional men were placed in the halls of the upper and lower
story, and on the platform of the tower, Anton commanding up stairs, the
smith below, and the forester remaining with a small body in reserve.
All these arrangements were just made in time, for a loud hum was heard
at a distance, together with shouts of command, the march of an
advancing body, and the rumbling of carts.

"Keep your guns at full cock," cried Fink, "and fire only at those who
press in at the door."

The wheeled pent-houses moved on as before, a Polish order was given,
and a rapid fire began on the part of the enemy, exclusively directed to
the important door and the windows near it. The balls thundered on the
oaken planks and on the masonry, and more than one found its way through
the window openings, and struck the ceiling above the heads of the
garrison. Fink cried to the forester, "You shall run a risk, old man;
take your people to the back door, open it, creep round close to the
house, and drive away those fellows behind the three carts to the left,
who have ventured too near; get close to them; you can knock them all
over if you aim true; the carts have no covering; you can be back before
the fellows run out from behind. Be quick and cautious; with this
whistle I will give the signal for your rushing out from the shadow of
the walls."

The forester collected his men and hurried to the court. Fink ran up
stairs to Anton. The enemy's fire grew still more frequent. "This time
it is grim earnest," said Anton. "Our people, too, are getting excited."

"Here comes the real danger," cried Fink, pointing through a loop-hole
in the wall to a high shapeless mass which slowly approached. It was a
harvest-wagon, loaded to an immense height and breadth, and propelled by
invisible hands to the front of the castle. "A fire-ship! there are the
yellow straw bundles on the top. Their plan is evident; they are
steering it against the door. Now, then, we must shoot well; not one of
the fellows who mount it must get back safe." He sprang up the stairs,
and cried to those stationed on th