the French back several times, it must come to the same,
in the end. The thing I am most concerned about, at present, is how
we are to get away."

"I quite agree with you, Dick; and you know, we have had several
looks at the French lines, from the roof of the church. Their
batteries are chiefly on this side of the town; but most of their
troops are encamped on the other side, so as to be in readiness to
meet any attempt of Wellington to succour the place; and also to
show the garrison that there is no chance, whatever, of their being
able to draw off. We agreed that the chances would be much better
of getting out on this side than on the other."

"Yes; but we also agreed, Terence, that there would be a good deal
more difficulty in getting safely back; for practically the whole
of their army would be between us and Wellington."

"It will be a difficult business, Dicky, whichever way we go; and I
suppose that, at last, we shall have to be guided by circumstances."

In a very short time, fires broke out at several points in the
town. The guns on the walls made but a very feeble reply to the
French batteries; and one or two bastions, where alone a brisk fire
was at first maintained, drew upon themselves such a storm of
missiles from the French guns that they were soon silenced.

"It is quite evident that the Portuguese gunners have not much
fight in them," Bull said.

"I am afraid it is the disaffection among their officers that is
paralysing them," Terence said. "But I quite admit that it may be
good policy to keep the men under cover. They really could do no
good against the French batteries; which have all the advantage of
position, as well as numbers and weight of metal; and it would
certainly be well to reserve the troops till the French drive their
trenches close up. If I thought that the silence of the guns on the
walls were due to that, I should be well content; but I am afraid
it is nothing of the sort. If the French keep up their fire, as at
present, for another forty-eight hours, the place will throw open
its gates. The inhabitants must be suffering frightfully. Of
course, if Colonel Cox had men he could thoroughly rely upon, he
would be obliged to harden his heart and disregard the clamour of
the townspeople for surrender; but as the garrison is pretty
certain to make common cause with them, it seems to me that the
place is lost, if the bombardment continues."

In a short time, seeing that the working