, no, Macwitty. It is the post of danger and, as commanding
officer, I must take it. It is a question of saving the two
battalions at the cost of the company, and there is no doubt as to
the course to be taken. Do you ride on at once, and take your post
at the rear of the company ahead of this, and keep them steady.
Here come their cavalry down again on the flank."

There was another charge, three or four heavy volleys, and then the
French drew off again. The bullets of their infantry were now
whistling overhead.

"A hundred yards farther," Terence shouted, "and then we will face
them."

In front lay an upheaval of rock, stretching almost like a wall
across the line they were following. It was a sort of natural
outwork, pushed out by nature in front of the hill, and rose some
fifty feet above the level of the plain. There were many places at
which it could be climbed, and up one of these the track ran
obliquely. Hitherto it had been but an ill-defined path, but here
some efforts had been made to render it practicable, by cutting
away the ground on the upper side, to enable laden mules to pass
up.

Terence reined up at the bottom of the ascent, and directed the men
to take up their post on the crest; the leading half of the company
to the right, and the other half to the left of the path. Before
all were up the French light troops were clustering round, but a
rush was prevented by the heavy fire that opened from the brow
above, and the company were soon scattered along the crest, a yard
apart.

In five minutes some two thousand French infantry were assembled. A
mounted officer rode some distance to the right and left, to
examine the ground. It was evident that he considered that the
position, held by 200 determined men, was a formidable one. Lying
down, as they were, only the heads of the Portuguese could be seen;
while a force attacking them would have to march across level
ground, affording no shelter whatever from the defenders' fire, and
then to climb a very steep ascent. Moreover, the whole force they
had been pursuing might be gathered, just behind.

After another five minutes' delay, half a battalion broke up into
skirmishers; while the rest divided into two parties, and marched
parallel to the rocks, left and right. Terence saw that these
movements must be successful for, with 200 men, he could not defend
a line of indefinite length. However, his object had now been
achieved. The descent behind was even