ell mounted, and has a good
fifty yards' start of them."

Then taking deliberate aim he fired. The others followed his example.
Three of the troopers dropped from their horses. Four times those on the
terrace fired, and then ran down, each, at the Doctor's order, taking
two guns with him. One of these was placed in the hands of each of the
officers who had just ridden in, and they then gathered round the gate.
In two minutes Forster rode in at full speed, then fifteen muskets
flashed out, and several of the pursuers fell from their horses. A
minute later the gate was closed and barred, and the men all ran up to
the roof, from which three muskets were fired simultaneously.

"Well done!" the Doctor exclaimed. "That is a good beginning."

A minute later a brisk fire was opened from the terrace upon the
cavalry, who at once turned and rode rapidly back to their lines.

Captain Forster had not come scathless through the fray; his cheek had
been laid open by a sabre cut, and a musket ball had gone through the
fleshy part of his arm as he rode back.

"This comes of fighting when there is no occasion," the Doctor growled,
when he dressed his wounds. "Here you are charging a host like a paladin
of old, forgetful that we want every man who can lift an arm in defense
of this place."

"I think, Doctor, there is someone else wants your services more than I
do."

"Yes; is anyone else hit?"

"No, I don't know that anyone else is hit, Doctor; but as I turned to
come into the house after the gates were shut, there was that fellow
Bathurst leaning against the wall as white as a sheet, and shaking all
over like a leaf. I should say a strong dose of Dutch courage would be
the best medicine there."

"You do not do justice to Bathurst, Captain Forster," the Doctor said
gravely. "He is a man I esteem most highly. In some respects he is the
bravest man I know, but he is constitutionally unable to stand
noise, and the sound of a gun is torture to him. It is an unfortunate
idiosyncrasy for which he is in no way accountable."

"Exceedingly unfortunate, I should say," Forster said, with a dry
laugh; "especially at times like this. It is rather unlucky for him
that fighting is generally accompanied by noise. If I had such an
idiosyncrasy, as you call it, I would blow out my brains."

"Perhaps Bathurst would do so, too, Captain Forster, if he had not more
brains to blow out than some people have."

"That is sharp, Doctor," Forster lau