," the lieutenant said shortly; "we must fight it out
here. It is lucky we have a fair stock of ammunition, and can keep it
up for some hours yet. You see, the sailors have not had to use their
pistols yet, and they will astonish those fellows if they do manage to
scale the sandbags."

For another half hour the fighting continued. Again and again the Malays
fell back, but only to return to the attack with fresh fury, and the
defenders had been obliged to betake themselves more than once to their
pistols. The two heavy guns were now removed from their position to the
sides, for the attack by boats had ceased entirely, and the destruction
of the prahus was of less importance than the defense of the little fort
from the attacks on its flanks. The operation began just as the Malays
made one of their retreats, and by the time they returned, the guns were
placed in their new position, their muzzles peeping out from among the
sandbags, while the embrasures on the water face had been closed by bags
taken from the upper line. The effect of the fire at such close quarters
was to drive the Malays flying into the forest. Shortly afterwards the
sound of chopping was heard.

"The beggars are trying to cut a path through the jungle to our rear,
Dick," Harry Parkhurst said.

"Obstinate brutes! But I don't think much of that, Harry: they will get
on well enough until they arrive within twenty or thirty yards of us,
when we can pepper them so hotly that they will soon get sick of it."

At this moment there was the report of a heavy gun, and a shell crashed
through the forest fifty yards in the rear of the fort. Loud yells of
rage and alarm rose from the Malays, while a hearty cheer broke from the
defenders of the fort. Closely following, came the sound of another gun,
and then a rain of grape, some of which whistled over the fort.

"Keep yourselves well down behind the sandbags, men," Lieutenant
Ferguson shouted; "the captain knows that we have shelter, and will
sweep the Malays out of the forest round us. That shot must have done
great execution among the Malays on the path between us and the boats."

The guns of the ship kept up a heavy fire, searching the wood for some
distance round with shell, and pouring volleys of grape into the trees
near the battery. Presently the fire ceased.

"I fancy they have all bolted, Dick," his comrade said; "after the first
five minutes we have not heard a sound. I wonder what the prahus are
doin