Cookson. He
has established himself in a temporary office just beyond the range of
the fire. One of my men will show you the way. Most likely your captain
will have left some message with him in case you turned up again. After
you have seen him you can, if you like, come back here; I daresay I
shall be able to find something for you to do. Or if you like you can be
sent off to one of the steamers, where the refugees are on board."

"We would much rather stay here, sir, if we may," Jim Tucker said. "We
will do anything that you like to set us to."

As they sat by the fire talking with the officers the boys learned what
had happened in the town. As soon as it became evident that the fire of
the ships of war was mastering that of the forts the troops and the
populace began the work of plunder. The European stores were all broken
into; everything portable was carried away and the furniture broken and
smashed.

Fire was applied in scores of places. A considerable number of the
poorer classes of Europeans had remained in their houses, being afraid
to desert their possessions, and many of these houses were broken into
by the mob and the inmates massacred.

It was calculated that upwards of five hundred were killed. The clerks
at the Anglo-Egyptian Bank had determined to stay and defend it, and as
soon as the work of plunder and massacre began a number of Europeans
made for this point, and the little garrison was swelled until it
numbered nearly a hundred men. The place had been attacked by the mob
and soldiers; but had held out gallantly and beaten off the assailants,
who had before long scattered to points where plunder could be more
easily obtained.

At night a steam-launch from the fleet entered the harbour. Two or three
men had landed, and making their way through the burning streets
returned and reported the town was empty.

The next morning at daylight a force had landed and driven the
plunderers from the European part of the town, while the ships had
battered the forts that still held out. The following day a strong force
of marines came ashore and patrolled the streets. At the sight of the
British uniforms many doors were opened, and the wretched inmates, who
had for forty-eight hours being trembling for their lives, made their
way down to the water-side and went off to the ships. In the evening, a
short time before the boys arrived, four hundred and fifty men had been
landed from the British ships, and one hun