ly at any time to overpower the one or two sentries placed over
them; while, if there was nothing to fear in that way, there was still
the necessity of shortening our defensive forces by a couple of valuable
men.

"What would you do with them, then?" said Captain Dyer.

"Set them at liberty," said Lieutenant Leigh.

"I grant all you say, in the first place," said the captain; "but our
retaining them is a sheer necessity."

"Why?" said Lieutenant Leigh, with a sneer; and I must say that at first
I held with him.

"Because," said the captain sternly, "if we set them at liberty, we
increase our enemies' power, not merely with three men, but with
scoundrels who can give them the fullest information of our defences,
over and above that of which I am afraid they are already possessed.
The matter will not bear further discussion--Lieutenant Leigh, go now to
your post, and do your duty to the best of your power."

Lieutenant Leigh did not like this, and he frowned but Captain Dyer was
his superior officer, and it was his duty to obey, so of course he did.

Now, our position was such, that, say, a hundred men with a field-piece
could have knocked a wing in, and then carried us by assault with ease;
but though our enemies were full two hundred and fifty, and many of them
drilled soldiers, pieces you may say of a great machine, fortunately for
us, there was no one to put that machine together, and set it in motion.
We soon found that out, for, instead of making the best of things, and
taking possession of buildings--sheds and huts--here and there, from
which to annoy us, they came up in a mob to the gate, and one fellow on
a horse--a native chief, he seemed to be--gave his sword a wave, and
half-a-dozen sowars round him did the same, and then they called to us
to surrender.

Captain Dyer's orders were to act entirely on the defensive, and to fire
no shot till we had the word, leaving them to commence hostilities.

"For," said he, speaking to all the men, "it may be a cowardly policy
with such a mutinous set in front of us, but we have the women and
children to think of; therefore, our duty is to hold the foe at bay, and
when we do fire, to make every shot tell. Beating them off is, I fear,
impossible, but we may keep them out till help comes."

"Wouldn't it be advisable, sir, try and send off another despatch?" I
said; "there's the trooper's horse."

"Where?" said Captain Dyer, with a smile. "That has already been