Captain Forster offered to go out with three others at night to
try and get into the battery and spike the guns, but Major Hannay
would not permit the attempt to be made.
"We know they have several other guns," he said, "and the risk would
be altogether too great, for there would be practically no chance
of your getting back and being drawn up over the wall before you
were overtaken, even if you succeeded in spiking the guns. There
are probably a hundred men sleeping in the battery, and it is likely
they would have sentries out in front of it. The loss of four men
would seriously weaken the garrison."
The next morning another battery to the left was unmasked, and on
the following day three guns were planted, under cover, so as to
play against the gate. The first battery now concentrated its fire
upon the outer wall, the new battery played upon the upper part of
the house, and the three guns kept up a steady fire at the gate.
There was little rest for the besieged now. It was a constant duel
between their rifles and the guns, varied by their occasionally
turning their attention to men who climbed trees, or who, from the
roofs of some buildings still standing, endeavored to keep down
their fire.
Wilson had been released from his labors in the gallery, Bathurst
undertaking to get down the earth single handed as fast as the
servants could remove it.
"I never saw such a fellow to work, Miss Hannay," Wilson said one
day, when he was off duty, and happened to find her working alone
at some bandages.
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