"I don't promise to be of much use, Major," he said quietly. "I know
myself too well; but at least I can run my chance of being killed."
The Major had put Wilson next to him.
"I don't think there is much chance of their storming the work,
Wilson; but if they do, you catch hold of Bathurst's arm, and drag
him away when you hear me whistle; the chances are a hundred to
one against his hearing it, or remembering what it means if he does
hear it."
"All right, Major, I will look to him."
Four men remained on guard at the breach all night, and at the
first gleam of daylight the garrison took up their posts.
"Now mind, my dears," the Doctor said, as he and Farquharson went
up on the terrace with Isobel and Mary Hunter; "you must do exactly
as you are told, or you will be doing more harm than good, for
Farquharson and I would not be able to pay attention to our shooting.
You must lie down and remain perfectly quiet till we begin to fire,
then keep behind us just so far that you can reach the guns as we
hand them back to you after firing; and you must load them either
kneeling or sitting down, so that you don't expose your heads above
the thickest part of the breastwork. When you have loaded, push the
guns back well to the right of us, but so that we can reach them.
Then, if one of them goes off, there won't be any chance of our
being hit. The garrison can't afford to throw away a life at present.
You will, of course, only half cock them; still, it is as well to
provide against accidents.
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