"Stand steady," the Major shouted; "don't let another man move."
But the missiles still rained down with an occasional shot,
as the rifles were handed up by the natives, while the Doctor and
Farquharson kept up an almost continuous fire from the terrace.
Then the two last canisters thrown by the Major exploded. The first
two had carried havoc among the crowd behind the breach, these
completed their confusion, and they turned and fled; while those
in the retrenchment, relieved of the pressure from behind, at once
turned, and flying through the breach, followed their companions.
A loud cheer broke from the garrison, and the Major looking round
saw the Doctor standing by the parapet waving his hat, while Isobel
stood beside him looking down at the scene of conflict.
"Lie down, Isobel," he shouted; "they will be opening fire again
directly."
The girl disappeared, and almost at the same moment the batteries
spoke out again, and a crackle of the musketry began from the
gardens. The Major turned round. Bathurst was leaning against the
wall breathing heavily after his exertions, Forster was coolly
wiping his sword on the tunic of one of the fallen Sepoys.
"Are either of you hurt?" he asked.
"I am not hurt to speak of," Forster said; "I got a rip with a
bayonet as I jumped down, but I don't think it is of any consequence."
"How are you, Bathurst?" the Major repeated. "What on earth possessed
you to jump down like that?"
"I don't know, Major; I had to do something, and when yon stopped
firing I felt it was time for me to do my share.
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