Matters seemed to grow worse from the moment that Adam Gray started off
on his mission to the steamer, and Captain Smithers' brows seemed to
have settled into a constant frown, for it was no light matter to be in
command of the little fort, right away from aid, and only with a limited
supply of provisions. They might be made to last weeks or months; but
the end must come, and he saw no chance of help from outside, unless the
steamer went off to the nearest station in search thereof.
Then there was the constant worry upon his brain about the expedition
and its fate, for there could be no doubt about Ali's news; the force
had been divided by cunning, and, with such treacherous enemies, he felt
but little hope of seeing any of the party again.
Fortunately for him and the sharers of his imprisonment--for it was
little else--their minds were too much occupied by the defence of the
place to give them time to sit and brood over their troubles. There was
always something to do, some weak part to strengthen; and Captain
Smithers longed for the help of the lieutenant with the steamer to guard
outside of the fort.
There was this to consider too--if Lieutenant Johnson could get the
"Startler" off the mud, and round to the other side by Dullah's hut and
the landing-place, if they were very hard pressed the fort could be
abandoned, and, with the women, they could take refuge on board. Or
better still--though he felt reluctant to make such an arrangement--the
women could be got on board, and then the fort could be defended to the
last extremity.
In the course of those next hours while awaiting Gray's return, the
Malays made two or three sharp attacks, all of which were repelled; and
then, unable to assist, they waited, and listened to the engagement
going on upon the other side of the patch of jungle that clothed a part
of the island. The heavy reports of the steamer's guns made the frames
of the lightly-built dwellings rattle, and the smoke could be seen
rising above the trees; but how the tide of war set it was impossible to
tell, and Captain Smithers, as he walked up and down, felt as if he
would have given anything for a trusty native spy who would have sought
out news of what was going on.
Failing this, and not daring to send out a second party, although Tom
Long volunteered to go, there was nothing for it but to wait, especially
as their besiegers had evidently been greatly augmented in numbers, and
one of the soldiers had but to show himself for a moment, to bring upon
himself a shower of bullets.
The suspense grew maddening, as the noise of the engagement between the
prahus and the "Startler" increased. The yells of the Malays could be
plainly heard; then the reports of the heavy guns ceased; there was a
little rifle firing, the occasional crack of a revolver; and lastly came
the faintly-heard noise of men contending in deadly strife.
This lasted for a while, and the occupants of the fort mentally pictured
the scene going on, but they could not comprehend the strange shrieking
they heard as of men in terrible pain.
Captain Smithers' heart sank, and he glanced at Tom Long, in whose
countenance he read a confirmation of his fears; and on looking farther
he saw Mrs Major Sandars, with Rachel Linton and her cousin, watching
him attentively.
They read his face too as he turned away, and their dread also seemed
confirmed.
That ominous silence of the steamer's guns pointed to the fact that she
had been boarded by the Malays in too strong parties to be successfully
resisted, and a deep gloom sank upon all within the fort.
There was not a man present who would not willingly have gone to the
help of those on board the steamer; but not only were they hemmed-in,
but had they made a successful sally they had no means of reaching her.
Nothing could be done, then, but wait, in the hope that some on board
would escape and join them; and to this end a constant watch for
fugitives was kept up, a dozen men standing ready at the gate to rush
out and bring any stragglers in.
Just when they had descended to the greatest depths of misery, and Tom
Long was debating with himself as to whether he ought not to go to Miss
Linton and try to comfort her, telling her that so long as his arm could
wield a sword she might reckon herself to be perfectly safe, there was a
peculiar crashing sound, with a fresh burst of yells and cries.
The ladies shuddered, and longed to go in and be alone, but their
excitement was such that they felt obliged to stay out there in the
opening, risking many bullets, so as to be face to face with the worst.
Something terrible had happened they all knew, and at last the suspense
was so great that in the presence of the ladies Captain Smithers
exclaimed,--"Long, you will have to take a dozen men and learn the
worst!"
Tom Long glanced at Miss Linton, and for answer tightened his sword
belt, and then examined the chambers of his revolver.
"I'm ready, sir," he said, and he set his teeth, for he felt that he
should not come back alive. Still he was a soldier, and he accepted his
duty without flinching, though it did need an effort to be calm.
Just then, as he was about to ask what men he should choose, all ears
being attentive to catch the faintest sound from beyond the
trees--_Boom--crash_! went a big gun report and the blow it struck,
coming almost simultaneously; and as in his excitement Tom Long sent his
cap high in air, there was another echoing report, with a familiar
beating and panting sound.
"The steamer's off!" Tom Long cried. "Hurrah!"
Discipline was forgotten for the moment, and every man shouted with
delight, his cheery "Hurrah!" the cheers being renewed directly after by
the following reports of the steamer's guns; and they knew by the beat
of the engines that she was going up stream, firing as she went,
evidently in pursuit of a prahu.
They had plenty of evidence directly after that the Malays had been
beaten, for hurrying parties kept coming from the far side of the island
where the engagement had taken place, and as Captain Smithers scanned
these with his glass, he could see that their slight garments were
soaking wet, baju and sarong clinging to their limbs, and showing that
they had had to swim ashore.
This was all proof of their having had a thorough beating; and now, with
the steamer no longer aground, but ready to come to their help, the
spirits of all rose at as rapid a rate as they had gone down.
But it was to be no time of rest for them. Captain Smithers, to meet
the difficulty of there being no water to be obtained, save by going
under fire to the spring, or making a dash for the river, had been
giving orders for the sinking of a well in a corner of the fort, when
word was passed from sentry to sentry of the advance of the enemy. Then
shots were fired, at first scattered, then rapidly; and it was at once
evident, that in revenge for their defeat afloat, the crews of some of
the prahus had joined those on the island in a general attack.
The earth-works were well-made, but they required more men to
successfully defend them, and after keeping the enemy at bay by a
well-directed fire for some time, Captain Smithers, seeing signs of an
approaching rush, and knowing well that this must result in severe loss
upon his own side, quietly began to draw his little force away from the
earth-works, till he had half in the barracks at the loopholes, from
which they began a steady fire over the heads of those at the earthen
wall, who, in their turn retired half at a time, the first half joining
those who had gone before.
Then as the Malays began to realise that the force at the earthen wall
was very weak, and showed signs of coming on to carry it by storm, the
defenders delivered a sharp volley and dropped out of sight, stooping
down and running across to the barracks' white walls. On seeing that
they had given way, the Malays set up a loud cry of triumph, and dashed
forward, spear in hand, to occupy the deserted earth-works. They were
met by a sharp fire from the barracks, which staggered them for the
moment, but they rushed on, and sheltered themselves in the ditch,
throwing a few spears at the hindmost of the retreating party; but
without effect, for the little garrison was soon shut in and able for
the time to defy their assailants.
It was evident, however, that they were not to be left in peace, for the
Malays now swarmed around them, and dozens might have been shot down;
but Captain Smithers gave orders that the fire should be reserved till
they attacked.
Just as they had finished the barricading of the entrance, a cloud of
smoke was seen rising from the side of the residency, and this was
followed by flames, leaving no doubt that the pleasant little house had
been fired by the Malays; and Captain Smithers frowned as he determined
to administer severe punishment to the enemy, if for this act alone.
Every opportunity was given him for the administration of the
chastisement, the Malays exposing themselves freely, running out of
shelter to fire, and then retreating again. Sometimes a fierce
demonstration was made by spear-armed men, who came boldly up as if to
attack, but soon fell back unmolested, for Captain Smithers felt that no
end was to be obtained by simply shooting down a few of the enemy, and
his orders were to reserve fire till a fiercer attack was made.
This was not long in coming, and it was made quite unexpectedly, just
as, wearied out by his efforts, Captain Smithers had left Tom Long in
command, and, yielding to the prayers of the major's wife, had gone in
to the mess-room to partake of some refreshment that had been prepared.
He had hardly eaten a mouthful--after visiting first the wounded men, to
find them being tended by Rachel Linton and her cousin--before the
rattle of musketry and the yelling of the Malays told him that something
serious had occurred.
Catching up his sword, he rushed to where he had left Tom Long, and in a
few words he learned that from two points the Malays had suddenly
commenced their attack, which was now being carried on in so fierce a
manner that unless they received a sufficiently severe check to quell
their courage, they would force the defences, and overpower the little
garrison by sheer weight of numbers.
Fortunate it was that the defences had been so well strengthened, the
men firing from behind barricades roughly constructed of tables, the
mess forms, and bedding; but in spite of the heavy fire kept up and the
number that fell, the Malays dashed up, striving to clamber over, and
thrusting their spears through the openings in a way that kept the men
back, and nearly crushed the fire that had sputtered from the various
loopholes that had been left.
Affairs were growing very serious, for Captain Smithers, who had been
going from place to place, advising, cheering, and helping the men,
suddenly had his attention drawn to the fact that a large party of
Malays were bringing bundles of wood, branches of trees, and handfuls of
resin, which they were piling up against the barricaded door.
This he well knew meant fire, and the question arose how it was to be
stopped.
"They must never be allowed to light it, my lads, as our lives and those
of the ladies would not be worth five minutes' purchase. Cease firing
on this side, and reserve your cartridges for any who come to fire the
pile."
The men responded with a grim smile, and stood waiting for the party
whose duty it would be to try and burn them out; and in this time of
mortal peril, when danger of so great a kind stared them in the face,
the men stood patiently awaiting their fate, seeming the while to repose
the greatest confidence in their captain, and standing ready to obey his
orders to the last.
It was a splendid example of what discipline and confidence could
effect. The men felt that if their lives were to be saved, it would be
through carefully carrying out the wishes of their officers, and hence
no murmur was heard, each man's face wearing a grim look of
determination, that seemed to be intensified as Sergeant Lund came round
laden with cartridges, a packet of which he handed to each in turn.
"Some sergeants," he said, as he finished his task and stood rifle in
hand by the group whose duty it was to shoot down the bearers of the
dammar-torches that they felt sure would be used, "some sergeants would,
I dare say, be shaking hands with all their mates at a time like this,
and looking at things as all over; but I don't, my lads, for I've a sort
of faith in our luck turning up shiny side outwards; so cheer up, all of
you."
"All right, sergeant," was the reply.
"I wouldn't trust too much to luck though, my lads," he continued, "but
I'd squint straight along the barrel of my rifle when I fired. You may
be very sorry for the Malay chap you shoot at, but I'd shoot him first
and be very sorry afterwards."
"Right, sergeant," said Private Sim, who had been fighting very manfully
all day; "they needn't come and be a-trying to burn us out unless they
like, need they?"
"No, Sim," replied the sergeant; "but they will, and it strikes me that
they'll be come before long, too. Isn't that smoke in amongst those
bushes there?"
"Smoke it is," said one of the men, excitedly.
"Don't jump about like that, my lad, but keep cool, or you'll be wasting
your cartridges," said the sergeant. "Where's the captain? He was here
just now."
"Gone round the other side," said Sim. "Here they come, sure enough.
Look; there's a dozen men with torches."
"All right, my lads," said the sergeant. "I don't see that it matters
about the captain not being here; you know your duty."
"Yes, sergeant, to shoot down those men."
"No, no, my lads; what you've got to do is to put those torches out, and
the way to do it is with the bayonet. Stand ready there to slip over
the breast-work, all of you, then a sharp run, and meet them as they
come, and then back again under cover."
As he spoke the smoke of the dammar-torches could be seen, and some ten
or twelve Malays came running across from the earth-works to set fire to
the pile.
There was not a man behind the breast-work whose breath did not come
thick and fast at the sight of the lights; for brave as they were, they
knew that once the building they defended caught fire, the dry,
sun-baked wood must flare away like so much paper; and there were women
shut in there with them, whom it was their duty to defend.
It was no wonder then that the men tightly grasped their bayonet-armed
rifles, and stood waiting for the command, that did not come. For just
as it was upon the sergeant's lips a panting noise was heard, and as
every eye was directed up the river, the masts of the steamer were seen
coming along above the trees, and for the present the little garrison
felt that they were saved.