第72章

”Soundthetaboor！”FortunatelyIgavethisordertothebuglerbymysidewithoutonemoment’sdelay。Ihadjusttimetotellmywifetorunintothedivanandgetmyrifleandbelt，whenthesharpshootersopenedfireatmefromthebushes，withinafewyards。

Ihadwhitecottonclothes，thusIwasaveryclearobject。AsIwalkedtowardsthedivantomeetmyrifle，theserjeantwhofollowedclosebehindmefellshotthroughtheheart。Poorfellow，theshotwasaimedatme！

Thetroopshadfallenintopositionwithextraordinaryrapidity，andseveralascendedtheroofofthefort，soastoseeclearlyoverthehighgrass。Asoldierimmediatelyfell，todieinafewminutes，shotthroughtheshoulder-blade。Anothermanofthe”FortyThieves”wasshotthroughthelegabovetheknee。Thebulletswereflyingthroughthegovernmentdivan，andalongtheapproach。

Atumultuousroarofsavagevoiceshadburstfromallsides，andthewholeplacewasaliveafewinstantsafterthefirsttwoshotshadbeenheard。Thousandsofarmednativesnowrushedfromalldirectionsuponthestation。

AthrillwentthroughmewhenIthoughtofmygoodanddevotedMonsoor！

Mywifehadquicklygivenmemybeltandbreechloadingdoublerifle。

(Thisbeautifulweapon，Ihavealreadymentioned，wasmadebyMr。

Holland，ofBondStreet，London。)FortunatelyIhadfilledupthepouchesonthepreviouseveningwithfiftyroundsofcartridge。

Thetroopswerenowinopenorder，completelyaroundthestation，andwerepouringaheavyfireintothemassesoftheenemywithinthehighgrass，whichbadbeenleftpurposelyunclearedbyKabbaRega，inordertofavouratreacherousattack。

Thenativeskeptupasteadyfireuponthefrontfrombehindthecastor-oilbushesandthedenselythrongedhouses。

Withsixteenmenofthe”FortyThieves，”togetherwithColonelAbd-el-KaderandLieutenantBaker，R。N。，Idirectedaheavyfireintothecovert，andsoonmadeittoohotforthesharpshooters。Ihadorderedthebluelightsatthecommencementoftheattack。Myblackboys，SaatandBellaal，togetherwithsomesoldiers，nowarrivedwithagoodsupply。

Coveringtheiradvancewithaheavyfirefromthesniders，theboysandmenrushedforward，andimmediatelyignitedKabbaRega’slargedivan。

Theseactiveandpluckyladsnowrannimblyfromhuttohut，andoneslighttouchofthestrongfireofthebluelightswassufficienttoinsuretheignitionofthestrawdwellings。

Inowsentapartyoffifteensniders，underLieutenantFerritchAgha，oneofmymostcourageousofficers，withasupplyofbluelights，tosetfire，tothetownonourleftflank，andtopushontothespotwherethemissingMonsoorandFerritchhadfiredtheirrifles。

Everyarrangementhavingbeenrapidlycarriedout，theboysandafewmencontinuedtofirethehousesonourrightflank；andgivingtheordertoadvance，ourpartyofsixteenrushedforwardintothetown。

Therightandleftflankswerenowblazing，andtheflameswereroaringbeforethewind。IheardtherattlingfireofthesnidersunderFerritchAghaonourleft，andknowingthatbothflankswerenowthoroughlysecur

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