Trapped by Malays Part 53

"Quite bad enough," said the Doctor. "An inch lower, sir--"

"Yes, I know," said the Major, as the firing increased. "Why, they've got muskets! There, Doctor, I felt that I must speak to you, and I am afraid you are going to have your hands pretty full."

"But you should keep your men more under cover, sir," said the Doctor pettishly. "Look! They are bringing in two more."

"Under cover!" said the Major angrily. "Every fence, wall, and breast-work is occupied, and the men are holding the Residency according to orders. These poor fellows were speared at their posts."

The Major hurried out, to busy himself with seeing that the various occupants of the place were provided with shelter in the officers'

quarters and the other buildings of the cantonments, the upper windows of which were occupied by the little force, with instructions to retire to the Residency, which was so situated that it would lend itself well to being treated as a sort of citadel in case they should prove to be hard pressed.

Fortunately for the defenders, as the night advanced the smoke from the firing hung low, prevented as it was from rising by a gathering river mist; and as not a light was shown in either of the buildings, the firing of the Malays from the sheltering trees and cultivated gardens of the station had little effect, while of the many spears that were thrown after the first attack was made, hardly one found a victim.

The men, in obedience to orders, were now firing only from time to time at the sheltering Malays, who kept on creeping up to hurl a spear in at a dimly seen open window, more than one not being sharp enough in jumping back, for his activity was checked by a bullet which sent him tottering for a few yards before falling heavily with a groan.

This had the effect of bringing the flash and heavy, dull report of the old, cast-off military muskets which the Malays were using; and as these weapons flashed, the defenders of the various buildings seized the opportunity to return the fire, guessing at the enemy's position by the light.

Just about this time, when a loud yelling from the direction of the river suggested that a fresh party of the enemy were landing from boats, a dimly seen officer hurried through the darkness to one of the upper rooms.

"Who's in here?" he cried angrily.

"Me, sir--Smithers, sir."

"You are wasting your cartridges."

"Am I, sir?"

"Yes. Wait till we get some daylight, unless you can make sure of your man."

"All right, Mr Maine, sir. It is you, isn't it? I was getting a bit excited-like. One moment, sir: have you seen my missus?"

"Your wife? No. Why?"

"She telled me she was coming up to help the Doctor."

"Oh, nonsense! She ought to be with the women. I will tell her if I see her.--There, look," whispered Archie--"to your left! There are half-a-dozen fellows at least creeping through that patch of fog."

"They look big 'uns, too, sir," whispered the man excitedly, as the indistinct figures were magnified by the mist. "Would it be waste of cartridges, sir, to get two in a line and let go?"

"No. Fire!"

_Crock_ went the rifle, and the figures that had loomed up seemed to melt away. But as soon as the rifle had flashed there was the _fad, fad, fad_ of hurried steps, something whizzed in at the window, and with a dull thud a spear stuck in the floor of the room.

_Crack, crack_ came from Archie's revolver as he fired it twice in the direction of the spear-thrower, an answering yell suggesting that one of the shots had had effect.

"There, keep a sharp lookout, and only fire when you are sure," said Archie as he made for the door, striking against the bamboo shaft of the spear. "This didn't graze you, did it, Smithers?"

"No, sir. I was afraid you had got a touch by your whipping out your pistol so quickly. But please, sir, don't tell my missus to go into shelter. She likes a job like this, and she's very useful with a basin and sponge."

"All right; all right," replied Archie; and hurrying away, he took the mess-room on his way to the post he was about to visit, and stepped to where a faint light rose from behind a j.a.panese screen which shut off one corner of the big room.

There he came upon the Doctor busy over one poor wounded fellow whose head was resting upon the arm of a kneeling woman, who held a sponge in the hand at liberty, while a great bra.s.s lotah of water was at her side.

"Very useful with basin and sponge," said Archie to himself, as he smiled grimly.--"Can I do anything for you, Doctor?" he said.

"Not unless you have come to help, my lad."

"No, sir; I can't do that."

"Well, you can stop some of these scoundrels throwing these abominable spears."

"Not till daylight, I'm afraid, sir; and I fear that this light will be seen outside."

"Can't help it," said the Doctor. "I can't play Blind-Man's Buff and st.i.tch up wounds without a lamp. I want more help."

"Shall I ask Mrs Morley to come, sir?"

"My wife? No. She is busy with the women and children, and running off now and then to give the poor fellows a drink of water. Here, I know: set some one to find that ragam.u.f.fin Pegg. He'd be worth anything to me now, for he's handy over this sort of thing."

"Yes, Doctor; but he's one of our best shots with a rifle, and the Captain has posted him where he covers the river path."

"Oh, well, then, you can't spare him, of course. But look here, Archie; the wounded are being brought in too fast. Tell the Major that I say that he must blaze away a little to hold the enemy back."

"Do you want him to cut me down, sir? He's in a furious temper."

"Enough to make him. So am I. I nearly stuck a lancet into Sir Charles Dallas a few minutes ago for coming and worrying me about the possibility of a party of men stealing off to one of the boats with him.

The madman! All men are mad when they're in love. Never you catch that complaint."

"No, sir," said Archie.

"Well, I'm keeping you, my lad; but I'm glad of a minute's cessation from this work. There! I think he will do now, d.u.c.h.ess.--What do you say?"

"Poor fellow! You have done it all beautiful, sir," said Mrs Smithers, smiling, as she pa.s.sed a cool, wet sponge across the wounded man's brows.

"There, off with you, Archie, my lad. Keep out of danger."

"Of course, sir," was the reply.

"I mean it, for you have had more than your share of my attention lately. But I say, my lad; feel very boyish now?"

"If you tease me again about that, Doctor," said Archie, "I'll never consult you again."

"Till next time," said the Doctor, with a chuckle.--"Great heavens!

what's that?"

_That_ was a tremendous puff of wind that knocked the j.a.panese screen over against the wall, and sent Archie staggering so that he nearly fell over one of the wounded men. Then almost instantaneously came a terrific roar as if a sudden burst of a tropical storm had followed the flash of light which blazed through the lightly built place, the walls of which had rocked, and seemed to be tottering to their fall.

"Anybody hurt?" panted the Doctor, his first thought being that he must render aid.