their doom if made prisoners, consequently they rained down their blows
frantically, and made several desperate attempts to break through or
divide the small party that opposed them. But the cool and determined
courage and thorough discipline of the Dragoons, and their friends was
too much for them, fighting as they did, for a time, on the defensive;
warding off the cuts of the dusky villains, and giving only a few
thrusts here and there, when it could be done with fatal effect. Many of
their number had already bit the dust, and, as yet, no impression had
been made on the gallant little band, the Soaws being still two to one.
Thus Carlton and his party were still fighting under a disadvantage as
far as numbers were concerned. Had the combatants been less pre-occupied
with their deadly strife, they might have observed, at a short distance,
a female figure cautiously emerging from between the bushes and
stealthily creep beneath the vehicle, to the wheels of which the
Collector had been bound. This was the wife of the head clerk, the
pretty three-quarter caste, whose presence of mind, courage and
forethought had so largely contributed to their deliverance. Rapidly but
surely, with the hunting knife given her by Captain Crosby, she cut the
cords that bound her husband and his companions, who, when they found
they were released, rushed forward and possessed themselves of the
weapons of the fallen mutineers, and immediately commenced an attack on
their flank and rear, in hopes of rendering some assistance to their
brave defenders.

Moving quickly, but in such a way as not to attract notice, Mrs. de
Mello, released the Collector's wife and the other ladies from their
unpleasant and exposed position, and one by one removed them for safety
within the cover of the jungle in case of any chance shot or blow
injuring them. A brief time served to restore the ladies to something
like tranquility, and enable them to arrange their attire to the best