from the batteries across the Urumea, now directed the gunners to
fire over the stormers' heads; and again a cry went up that our men
were being slaughtered by their own artillery. Undismayed by this,
with no recollections of the first assault to daunt them, a company
of the Light Division took advantage of the fire to force their way
over the rampart on the right of the great breach and seize a
lodgment in some ruined houses actually within the town. There for
an hour or so these brave men were cut off, for the assault in
general made no headway.

It must have failed, even after five hours' fighting, but for an
accident. A line of powder-barrels collected behind the traverses by
the great breach took fire and blew up, driving back all the French
grenadiers but the nearest, whom it scattered in mangled heaps.
As explosion followed explosion, the bright flame spread and ran
along the high curtain. The British leapt after it, breaking through
the traverse and swarming up to the curtain's summit. Almost at the
same moment the Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth Portuguese, who had
crossed the river by a lower ford, hurled themselves over the lesser
breach to the right; and as the swollen heavens burst in a storm of
rain and thunder, from this point and that the besiegers, as over the
lip of a dam, swept down into the streets.

'Treat men like dogs, and they'll behave like dogs,' grumbled
Sergeant Wilkes, as he followed to prevent what mischief he might.
But this, he well knew, would be little enough.



CHAPTER V.