of troops, with elephants, were to be seen approaching from the distance.

"That is all right," he said. "They will wait, and renew the attack to-
morrow."

An hour afterward it was night. The moon had not risen yet, and Major
Warrener had a huge bonfire lighted outside the gate, with posts and solid
beams from the fallen gates and from the houses.

"That will burn for hours," he said, "quite long enough for our purpose."

Lights could be seen scattered all over the side of the plain on which the
tents were erected, some of them coming up comparatively close to the
walls. On the road in front, but far enough to be well beyond the light of
the fire, voices could be heard, and occasionally a shout that they would
finish with the infidel dogs to-morrow rose on the air. Evidently by the
low buzz of talk there were a large number here, and probably the guns had
been brought closer, to check any attempt on the part of the little
garrison to dash through their enemies. The blazing fire, however,
throwing as it did a bright light upon the empty gateway through which
they must pass, showed that at present, at least, the besieged had no idea
of making their escape.

At nine o'clock the whole of the garrison stood to their horses. Not only
had their feet been muffled with the leather shoes, but cloths, of which
there were plenty in the village, had been wound round them, until their
footfalls would, even on the hardest road, have been noiseless. Then Major
Warrener led the way to the spot where ten men had been at work during the
afternoon.