It ended just as Mr. Gubbins entered.

"Look about," he said; "they must have a magazine somewhere here; perhaps
a large one."

There was a rapid search.

"Here it is," Ned said, as he looked into a large outhouse behind the
building. "There are some twenty barrels of powder and a large quantity of
shot and shell."

"Break open a barrel, quick!" Mr. Gubbins said. "Mr. Johnson, I will do
this with the Warreners. Do you line that low wall, and keep back the
pandies a minute or two; they will be on us like a swarm of bees. Run into
the house," he said to Dick, as Mr. Johnson led his men forward to the
wall, "you will see a bucket of water in the first room. Bring it here
quick. Now then," he said, "empty this barrel among the others; that's
right, smash in the heads of three or four others with this hammer. That's
right," as Dick returned with the water. "Now fill your cap with powder."

Dick did so, and Mr. Gubbins poured some water into it, stirred them
together till the powder was damped through, and with this made a train
some five feet long to the dry powder.

The party at the wall were now hotly engaged with a mass of advancing
enemy.

"Fall back, Mr. Johnson, quickly. Sound the retreat, bugler. Go along,
lads; I'll light the train."