Evidently a number of the newly arrived Malays had struck into it by some other track from the town.
"That settles it," the lieutenant said shortly; "we must fight it out here.

It is lucky we have a fair stock of ammunition, and can keep it up for some hours yet.

You see, the sailors have not had to use their pistols yet, and they will astonish those fellows if they do manage to scale the sandbags." For another half hour the fighting continued.

Again and again the Malays fell back, but only to return to the attack with fresh fury, and the defenders had been obliged to betake themselves more than once to their pistols.

The two heavy guns were now removed from their position to the sides, for the attack by boats had ceased entirely, and the destruction of the prahus was of less importance than the defense of the little fort from the attacks on its flanks.