"Tell the men to make torches, and thrust them out through the loopholes when the enemy come." The chief nodded, after Lisle had repeated the sentence in a dozen different ways.

He at once ordered the men to bring up ropes, and to soak them with oil; and then in a low voice, so that the assailants should not hear, repeated the order to the men in the other houses.
The ropes were cut up into lengths of three feet, and then there was nothing to do but to wait.

The attack had begun at three in the afternoon, and by six it was quite dark.

A loud yell gave the signal, and the enemy rushed through the hedge and surrounded the three houses.

All had walls round them and, while the assailants battered at the doors, which had been backed up with earth and stones, the defenders lighted their torches and thrust them out, through loopholes in the upper stories, and then retired again to the ground floor.
The doors soon gave way to the attacks upon them, and the assailants rushed in, in a crowd.