[At the Point of the Bayonet by G. A. Henty]@TWC D-Link book
At the Point of the Bayonet

CHAPTER 12: The Defence Of Johore
14/30

What I should propose would be to pull up enough bamboos for four men to go out, together, on the side facing the wind.

Two hundred men should first sally out; remaining, as they do so, close to the ditch.

When all are ready, they should crawl across the cleared ground and then, at a signal, attack the enemy who, taken by surprise, would be sure to give way, at first.
"As they attack, fifty men with torches should rush out and follow them, and set fire to as many huts as they can.

As soon as they had done their work, all should run back, when the signal is given.
"There will be two advantages: in the first place, the sudden attack will disconcert the enemy, and render them less willing to expose their lives, by storming a place so desperately held; in the second place, the wind will carry the flame over the whole town, and I hope the burning fragrants will carry the flames over all the fields where the crops are dry; thus causing them much more difficulty in obtaining dry wood for faggots, and they will be exposed to our arrows, much longer, before they throw them against the stockade." "It would be excellent, sahib; but do you think the men would go ?" "Just at the present moment, they would do anything; they are half wild with excitement and triumph." Harry presently went with the interpreter to the rajah's house.
"I have a plan to propose to you," he said, "that will render it much more difficult for the enemy to set fire to the stockade;" and he then explained his scheme.
The rajah's eyes glistened with excitement.
"Nothing could be better," he said; "and there is but one fear, and that is, that the enemy will follow us so hotly, that they will enter through the breach before we can close it." "I have thought of that," Harry said, "and the order must be that, when the signal is given, the men must throw down their torches; and then each man must run, not for the hole in the stockade, but to the nearest point, and keep along outside the ditch, and enter by it.

In that way the point at which they entered would not be known and, moreover, they would be able to enter more rapidly, and with much less confusion, than if they all arrived together in a crowd.


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