The shout of alarm was followed, almost instantly, by the sound of a horn and, immediately, a tremendous yell resounded on all sides.
It was answered by the shouts of the garrison and, a moment later, a score of balls composed of matting, dipped in oil or resinous gum, were thrown flaming over the palisades.

These had been prepared the previous day, and the men charged with throwing them had each an earthenware pot, containing glowing charcoal, beside them.

Their light showed groups of men, twenty or thirty strong, advancing within twenty yards of the palisade.
"They are carrying trees, to batter down the stockade, Rajah!" said Harry.
Behind the carrying parties was a dense crowd of Malays, who rushed forward as soon as the fireballs fell, hurling their spears and shooting their arrows, to which the defenders replied vigorously.
"The stockade will not stand a moment against those trees," he continued.

"'Tis best to call the men in, at once." The rajah ordered the native beside him to sound his horn and, in two or three minutes, the men poured in at the entrance.

As soon as the last had come in, the bamboos were put in the holes prepared for them, with some rattans twined between them.