It would be a terrible blow to us if they succeeded, for the loss of our stores would completely cripple us.

They would naturally choose the occasion of an attack upon our lines for the attempt for, in the first place, most of the troops will be under arms and drawn up outside the town; and in the second place the sight of the place on fire would cause much confusion, would inspirit our assailants, and necessitate a considerable force being withdrawn from the field, to fight the fire.
"If the rains continue we need feel no uneasiness, whatever, for there would be no getting anything to burn; whereas in dry weather, a man with a torch might light the thatch as fast as he could run along, and a whole street would be in a blaze in two or three minutes and, if a wind happened to be blowing, it might make a sweep of the whole place, in spite of all our efforts." "I see that, sir.

I own that I had never given it a thought, before." "I shall come up here, Colonel, unless we obtain sure news, before the time arrives, that the attack is going to be a general one; indeed, it is in any case the best place to post myself, for I can see over the whole country, and send orders to any point where the enemy may be making progress, or where our men can advance with advantage.

The line of fire flashes will be as good a guide, at night, as the smoke by day." "I will get a cot rigged up for you, General, as we don't know which night it is to be." "Thank you.

Yes, I may just as well turn in, all standing, as the sailors say, and get a few hours' sleep; for in this climate one cannot keep at it, night and day, as we had to do in Spain." The two aides-de-camp were kept in suspense as to what the general's intentions were, and it was not until the morning of Tuesday that he said to them: "I am going up to the pagoda this evening, Mr.Tollemache; and you had better, therefore, put some provisions and a bottle of brandy into your holsters." At nine in the evening they rode off.