The hostiles drew away, and the fires died out, and the darkness descended again. Now those inside the mission strained eyes to see and ears to hear, trying to find shadows in the darkness, firing now and then where it was believed an enemy lurked. Every foot of the high adobe wall was watched by keen eyes. The quick rustling of a bush in the wind was the signal for half a score of shots. And the only answer was silence--a menacing silence charged with promise of death. An hour passed, during which soldiers felt their nerves at the breaking-point. Then a chorus of shrieks assailed their ears, coming from a corner of the plaza. A sudden rush, a fusillade that took toll of the defenders, and then a hand-to-hand conflict where muskets were dropped and knives and pistols used! “Hah! Come on, hostiles!” the voice of Sergeant Cassara roared. “Have at you, followers of a dog renegade! Charge, will you? Cross blades with a sergeant of Santa Barbara, eh? There, hound! There, cur! There, dog! Come on--more! Let us make a quick end of it.” “At them!” Gonzales was bellowing in his great voice. “Make them walk the plank, the curs! String them up at the yardarm! No quarter, wretches! Hah! Try to split open an honest pirate with a blade, will you? There, misguided imbecile!” Dead and wounded Indians fell inside the wall. Determined men ran from other parts of the plaza at the _comandante’s_ command. Foot by foot they cleared the top of the wall, then caught up muskets and poured a hot volley into the struggling, frenzied mass below. Side by side, swords and poniards in their hands, they held their places while the loyal neophytes behind them reloaded muskets and pistols. The hostiles were beaten back; they attacked at another point. Like waves breaking against a rocky shore they surged against wall and buildings and rolled away again, leaving their dead and wounded behind. They concentrated an attack against the storehouse, trying to make a breach in the wall, and failed. They battered at the windows of the church in vain. Always strong adobe confronted them, every foot guarded by determined men who shot cheerfully and well and answered not at all to the frenzied cries, save by discharge of firearms. Again a retreat and an hour of quiet, and then another rush at the corner of the adobe wall, a rush more determined than the others, and that almost won at the outset. Other parts of the plaza were left unprotected as the entire strength of the garrison gathered to repulse the charge. Storehouse and church were abandoned for a time, except for a few men in each place to give alarm if a counter-attack was started.