“These Blue Sakae are real peaches. I’ve never seen fellows go in so quick. The Shamans tried to collect, but what with wounded horses careering round and arrows still coming down from the men on the flanks, we were into them before they could form. Just as we got to the bottom I caught sight of Stephnos’s fellows coming down beyond them, and saw some women at the back. “There were really only fifty-odd enemy--we counted fifty-two after, and I don’t think any got away, and we knocked over nearly thirty before we started down, while Stephnos’s fellows were shooting after that. When we got in there was a pretty little scurry. “A big hook-nosed fellow came for me--I’d taken to my pistol now--and I pushed him over. Just to my right was the N.C.O. hard at it sword to sword with a man in a leather coat. Then the N.C.O. got home, and the chap sort of fell over him in a heap. While he was trying to clear his sword another raider rushed him with a knife. “I couldn’t lend a hand at the moment, as I was busy with a black-bearded fellow, who materialized on my left with a sword, and I thought the N.C.O. was a goner. “I blew my gentleman’s face in at about three feet, and his sword ripped my sleeve up and scratched my arm as he caught it and crumpled. Next time I go to one of these beanos I’m borrowing a mail shirt.” He held up his arm, and I saw then that his coat-sleeve was ripped up and the shirt below all mottled with blood. “I didn’t notice that. Is it deep?” “No; nothing. Tied it up with a handkerchief afterwards, and it stopped at once. However, to get back to the N.C.O. As my bloke toppled over, I saw Firoz’s rifle-barrel come over the N.C.O.’s shoulder as he struggled to get his sword clear. The new man was just lunging when Firoz sort of blew him away from the muzzle. He spun round and collapsed with most of the back of his head missing. “The next thing that happened was my running into Stephnos, with a white set face, blood all over his sword and arm, looking round for something more to kill, so I gathered the show was about over. “There was a worry going on under the bank, where two of the enemy had got their backs to a big rock, and four of our fellows were finishing them. Beyond us some of the men were freeing the women, who were tied to the horses. Luckily none of them had got hit, and the enemy had been too rushed to hurt them. Others were tying up wounded men, and some more were holding prisoners. The whole place was littered with bodies of men and horses, many with arrows sticking in ’em. “I looked round for the soldier whose girl had been killed, and presently I found him. He was on top of a big fellow in a mail shirt, and he had his teeth in the man’s throat. By his side was his sword, broken off below the hilt. A couple of men were pulling him clear as I came up.