The little line, with fixed bayonets, dashed over and swept down a cluster of Malays who tried to meet their attack with spears before taking to flight, and the next moment, it seemed to Gray, he was standing with his comrades in the verandah, reloading. "Any one down?" cried the lieutenant, sharply. "No, sir; no, sir," was repeated on all sides. "All right then, my boys; make cover of anything--posts, flower vases, anything you can; and we must hold on. Fire where you have a chance; but don't waste a shot." The opening of a door changed the plans, for Mr Linton's voice was heard saying,--"Come in quickly; and we can fire from the windows." This little evolution was soon performed, but under fire, for the Malays sent a desultory series of shots, in company with flying spears, though without any effect, while, as soon as the rest of the upper windows were thrown open, the men knelt down behind what was an excellent breast-work, and maintained a steady fire wherever they saw a flash. Meanwhile there was some sharp volley firing from the direction of the fort, in reply to that of the enemy's brass lelahs. This was soon after followed by the heavy roar of a larger gun on board one of the prahus, to which the occupants of the little fort could not reply, on account of the darkness, and the fact that one of the attacking prahus was between them and the campong, while the other was so sheltered by trees that it would have been folly to have fired. The attack was weak in the extreme--the Malays running forward, firing a shot or two, and then retreating to cover; and this was kept up for a considerable time, the enemy evidently thinking that, as the defenders were weak through the departure of the steamer, they would soon give in. It was evident that they were staggered by the defence, for they had no doubt hoped to surprise both fort and residency. In token of this, the attacking party retreated two or three times over, as if to ask for advice or fresh orders from their boats--orders that were pretty decisive, for they came on each time more keenly than before, the last time with bundles of inflammable wood and reeds, with which they boldly advanced to the verandah of the residency, throwing them down and then rapidly retreating. Lieutenant Ellis no sooner became aware of this, though, than he got his men out from a side window, formed up, waited their time till the Malays came on, shouting, with a burning torch of inflammable resin, and then gave them a volley, followed by a charge.