I gave my message; and then Miss Ross asked me if any one was hurt, to which I answered as cheerfully as could be that we were all right as yet; and then, taking myself off, Lizzy Green came with me to the door, and I held out my hand to say good-bye; for I knew it was possible I might never see her again. She gave me her hand, and said "Good bye," in a faltering sort of way, and it seemed to me that she shrank from me. The next instant, though, there was the rattling crash of the firing, and I knew now that our men were answering. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWELVE. As I went down into the courtyard, I found the smoke rising in puffs as our men fired over the breastwork at the mob coming at the gate; Captain Dyer in the thick of it the while, going from man to man, warning them to keep themselves out of sight, and to aim low. "Take care of yourselves, my lads. I value every one of you at a hundred of those black scoundrels. Tut, tut! whose that down?" "Corporal Bray," says some one. "Here, Emson, Smith, both of you lend a hand here. We'll make Bantem's quarters hospital.--Now then, look alive, ambulance party!" We were about lifting the poor fellow, who had sunk down behind the breastwork, all doubled up like, hands and knees, and head hanging; but as we touched him, he straightened himself out, and looked up at Captain Dyer. "Don't touch me yet," he says in a whisper. "My stripes for some one, captain. Do for Isaac Smith there. Hooray!" he says faintly, and he took off his cap with one hand, gave it a bit of a wave, "God save the Quee--" "Bear him carefully to the empty ground-floor, south side," says Captain Dyer sternly; "and make haste back, my lads: moments are precious." "I'll do that with private Manning's wife," says a voice; and, turning as we were going to lift our dead comrade, there was big strapping Mrs Bantem, and another soldier's wife; and she then said a few words to the captain. "Gone?" says Captain Dyer. "Quarter of an hour ago, sir," says Mrs Bantem; and then to me: "Poor trooper, Isaac!" "Another man here," says Captain Dyer.--"No, not you, Smith.--Fill up here, Bantem." Joe Bantem waved his hand to his wife, and took the dead corporal's place; but not easily, for Measles, who was next man, was stepping into it, when Captain Dyer ordered him back. "But there's such a much better chance of dropping one of them mounted chaps, sir," says Measles grumbling. "Hold your tongue, sir, and go back to your own loophole," says Captain Dyer; and the way that Measles kept on loading and firing, ramming down his cartridges viciously, and then taking long and careful aim--ah, and with good effect, too!--was a sight to see. All the while we were expecting an assault; but none came; for the mutineers fell fast, and did not seem to dare to make a rush while we kept up such practice.