"Yes, young idiot! Go home to bed," shouted the captain hoarsely. Then he burst into a savage tirade of curses, for Dummy, in his rage at being right at the back, had thrown another blazing torch straight in over the bristling pike-heads, lighting up the interior, and showing the savage faces of the defenders close together. Ralph judged that the link had struck the captain. "Stand fast, men," he whispered. "We may make them charge out that way. Go on, Dummy, and half-a-dozen more of you throw in your links all together." The order was obeyed, after the torches had been waved into a fierce blaze, and they flew in, scattering drops of burning pitch, bringing forth an outburst of yells of rage and pain, and a quick movement showed that the marauders were about to rush out. But the voice of Captain Purlrose was heard thundering out the words: "Stand fast! Only a few drops of pitch, and a singe or two. Here, two of you, throw them back." An exchange of burning missiles now took place for a few minutes, which soon ended on the part of the defenders, who, roaring with rage and pain, kept on trampling out the torches now thrown. "Stop!" cried Mark. "It's of no good. The cowards will not come out. Here, Ralph Darley." There was a few moments' whispering, resulting in orders being given to the men, two of the Edens, and two of the Darleys standing aside, ready for some action. "Now for another charge," whispered Mark. "Take as long a hold of your pikes as you can, and when I give the order, let your points be all together like one. Ready? Forward!" As the little party advanced, with their pike-heads almost touching, while those of their enemies were advanced to defend the opening, the two men on either side darted close up, shielded by the wall, passed their arms over with a quick motion, and each grasped and held fast one or two pike-shafts, in spite of the efforts of their holders to get them free. But there were enough left to defend the hole, and one by one, in spite of the desperate efforts made to hold them, the imprisoned weapons were at last dragged away, to reappear, stabbing furiously, till, breathless with their exertions, the men once more drew back, several of the Edens in their rage snatching their small mining-picks from their belts, one hurling his into the hole, a wild yell telling that it had done its work. "Well," said Mark despondently, "what can we do?" "Wait and see if they will come out and attack us. We are wasting strength." "Yes. It's no good. We ought to have brought a lot of blasting-powder, Dan, and blown them out." "Yes, Master Mark; but we didn't know. My advice is that we go back now, and come again." "Why, you're hurt," said Ralph excitedly, as he saw the blood streaming down the man's arm. "Ah, so's a lot of us, young master," growled the man. "Look at your own lads."