If at that moment he could have been spirited away to England, he would have been glad. He had no liking for the soldier's trade, but here he was, here he must stand; if there was to be a fight, it was for liberty and peace. The enemy advanced slowly down the bed of the stream. Not until their front ranks turned the corner of the hill did they become aware that opposition awaited them. They then saw a line of men drawn across the bed of the nullah on their right, with a white man in the centre. They drew rein for a moment to take stock of the little force opposed to them. Realising how small it was, they burst into mocking shouts and charged. Challis had hoped for nothing better, knowing that spears were no match for firearms. He blew his whistle. Fifty more pikemen trooped out from the bushes on the right, and formed a second line behind the first; twenty ranged themselves in a third line. Then, before the jeering horsemen had covered half the distance between the two forces, they saw themselves confronted by a triple line of bristling pikes, a kind of obstacle to which they were unaccustomed. But they did not check their charge. Galloping on with furious shouts, they were within a hundred yards of the pikemen when a flight of spears from their left hurtled among their ranks. Carried on by their impetus, the horsemen dashed upon the pikes outstretched across their front. In some cases the riders, in others the unfortunate horses, were the victims. Some penetrated the first line and the second, only to find still a third awaiting them. Meanwhile their comrades in the rear had been assailed by another shower of spears, and, led by Challis, the pikemen whose weapons had not been broken by the charge pressed forward on the now wavering ranks. Then the thirty spearmen on the hill came into action, darting out upon the rear of the Tubus, hurling their spears, and following up with a charge. Assailed in front, flank, and rear, the Tubus lost heart, pulled their horses round, and galloped away in the only open direction, towards the stream. Crowding one upon another in their haste, many of them urged their horses on to the swamp, unaware of its treacherous surface until the animals began to sink. Then the men sprang from the saddles in fright, abandoned horses, arms, food, and rushed headlong away, to escape the spears of their pursuers.