A loud jabbering, mingled with shouts of both defiance and alarm, now rang out from the village. Children screamed, dogs barked, cocks crew, and goats bleated, and it was evident enough that any idea of taking the place by surprise must be abandoned. [Illustration: (Wounded sailor)] Rapidly the naval brigade formed into line and, with the officers leading, charged forward at the double. The men had orders not to cheer or to fire a shot until they were close to the palisades, which latter enclosed the village on every side except that which opened upon the river. Extending beyond these stockades were stretches of cultivated ground, containing crops of maize, sweet potatoes, melons, and tomatoes. There was absolutely no cover for the attacking force, a few guava-trees and clumps of cacti being the only break in the uniformity of the ground--an unfortunate circumstance. As the bluejackets and marines swept forward to the attack, it became evident that the defenders had loopholes for firearms in their palisades, for a brisk fire was opened at different points upon the advancing brigade, and several men fell out of the ranks wounded; for, though most of the bullets flew high, a few found their billets accurately enough. The ambulance corps at once conveyed these poor fellows to the rear, where the surgeons were in attendance to dress their hurts. [Illustration: _The chief levelled the piece and fired, and Mr. Howard fell._] It was clear that there would be a desperate attempt on the part of the garrison to roll back the charging line of stormers, for in addition to the sharpshooters--who were but few in number--a large posse of warriors could be observed assembling just within the stockades, evidently mounted on platforms erected for the purpose. The rays of the sun flashed brightly on the spears, swords, and hatchets which these fellows bore, and lit up their savage countenances and wild fluttering turbans with weird effect. Close to a strongly-barricaded gateway on the northern side of the line of defences two or three banners were lazily flaunting in the gentle breeze, and near this spot stood the chief, Sooltan Shah, himself, surrounded by his chief advisers and the three Arabs who had acted as Jack Villiers's escort. Sooltan Shah was a powerfully-built man of middle age, and his clean-shaven tattooed face bore a mingled expression of cruelty and pride strongly stamped upon it. A large scar reaching from his right eye to the corner of the mouth, and a slight cast in one eye, lent the whole face a ferocious and sinister look which disagreeably impressed everyone who gazed upon it. [Illustration: (Sooltan Shah)] As I mentioned before, this individual had been on very friendly terms with the dead slaver-captain, and his wrath had been greatly aroused by the news that the little residue of Arabs had brought him.