By the way, I told Forster of your offer of your horse, and I think he is going to take it." "He is welcome to it," Bathurst said carelessly; "it will be of no use to me." "Now, look here," the Doctor said shortly; "just put Miss Hannay out of your head for the present, and attend to the business on hand.

I do not think there is much chance of their trying it on again tonight, but they may do so, so please to keep a sharp lookout while I am below." "I will be careful, Doctor," Bathurst said, with a laugh; but the Doctor had so little faith in his watchfulness that as soon as he went below he sent up Wilson to share his guard.
At twelve o'clock the sandbags were removed sufficiently to allow a horse to pass through, and Forster's and Bathurst's animals were led out through the breach, their feet having been muffled with blankets to prevent their striking a stone and arousing the attention of the enemy's sentinels.

Once fairly out the mufflings were removed and Forster sprang into his saddle.
"Goodby, Major," he said; "I hope I may be back again in eight or nine days with a squadron of cavalry." "Goodby, Forster; I hope it may be so.

May God protect you!" The gap in the defenses was closed the instant the horses passed through, and the men stood in the breach of the wall listening as Forster rode off.

He went at a walk, but before he had gone fifty paces there was a sharp challenge, followed almost instantly by a rifle shot, then came the crack of a revolver and the rapid beat of galloping hoofs.
Loud shouts were heard, and musket shots fired in rapid succession.
"They are not likely to have hit him in the dark," the Major said, as he climbed back over the sandbags; "but they may hit his horses, which would be just as fatal." Leaving two sentries--the one just outside the breach near the wall, the other on the sandbags--the rest of the party hurried up on the roof.