Well, let's see how they are getting on yonder." He went out of the cabin, leaving the first-mate to resume his watch over the boat, for during the time this episode of rifle practice was in progress another furious attack had been made upon the barricaded door.
Spears had been thrust and darted through, blows struck through cracks and holes with krises and the deadly sword-like parang, and in spite of the fierce and slowly-sustained fire kept up, the defences were rapidly becoming more dilapidated, and several fresh wounds had been received.
But the determination of the men had not failed for a moment, while just at the worst time a change was made for the better by the fresh force put into the defence by Small and Mr Morgan.
The attack through the sky-lights had not been renewed, and, weary with sitting and watching through the films of blue smoke which filled the cabin their captain and the men so sorely pressed, these two suddenly dashed into the fray, each going to a hole and firing rapidly.
This checked the Malays for the time, but they came on again, and when the major joined in with a couple of shots from his little rifle the fight was still furiously raging.
Suddenly, however, just as the barriers were giving way, and every opening seemed to bristle with spears, there was a terrible shout, and the attack ceased.
"Failure of the rear movement, cease firing ordered from the front," said the major quietly.

"Now we shall have time to repair damages." "Ah, major," cried the captain, "if I could only be as cool as you!" and he wrung his hand.
"My dear Strong, you are a regular lion," replied the major.

"You were getting hard pressed there." "And you were as calm as if nothing were the matter." "Way to win, my dear sir: way to win; but I say, between ourselves, things were looking ugly just then." "I believe you saved us--you," said Morgan.
"Humph!" replied the major.

"It's my belief, sir, that if those scoundrels had not let themselves be damped by the failure of the plan, and had kept on, we should have been all prisoners by now.

Or--" "I understand you," said the captain gravely.