Our great fear was that Berghen would intercept and speak to the supposed Azolta; but we were fortunate, he was then on his return from the beach where, as I afterwards found out, he had been overlooking the removal of the boats and canoes. In a short time we were able to assure ourselves that Zolca was safe. Later on Berghen came with a sailor, who brought food and lights; but I guessed that his coming was merely an excuse to see that all was right. Azolta, with a sullen look on her face, could not be told from Zolca, and after a few words with me he departed satisfied.
Then commenced a long and weary vigil, for I felt no inclination to sleep. Azolta, who was tired out, slept on one of the mats, and I sat and watched the glow of the fire through the narrow doorway, for there were no doors to the houses, and the duty of our guard was to keep a sleepless watch on the narrow aperture.
During the early part of the night there seemed to be a great stir, but this died down, and about midnight, when the watch was relieved and the great Wegelhoe took charge, all was silent.
As the hours stole on I began to grow anxious. If anything happened, and Zolca did not come, it would be better for us to cut our way out, or die fighting, than wait for morning to discover the exchange of prisoners. My gloomy forebodings were suddenly put to flight. A loud command in Zolca’s voice, so close that it startled even me, broke the silence, and a deadly volley of arrows stretched most of the guard low. Then came a rush of feet as with a loud shout they rushed on, my brother’s war-cry sounding loud above all.
He had found over a hundred men assembled, and with them had crept up unperceived, close to our place of confinement.
As we issued forth, with Azolta in our midst, the sluggish Wegelhoe, who had been snoring by the fire, reared up his great length, and seizing his pike made at us with it uplifted for a sweeping blow. I jumped on one side, and stabbed him under the arm which, being raised, left part of his body unprotected by back—or breast-plate. He fell like the log he was, and waving my bloody sword, I shouted to Zolca, and Namoa to rally the rest of the people and we would retake the town.
They now poured down to assist us with their concealed weapons, but Berghen, who had at once grasped the position of affairs, was not so foolish as to sacrifice his men against overwhelming odds. Mustering his traitorous natives, he and his sailors formed a rear-guard, and covered their retreat to the shore. Following the example of Paul and myself, they had worn native dress and saved their European clothes. These they had again assumed, and being dressed in leather breeches and high boots, with iron breast-plate, back-plate and cap, they defied our arrows, whilst from behind them their allies poured disastrous volleys into our lightly-clad ranks. Seeing this we contented ourselves with driving them out of the town, meaning to resume the attack with more caution in the daytime.
We returned to collect the dead and wounded. Zolca was for despatching all who wore Berghen’s badge, but I begged their lives, representing how they had been led astray by men with stronger minds. Wegelhoe still lived, and on examining his
DIEDRICH RALLIES THE QUADRUCOS AND RECAPTURES THE TOWN.