No less than six times did Hulton bring his battery into action from different parts of the field, playing terrible havoc in the enemy’s ranks, and then his work seemed to be done, for, as had been foreseen, the battle had become a cavalry mêlée, or, rather, a series of single combats, friend and foe being hopelessly intermingled. But one thing was plain enough from where the artillery were seated, waiting for another chance to be of service. In spite of the terrible losses they had sustained, the enemy was steadily pressing the Rajah’s people back towards the river and the bridge, Hulton raging as he felt how helpless he was to produce a diversion.
“Why hasn’t he a regiment or two of foot there to cover the retreat?” he cried. “There would have been plenty of time for them to man the walls afterwards. Can you suggest anything, Wyatt?”
“No,” was the reply. “It’s what I expected. We’ve done our work, and ought to be getting over the bridge now.”
“If we were there now we should be jammed. Look at them; they’re beginning to fly, and our retiring would have a terribly bad effect.”
“There must be another gate and a bridge on the other side of the city,” said Wyatt. “What do you say to following the river-bank?”
“I don’t want to leave the ground. We ought to be covering the retreat,” cried Hulton angrily.
“That’s quite right,” said Wyatt; “but we should injure friends more than foes, and we ought to be moving off. No; look!”
He pointed away along the course of the river, and as Dick followed the direction of his hand, it was to see that a fresh body of cavalry was coming up in the direction Wyatt had proposed for their retreat; while, to add to the peril, from the same direction the white cotton garments of a strong body of foot could be seen following the horse.
That gave something to do, and, rapidly unlimbering, the approaching horse and foot were soon thrown into a state of disorder, and their advance for the time being was checked. But fresh peril threatened. The enemy had gathered together away to their right, and the guns had to be slewed round for a fresh discharge; but before half the volley had parted, a body of about fifty horsemen came on at a gallop, opening out right and left so as to avoid the next discharge.
There was no time for limbering up, and drivers and horse-holders prepared to defend their dismounted comrades to the death.