“It’s terribly un-English,” he said; “but they would have no mercy on us.”
“What do you mean?” I said.
“They have declared war on us, and they ought to take the consequences.”
“Explain yourself,” I said, as I felt as if I were listening to him with one ear, and for the return of our absent men with the other.
“Well,” he said, “I feel as if I should like to give the scoundrels a lesson. The magazine is half full of powder, and to-morrow the wretches will be up here plundering and destroying.”
“Well, what then?”
“It would be so easy to lay a trap for them. Plant all the powder behind the gates, after carefully barricading them; lay a train; wait till they were all crowded together, and trying to get in, and then fire the train and blow them all to destruction.”
“And who would fire the train, Haynes?” said Brace, who, unnoticed by us, had heard every word.
“I feel as if I could enjoy staying behind on purpose,” said Haynes.
“Hah! I’ve better work on hand for you,” said Brace, quietly. “It would do no good, and only be destroying a mob of the greatest ruffians in Rajgunge. Hah, there is the challenge at last.”