"The attack was too sudden," said the King. "The poor fellows had not a chance."
"I ought to have gone there sooner," groaned Mr. Kenyon.
The words had hardly passed his lips when the great hall became light as day for a moment, and then there was a roar like a peal of thunder, making the bamboo sun-blinds rattle and the whole place quiver.
"Hurrah!" shouted Harry. "I know. That's Sree!"
He did not pause to think how Sree could have been by him so short a time before and down at the barrier then.
Even if he had felt disposed to wonder, the thought would have been driven out of his head, for in the midst of the sudden silence which had succeeded the tremendous roar it was repeated—the other mine had been fired, with a report which seemed louder than the first.
The silence, both inside and out, was now appalling, and those within ceased reloading, as they waited, wondering what the effect had been upon the enemy, and whether such a catastrophe as that which must have befallen them would be followed by a retreat.
But it was the turn of the besieged now to receive a shock, for all at once the faces of those who thronged the court began to be visible in the darkness. In another minute there came flash after flash, showing thousands of gleaming eyes, and a spontaneous yell of savage delight rose up from all around as the light grew brighter.
"The palace—at the back!" cried Harry wildly. "Oh, Phra, we oughtn't to have left our posts."
"They have come in through the wall and fired the place," said Phra with a groan.