"Dey good for nuffin, sah," he said. "You hold a bottle, me hit him; dem fellas no can hit a house."
Working in squads, the men had by midday completely blocked up the gateway, and repaired all the breaches that were dangerous.
"I feel better now," said Royce, as he sat with Challis, eating the scanty meal which had to serve them for dinner. "Of course, they could still take the place by a determined rush; but, if they attempt it, they'll suffer more heavily than if they had had the sense or the pluck to come on before we had finished."
"They'll play a waiting game," said Challis. "How long will the grub last, do you think?"
"We can eke it out for ten days or so, by going short. I wonder if one of us could run the gauntlet and make for the nearest British post?"
"It would take more than ten days to get there. Everybody would starve before help came. Besides, there are only about a dozen men in charge, and they wouldn't be strong enough to undertake an expedition such a long distance, and fight their way through some hundreds of horsemen."
"How many do you think they really muster?"
"I've never had a good enough view of them in mass; but, at a guess, I should say six hundred or so."
"They'll take some feeding."
"Yes, but they have the whole country to forage in, and I daresay there are foraging parties out in all directions. They may bring their total number up to a thousand."