It was now past six o'clock, and in less than half an hour it would be safe to make a start. I went to Zoiloff to consult.
My plan was to make a rush upon the men and drive them away sufficiently far to admit of our horses being put in the cart, and then risk the chances of flight. He agreed readily, for the inaction was vastly less to his mind than any fighting, and we made our preparations accordingly.
"We are seven to their nine or ten, say. The leader lies there wounded, you have disabled a second man, and they have sent away probably two and certainly one; and as we are armed and they are not, and we shall catch them unawares, we can certainly beat them off. We must then get the horses ready and be off. The sun's low now, and, as there is a mist rising, it will be dark enough for our purposes long before seven. And, anyway, we can't wait here to be trapped like rabbits as soon as they succeed in bringing up reinforcements."
We set to work at once. The barricade of the back door was removed quietly and we all mustered by it in silence.
"Silence till we are outside," I whispered. "Then with a rush fall on them with more noise than force, and scare and drive them off."
I lifted the latch noiselessly and, opening the door, stepped out, followed by the rest. Then with a loud shout we rushed round the house and caught the men as they stood smoking and talking, expecting nothing less than an attack from us.
They fled like chaff, helter-skelter in all directions, not venturing even a pretence at resistance. The two or three who had guns attempted to fire, but we struck
