The Rajah's Fortress — page 174: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 163 CHAPTER XIX. THE ATTACK BEGUN. On the second day after the visit of Pandy’s messengers, Castle Bolton was in a fitting state of defense. The little brass cannons thrust their polished noses through every loophole in the stockade. The savages had all been armed, and, commanded by Mombagole, they strutted about proudly with their guns over their shoulders. The gate had been closed and barred and the drawbridge brought clear inside. They had a plentiful supply of provisions on hand, though Bolton had little fears of a siege. He knew the dacoits too well to suppose that they would lurk about the place in case a furious onslaught should fail. All depended on repelling their first attack, and Bolton felt reasonably confident of success, though he was harassed by one disadvantage. His little cannons commanded the shores, but could not well COLUM 1OOO SS co