“I see, by your book, that there should be three thousand four hundred and eighty-two barrels, each containing five hundred cartridges.  Certainly an ample supply, even for a prolonged siege.”

The barrels were piled in four tiers, one above another, forming a wall on each side of a central path, seven feet wide.

“Give me your hand, Mike,” Desmond said to his follower, and, standing upon it, he was able to scramble on to the top.

“Twelve barrels deep,” he said, as he descended.  “Now, let us count the number in each line.”

The wall of barrels extended only some two-thirds of the length of the stores, and there were thirty barrels in each line.  He made a rapid calculation.

“That is three thousand two hundred, but I see that, in addition, there is a small pile on each side, beyond the others, which would about make up the correct total.  Your record is strictly accurate.”

The official took up the lantern, as if the matter was now finished, but Desmond said: 

“No, sir.  I have but begun; and my instructions were to see how much musket ammunition there was here, at present.  I only know how many barrels there are.

“And now, Colonel, I will ask you to call your men in, and set them to work.  I wish two passages made through each of these piles of barrels.  Three feet wide will be sufficient.”

“It would be very dangerous to move them,” the official said hastily.

“Not if it is carefully done.  You tell me the barrels are strong, and that there is no leakage.  Even if this should not be the case, there is little fear of the powder coming in contact with the candles in these lanterns; and besides, as the powder is in cartridges, it would not leak out even if one of the barrels were to burst.”

The soldiers had set to work at four points, chosen at hazard by Desmond.  The barrels, as they were taken down, were ranged along on each side of the central path.  When three lines had been cleared out, one of the soldiers gave an exclamation.

“This is lighter than the one I carried out last!” he said.

“Carry it out into the courtyard,” Desmond said.  “I should like to look at the contents.”

It was taken out to the courtyard, and one end carefully taken out.

“You see, Colonel,” Desmond said, as he looked at its contents, “you would have been reduced to great straits, long before you expected it.”

The colonel, who belonged to the artillery, looked into the barrel, which was full of earth.

“Empty it out!” Desmond ordered.

They did so.  There was not a single cartridge in it.

“This is scandalous!” the colonel exclaimed.  “I did not expect that everything would be found right, but I had no idea of such villainy as this!”

He turned to the men.

“Arrest the commissary, at once,” he said.

But that official was nowhere to be found.  He had slipped away, as soon as the men began to take down the barrels.  Some soldiers were at once sent off in search of him.