Part 2 Chapter 10 Summary

The Collector sleeps in and misses doing a round of inspections before the attacks begin. The Padre, however, makes a round of the ramparts and prays fervently. He hands out fliers to all of the men. Fleury and Harry, who have taken up positions at the banqueting hall, want to get in on the action, and they decide they can shoot at any natives under certain conditions and within a specific range, although they are not under attack at their post. Both young men think they see some swarming or shadows in the melon beds, but neither wants to sound the alarm in case they are wrong. All of the other soldiers at their post are either elderly or, like Fleury, totally inexperienced in war.

Without warning, the enemy attacks, swarming towards them from the melon beds near the river. Several...