They shouted, but no sound
could pierce the walls or escape through that tremendous door. Even
the sound of firing merely echoed upward until it reached the dome,
and then filtered out and upward through the opening above. They
might as well have shouted to their friends in Bholat!
For ten minutes, perhaps, the battle surged and swayed on the stone
floor first one side rushing, then the other. But man after man of
the mutineers went down--appalled by the amazing swordsmanship,
disheartened by the grim determination of their adversaries, bewildered
to feebleness by the suddenness of the attack.
Soon there were but eight of them facing the blood-wet steel, and
then Brown shouted for a fresh formation, swung his contingent into
line and led them with a rush across the floor that swept the remaining
mutineers off their feet.
Three more went down with steel through them, and then the rest
surrendered, throwing down their arms, and begging mercy. Brown made
a bundle of their arms, stowed it in a corner and made the prisoners
stand together in a bunch, while he searched them thoroughly.
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