The defenders were hard pressed at several
points, and Walter, feeling sure that his father would be up in a very
few minutes, called the men off from their posts and stationed them on
the staircase.
With shouts of triumph, the Hessians burst in. The hall was filled with a
crowd of furious soldiers, who hurled themselves like a wave at the
defenders of the staircase. All the pistols had long since been emptied,
and they fought sword to sword. Walter had detached five of his little
party to hold the top of the other staircase, should the assailants try
to force a passage there; and he had but ten men now, and several of
these severely wounded, to hold the staircase.
Great as the advantage that the position gave the defenders, they were
forced up step by step, and Walter began to fear that he would be driven
to the landing before succour came, when a crowd of figures suddenly
burst in at the hall door, and above the cracking of pistols, which at
once arose, he heard his father's voice:
"Down with the murdering dogs! No quarter!"
Taken wholly by surprise, ignorant of the force by which they were
attacked, and taken between two bodies of enemies, the Hessians turned to
fly. Walter and his men at once pressed down upon them, while the
newcomers fell upon them with fury.
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