Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/184

158 dragged the gun to the mouth of the bridge and, after placing it there, asked Dhirananda and Jivananda to take the Children across the river by the bridge. Twenty choice Children only remained with him to cover their retreat Then innumerable Children crossed the bridge under the command of Jivananda and Dhirananda. Bhava- nanda alone with twenty Children killed many of the enemy's soldiers with one gun. But they were like the in- numerable waves thrown up by the wind. They surround- ed Bhavananda, pressed him and almost drowned him with their numbers. Bhavananda was unwearied, invin- cible and intrepid — he killed numbers of soldiers at each roar of the cannon. The infidel force made sallies on him like waves propelled by storm but the twenty Children effectually stopped access to the bridge with the gun. They did not die even when it seemed they must — and the infidels could not enter the bridge. Those heroes were invincible and, it would seem, immortal. The army of Children made good use of the opportunity to cross to the other side of the stream in large numbers. A little time more and they would all safely reach the other side ! But just then was heard, whence they knew not, a roar of fresh guns. Both parties suspended the fight for a moment and looked where the guns might be. They found that out of the woods came out some guns manipulated by native gunners. On coming out, that great line of guns showered fire on the troops of Captain Hay, throwing out clouds of smoke from