Part 6 (1/2)

These latter were, briefly questioned whether they had seen anything, and great was the anxiety of all when it was known that they had also heard in the orchard but in a fainter manner, what had attracted the attention of Green and Philips in the garden.

”Why didn't you give the signal then, as directed?”

”Because,” answered Ca.s.s, ”We weren't quite sure about it, and feared the whistle might tell the Injins, if any were near, our whereabouts.”

Scarce had this explanation been given, when the attention of all was arrested by a loud clear shout of the corporals' name, evidently uttered by Collins.

”Into the house--into the house,” exclaimed the same voice. ”The Injins are creeping up to you.”

As these words came ringing upon the silence of the night the dull steps in rapid advance through the two enclosures were now distinctly heard, while the flash of a gun fired in their rear, lighted up the forms of three or four savages, gliding up to them by the pathway by which the corporal had come.

The danger was imminent, the necessity for securing the important position imperative, and without waiting for the order of their superior, or even uttering a word, the whole of the party, acting upon the caution of Collins, made a rush towards the front entrance of the house, which they gained at the very moment when the rattling of the snake-fences, and the total overthrow of the slight enclosure, announced that their enemies were thus near in pursuit.

Fortunately the door was wide open, so that they had all pa.s.sed in, when the Indians on either flank, as though by previous arrangement, poured in their cross fire, towards that common centre, without, however, striking anything but the logs.

Terrific and continuous yells succeeded, and well was it that, with cool prompt.i.tude, the corporal had sought, and found behind the door, where he knew they were usually kept, the strong bars, three in number, that secured the heavy panels, for as many of the Indians as could find room to act together, now applied their shoulders to the frame with such violence, that but for those timely safeguards, it must have yielded.

During more than five minutes they persevered in their efforts, the men waiting anxiously in att.i.tude of preparation for the result, when all at once they ceased, and their footsteps were heard cautiously retiring.

”Quick, look to the back-door, two of you,” commanded the corporal in an eager, but low tone, ”they are going round; there, if that is not secured we are lost.”

Green and Philips sprang forward towards the point indicated, but the latter in his excitement stumbled heavily against something, and fell at his length upon the floor, exclaiming: ”I've fallen over a dead man, and am half drowned in his blood.”

His companion who had escaped this obstruction, had scarcely time to a.s.sure the corporal that the back door was already barred, a fact which he had discovered by dint of feeling, when the latch was first heard gently tried, then the door violently a.s.saulted. Another loud and angry yell from the Indians announced their disappointment, then several shots were fired at the door, and two or three b.a.l.l.s could be heard dropping and rolling upon the floor, after having pa.s.sed through the heavy planks.

”Safe enough now for a while, my lads,” said the corporal exultingly, ”and we can have, a little breathing time. Who's got the means of striking a light, that we may see where we are, and what we're about?”

”I have,” answered Green, as taking a flint, steel, and tinder from his pocket, he, with a couple of strokes, ignited the latter, and approached the hearth, which the faint light from the burning ”punk” enabled him to reach. The fire had long since gone out, but the crisp and blackened embers, soon grew under the care of the soldier into light sufficient to render objects in the apartment gradually more and more distinguishable.

While this process was going on, the rest, leaning on their muskets, were anxiously grouped around the spot where Philips had fallen. At first, only the outline of a man of large stature and proportions could be seen lying in a cramped position, as if produced by some strong convulsive agony, and then when the fire began to kindle and crackle, the dress could be distinguished, and then as the light grew brighter, the scalpless head, and then the marked and distorted features of the murdered master of the house, who lay in a pool of blood that slowly trickled along the crevices of the floor. His hands were firmly clenched upon the barrel of a rifle which had been broken off at the stock, that now lay a few yards beyond, while the features, sternly set in death, bore a mingled expression of defiance and resolution. A cut, as from a tomahawk had laid open his left temple, while on several parts of his body could be seen thick encrustations of blood that had exuded through the rent clothing, marking the seat of several stabs and gunshot wounds. It was evident that Mr. Heywood had not lost his life without a desperate, struggle, for independently of the testimony afforded by his broken rifle, which he seemed to have used with fierce determination, the heavy table had been overthrown, and the few articles of necessary furniture in the room evidently displaced.

”What a tale, this, to carry back,” gravely remarked Weston. ”I wouldn't take the corporal's stripes to-morrow, and be the first man to tell Miss Heywood of it.”

”Supposing we get back at all,” said Ca.s.s. ”Though we're safe enough for the present, I've no notion these devils will let us off go soon.”

”There's no great danger now,” interrupted the corporal. ”I defy them, if they're not stronger than we saw them this morning, to get into the house, with six good firelocks to defend it.”

”But they may set fire to it, and burn us out,” persevered the apprehensive man with the hooked nose and the peaked chin; ”I've heard of those things before.”

”Burn your granny out, Nutcrackers; look at them logs well, and say if it would'nt take h.e.l.l-fire itself to burn 'em through in a month, but corporal, had'nt we better divide the ammunition. We don't know, as Ca.s.s says, what the imps are about, and what trouble they may give us yet.”

”Right, Green, there's nothing like being on the sure side, and so, my lads look to the pouches. Weston, there's a candle in that stone bottle on the shelf--light it, and put it on the table as soon as you have got that on its legs again.”

The examination was soon made. Each small cartouch box, expressly made for light excursions, contained, with the exception of the single cartridge which Collins had fired, the usual allowance of fifteen rounds. Two of these however--those of Green and Philips--had been so saturated by long immersion in the water, that they were wholly unserviceable. They were therefore emptied and dried, and the deficiency supplied from the pouches of their comrades, thus leaving about a dozen charges to each man.

”A small stock of ammunition, this, I guess, to stand a long siege on an empty belly,” drawled forth Ca.s.s.

”Just like you--always croakin',” sneered Green, ”and always thinking of your belly. Why man, you've more ammunition there, I take it, than ever you'll fire away in your life.”

”And if we haven't enough,” said the corporal, going to, and taking down and shaking a powder horn, which hung suspended from the wall, that had evidently been overlooked by the Indians, ”here are a dozen more charges at least, and the b.a.l.l.s of the cartridges have not, I take it, lost their power to drill a hole into a fellow because they've been considerably well ducked. But hark! what noise is that--listen!”