Part 9 (1/2)
During this time Luke had reported more than once that the Frenchmen yet remained on board their vessel, and when the sun was sinking behind the hills Mark said to his cousin:
”We're wasting too much powder and lead, Sue. I don't believe one of our bullets has gone home, and we have sent far too many at random.
The Frenchmen are not beaten yet, and we must have plenty of ammunition when they come again.”
”What, then, are we to do?”
”I will stay here, keeping guard lest the Abenakis attempt to scale the fence. You and our mothers shall attend to the household duties, holding yourselves in readiness to come whenever I shout.”
”But there is nothing for me to do in the house.”
”Then take advantage of the opportunity to get a little rest, for it is certain that we shall have our hands full during all this night. Get supper, if nothing more, and then bring me something to drink.”
”I'll do that first, and then look after myself,” Susan said, as she went toward the house, and a moment later Mark heard from her a cry of distress.
”What's the matter?” he shouted, wildly, fearing, for the instant, that some of the savages had gained entrance to the dwelling despite his careful watch.
”The water! The water!” Susan cried, mournfully, and then came a hum of voices raised high in excitement and fear, amid which the sentinel could distinguish no words.
”Come here, Susan!” Mark shouted, peremptorily, and as the girl appeared he demanded, ”Now tell me what has gone wrong?”
”The children have spilled all the water we took into the house, and there's not a drop to be had!”
”But they couldn't have carried the spring away,” Mark replied, with a laugh, able to make merry even amid the terrible surroundings, so great was his relief at learning that nothing more serious had caused the cry which startled him.
”The sheep have gathered there, until the entire place is a ma.s.s of filthy mud.”
”Well, well, don't let that distress you so sorely. We'll soon be able to clear it out, for I reckon these beggarly Abenakis won't keep me busy more than twelve hours.”
”But if the Frenchmen should come in the meantime?”
”We'll take our chances of that, and get along without water a little while.”
CHAPTER V.
FIRE
Mark was disposed to make light of that which distressed Susan, and thus did he make his first mistake in the defence.
To his mind there was nothing very serious in the loss of the water which had been carried into the dwelling, because the spring was within the stockade, and however much mischief the sheep had done, it would be the work of but few moments to put everything in proper order once more.
The chief thought in his mind was regarding the possible trouble which the Abenakis might make while hidden in the thicket back of the palisade, and, after this, the fear that the ablest of his a.s.sistants might become disabled because of her wound, which had not received the attention such an injury required.
Therefore it was he said to Susan speaking almost sharply to the end that she might feel forced to obey without argument:
”The first thing for you to look after is that wound. Have your mother dress it once more while you can be spared from the palisade.” Then, seeing that she hesitated, he added, ”It is necessary for the safety of all that you look after yourself, because if you were disabled, we would be in most serious plight, you being the best marksman among us.”
Susan hesitated no longer; but went toward the house, even though she did not believe it necessary to give very much attention to her arm, which was not so badly injured but that she could use it with comparative ease.