ured me, joined them.
So close were they by this time that I was afraid they would see us as
we made our way to the stable. We reached it just as they broke into
the grounds on the opposite side. Some time was lost in saddling the
horses; as I led mine out, I saw several black faces peering out of the
windows above us. I threw myself on the animal's back, Tom having
mounted his horse inside the stable; a shower of bullets, happily ill
aimed, came whizzing about our ears--two, indeed, passed through my
jacket. Away I galloped, followed by Tom; though several more shots
were fired at us, we escaped them all. Fortunately, there were no other
horses in the stable or we should probably have been followed. As I
looked over my shoulder I saw smoke ascending from the roof of the
house, and ere I had got much further flames burst out from every part.
At first I proposed pushing for Kingston, but Tom expressed his belief
that we should find bands of rebels on the road, and I determined
therefore to come on in this direction, and to warn any friends on the
way. How our horses have done so much seems surprising, for you may be
sure we took but a short time to rest. We passed on the way, I should
say, several parties of blacks, but as they had no firearms, we dashed
by them uninjured, although some made an attempt to stop us."

"Did you say, sir, that all the officers and men were massacred at Fort
Maria?" asked Major Malcolm, in an agitated tone.

"I have too little doubt about it, sir," answered Mr Hayward. "I can
trust Tom's word, and Captain Torrens's servant assured him that he saw
his master and Ensign Duck murdered with the other white gentlemen."

"Only two days ago we dined with him, little thinking what was soon to
occur!" said the major, with a sigh. "Poor fellow! poor fellow! how
full of life and spirits he seemed! Such may be the fate of any one of
us!"

Miss Pemberton looked sad as he spoke.

"You are now convinced, Mr Thompson, that there is something in the
report we heard," observed Mr Ferris to the overseer, "and that we were
not foolishly alarmed?"

"How soon do you think that the band of rebel blacks can reach Bellevue,
should they come in this direction?" asked the major of Mr Hayward.

"They might be here in a day--and my belief is that there are several
bands much nearer at hand, and that it would be wise to prepare for an
attack without a moment's delay," answered Mr Hayward.

"Preparation