cal knowledge, it was stayed up by
ropes to the corners of the house, halliards having previously been rove
through the sheave at its summit. The difficulty was to obtain a flag.
None was to be found, till Mrs Twigg remarked that she and the young
ladies had some light dresses which would answer the purpose.

"Let us have them at once, then," exclaimed Mr Twigg eagerly; "there is
no time to be lost."

Ellen and Fanny, hurrying to their room, quickly returned with a couple
of cambric dresses, such as are generally worn in that warm climate.
Before they had time to take their scissors and cut them open as they
had intended, Mr Twigg seized them, and hurried with them up to the
roof, where Mr Ferris was superintending the erection of the flagstaff.

"Here they are," exclaimed Mr Twigg. "Run them up at once; they will
tell our tale better than any more perfect flag."

Mr Ferris, with a ball of rope yarn in his hand, fastened the dresses
forthwith to the halliards by the skirts, allowing the full sleeves to
blow out.

"There!" he exclaimed, with a touch of his native wit. "Faith, they
will show that there are ladies in distress, and if there is any
gallantry in the heart of the islanders, we shall soon have them running
a race to our assistance."

The dresses thus hoisted flew out to a brisk breeze which blew from the
eastward. Just then several shots were heard, and two or three bullets
fell on the roof, which, though spent, warned those on it that should
the marksmen approach somewhat nearer their position would become
dangerous. Mr Ferris, therefore, calling his assistants down, they all
quickly got under shelter.

Notwithstanding the signal flying from the roof, the day passed without
any one coming to their relief. Their provisions were almost exhausted,
and affairs were becoming serious. Another consultation was held, when
it was determined to beg Mr Pemberton to come as he proposed, the
garrison undertaking to attempt cutting their way through the rebels,
and abandoning the house to destruction. A note to that effect was
accordingly written, and secured, as the former one had been, in
Quashie's woolly head. About an hour after sundown he crept out at the
back of the house, and the instant after was lost to sight. Even his
mother felt no fear for his safety, and every one believed that he would
make his way without difficulty back to Walton.

After he had gone the enemy recommenced their system of an