he blacks, who had evidently
determined to approach the house with their whole body at once.

The lieutenant having disposed his men to the best advantage, again
ascended to the roof to see if any help was coming. He gazed eagerly
round to the west and north. He could discover neither the looked-for
signal announcing the approach of Mr Pemberton's party, nor any troops
or militia. As he was about again to go down the ladder, he discovered
the overseer lying on the roof with a musket by his side.

"Why are you not at your post?" he asked.

"I am of more use where I am," answered the overseer. "I intend doing
what was left undone just now. Don't interfere with me."

The lieutenant had not time to exchange words with the man; he hastened
down that he might be ready to encourage the rest.

Suddenly the savages gave forth one of those fearful yells which they
are accustomed to utter as they rush forward to the fight. As soon as
they got within musket range, those in the front line began firing,
showing that they evidently had abundance of ammunition.

The lieutenant distinguished a tall black, with a musket in his hand,
leading them on. He raised it to his shoulder and fired. At that
moment a fearful shriek was heard--it came from the roof--and a heavy
body fell from the trap to the floor below. The black flourished his
weapon above his head without stopping to reload.

"De oberseer is dead," cried Martha, who had rushed out of a closet in
which the children had been placed for safety, "he is dead, pity he not
killed dis morning."

The event had indeed occurred too late to be of any avail to the
garrison. To attempt making a sortie would now have been madness, for,
bad marksmen as were the negroes, the whole party might have been shot
down even before they could have reached any available shelter.

Cudjoe's success--for he must have seen the overseer fall by his
bullet--encouraged his followers, and now, shrieking, leaping, and
brandishing their weapons, they rushed forward. In vain the lieutenant
charged his men not to throw a shot away; the greater number in their
eagerness fired, forgetting that they had no fresh charges, and when
they felt for their cartridges to reload, they found that their
ammunition was expended. The enemy thus almost with impunity reached
the walls.

Several of the remaining shots were fired at Cudjoe. He seemed to bear
a charmed life, or rather the wonderful leaps and bounds