as closed on it. This lamp was the
signal for the major to approach, and with beating hearts the females
bent forward from the windows, secure of not being seen in the night,
which had now fairly closed on the valley, to listen to his approaching
footsteps beneath. They did not wait long ere he was not only heard,
but dimly seen, though totally out of the line of sight from all in the
Hut, with the exception of those above his head. Captain Willoughby had
prepared a rope, one end of which was dropped, and fastened by the
major, himself, around his body. A jerk let those above know when he
was ready.

"What shall we do next?" asked the captain, in a sort of despair.
"Woods and I can never drag that tall, heavy fellow up such a distance.
He is six feet, and weighs a hundred and eighty, if he weighs a pound."

"Peace," half-whispered Maud, from a window. "All will be right in a
moment." Then drawing in her body, the pale but earnest girl begged her
father to have patience. "I have thought of all. Mike and the blacks
may be trusted with our lives--I will call them."

This was done, and the county Leitrim-man and the two Plinys were soon
in the room.

"O'Hearn," said Maud, inquiringly--"I think you are my friend?"

"Am I my own!--Is it yees, is the question? Well, jist wish for a
tooth, and ye may take all in my head for the asking. Och, I 'd be a
baste, else! I'd ate the remain of my days wid not'ing but a spoon to
obleege ye."

"As for you, Pliny, and your son here, you have known us from children.
Not a word must pass the lips of either, as to what you see--now pull,
but with great care, lest the rope break."

The men did as ordered, raising their load from the ground, a foot or
two at a time. In this manner the burthen approached, yard after yard,
until it was evidently drawing near the window.

"It's the captain hoisting up the big baste of a hog, for provisioning
the hoose, ag'in a saige," whispered Mike to the negroes, who grinned
as they tugged; "and when the cr'atur squails, see to it, that ye do
not squail yerselves."

At that moment the head and shoulders of a man appeared at the window,
Mike let go the rope, seized a chair, and was about to knock the
intruder on the head; but the captain arrested the blow.

"It's one of the vagabond Injins that has undermined the hog, and coome
up in its stead," roared Mike."

"It's my son"--answered the captain, mildly--"see that you are silent,
and secret."