g, and each taking a
musket, we kneeled down at the lower loop-holes which I have
described. On second thoughts, I mounted the stool, whispering to her,
"Don't fire till I do."

The Indians came to the door and tapped, one asking in English to be
let in. No reply was given, and they commenced their attack upon the
door with their axes. As soon as this aggression took place, I took
good aim at their chief, as I presumed him to be, who was now standing
alone on the hill. I fired. He fell immediately.

As I leaped from the stool my mistress discharged her musket, and we
both caught up others and returned to the loop-holes below. By this
time the blows of the axes were incessant, and made the cabin-door
tremble, and the dust to fly down in showers from the roof; but the
door was of double oak with iron braces, and not easily to be cut
through; and the bars which held it were of great size and strength.

It was some time before we could get another shot at an Indian, but at
last I succeeded, and as his comrades were taking the body away my
mistress shot another. After this the blows of the axes ceased, and
they evidently had retreated. I then went into the inner room and
extinguished the lamp, that they might not be able to see us--for the
lamp gave a faint light. We returned to the table, and loaded the
muskets in the dark.

As I put my musket on the table, my mistress said, "Will they come
again?"

"Yes;" replied I, "I think they will; but if you wish to talk, we had
better retreat to the fire-place: there we shall be safe from any
shot."

We retreated to the fire-place, and sat down on the ashes; it just
held us both, and my mistress took this opportunity of embracing me,
saying--

"Dear Alexander, if I had a thousand lives, I would sacrifice them for
you."

"We have but one," replied I, "and that one I will devote for your
defence; I can do no more."

"Who did you fire at?" said she.

"The chief, as I believe, who was on the hill giving orders. He fell;
and I think that he fell dead."

"Then depend upon it they will retreat," said she.

"I think not; they will be revenged, if they possibly can; and we must
expect a hard fight for it."

"Why, what can they do? They never can break through the door, and
when daylight comes we can shoot them by dozens."

"Depend upon it," said I, "they will try to burn us out. The wind is
high, which is all in their favour, and I suspect they are now gone to
collect fir