was repeated, for I did not answer the first, my mouth being
expanded to its fullest stretch in a tremendous yawn.

"Come down, and have some breakfast. You must want it sore."

The very fact of Sarah mentioning it made me feel a horrible sinking
sensation, and as soon as my father gave leave for one of us to leave
the post at the window, I came down to find that, though we up in the
narrow loft had heard nothing, Sarah had been for some time preparing a
good meal, which, whatever might be the perils awaiting us later on, we
all ate with the greatest of enjoyment.

We had hardly finished when Morgan gave the alarm, and my father hurried
to his post of observation, but only to conceal his piece directly, as
he uttered the word "Friend!"

For our nearest neighbour, Colonel Preston, a tall, stern, rather
overbearing man, came up, followed by a couple of men.

"I've come to give you warning, Bruton," he said.

"I tried to send you warning last night," replied my father.

"What! You know?"

"Do you not see how we are barricaded?"

"Oh, I thought it was because you were just getting up. The Indians
came by here then?"

"Yes," said my father; and he briefly told of our adventure, and the
watch we had kept.

"Well," said the colonel, sharply, and as I thought in rather a
dictatorial way; "it all goes to prove that it was a mistake for you to
isolate yourself here. You must move close up to us, so that in a case
of emergency we can all act together."

"It would be better," said my father, quietly.

"Then you will come?"

"No; I selected this place for its beauty, as you chose yours. I should
not like to give it up."

"You'll repent it, Bruton. You must have had a narrow escape last
night."

"I do not know," said my father, thoughtfully. "Of course we were very
suspicious of the reason for the Indians' visit, but they did us no
harm."

"Nor to us. Our numbers overawed them, I suppose."

"Our numbers did not overawe them here," said my father, smiling; but he
added rather bitterly, "If they had meant mischief, we could not have
counted on your help."

"Nor we on yours," said the colonel, in a rather irritable manner.
"Well, of course I have no right to dictate to you; but I may as well
tell you that as soon as the Indians left us, we met together, and
determined to erect a block-house or fort ready to flee to in case of
emergency. It is for you to chose whether you will join us in the
work."

"