, but they did
not answer; she came out to look for them, and asked me whether I had
seen them.

I told her that I had not seen them for two hours, and I had thought
that they were in the house.

"Did you tell them about the Indians?"

"Yes, I did," I replied, "and stated my opinion that they would attack
us this night, and I advised them not to go far from the cabin, or they
might be cut off."

"Then the cowardly sneaks have run off to the woods, and left us to
defend ourselves how we can."

"I shall not defend myself," replied I. "I shall stay here where I am.
I wait for death, and will not avoid it."

"Come into the house," said she, abruptly.

"No," replied I, "I will not."

"You will not," said she, and, catching up the chain and ball in one
hand, with her other arm she caught me round the waist, and carried me
into the house.

"Well," replied I, "it is only deferring it a little longer; they will
force their way in it at last, and I will die here."

"Wait until they arrive," replied my mistress. "But do you mean to say
that you will not defend the house?"

"Certainly not, as long as I am chained as a slave," replied I.

My mistress made no reply, but busied herself with barring the door and
window. She then placed the table and stools so that she might stand
upon them and fire out of the upper loop-holes; pulled the moss out of
the loop-holes; took down the muskets--of which there were six--from
their rests; examined the priming of those which were loaded, and loaded
those which were not. She then got out a supply of powder and ball,
which she put ready on the table, brought the axes out, that they might
be at hand, examined the water-jars to ascertain whether the convicts
had filled them as she had ordered, and then, when all was prepared for
defence, she removed the lamp into the inner room, leaving the one we
were in so dark, that the Indians could not, by looking through the
chinks or loop-holes, discover where the occupants of the cabin might
be. All these arrangements she made with the greatest coolness, and I
could not help admiring her courage and self-possession.

"Is there any more to be done, Alexander?" said she, in a mild voice.

"Where is the dog?" replied I.

"Tied up in the tobacco-shed," said she.

"Then there is no more to be done," replied I; "the dog will give you
notice of their coming, as they will first occupy the tobacco-shed as an
advanced post."

"Alexander, wi