nkin' we're all a-bed. Now,
mind--don't stand still, boys, but walk along as ye fire, to give 'em
the notion there's more of us. An' don't fire at nothin'. They'd think
we was in a funk. An' when you hear me whistle get into the house as
quick as a cotton-tail rabbit an' as sly as a snake."

After the moon went down, everything in and around the ranch was as
silent as the grave, save now and then the stamp of a hoof on the floor
of a shed, where a number of horses stood saddled and bridled ready to
mount at a moment's notice; for Jackson had made up his mind, if it came
to the worst, to mount and make a bold dash with all his household
through the midst of his foes, trusting to taking them by surprise and
to his knowledge of the country for success.

For a long time, probably two hours, the three men stood at their posts
motionless and silent; still there was no sign, either by sight or
sound, of an enemy. The outline of the dark woods was barely visible
against the black sky in front of each solitary watcher, and no moving
thing could be distinguished in the open field behind either by Crux or
Darvall, to each of whom the field was visible. Jackson guarded the
front.

To Dick, unaccustomed as he was to such warfare, the situation was very
trying, and might have told on his nerves severely if he had not been a
man of iron mould; as it was, he had no nerves to speak of! But he was
a man of lively imagination. More than fifty times within those two
hours did he see a black form moving in the darkness that lay between
him and the wood, and more than fifty times was his Winchester rifle
raised to his shoulder; but as often did the caution "don't fire at
nothin'" rise to his memory.

The stockade was of peculiar construction, because its owner and maker
was eccentric, and a mechanical genius. Not only were the pickets of
which it was composed very strong and planted with just space between to
permit of firing, but there was a planking of strong boards, waist high,
all round the bottom inside, which afforded some protection to defenders
by concealing them when they stooped and changed position.

While matters were in this state outside, Mary Jackson and Buttercup
were standing at an upper window just opposite the front gate, the
latter with a huge bell-mouthed blunderbuss of the last century, loaded
with buckshot in her hands. Mary stood beside her sable domestic ready
to direct her not as to how, but where and