ot go to
sleep. I did not like the thought of that Indian escaping, and I
wondered that Captain Driscoll did not take more precautions to guard
against a surprise. I found that Jerry was awake, and when I told him
my ideas he agreed with me. We lay still for a little time, and then we
got up and looked out. The night was perfectly still and fine. We
fancied that if anybody were stirring we should not fail to hear. We
went back into the loft, and then found that Captain Driscoll was awake.
He asked us what we had been about. We told him our apprehensions. He
laughed, and replied, that after the drubbing we had given the red
rascals they would not venture to come near us.

"The Duke of Wellington tells us that we should never despise our
enemies, whoever they may be," I answered.

Captain Driscoll laughed. "The duke was not thinking of Red Indians,"
he observed. "Don't be alarmed, my boys, the thieves won't come."
Scarcely had he uttered the words, when there was a neighing, and
kicking, and stamping of horses' feet in the court-yard below us. We
looked out. The place was full of Red Indians!

"To arms! to arms!" shouted the captain. Everybody was instantly on
their feet. I found that he had more arrangements than I had fancied.
The Indians had got over the walls of the court-yard, but the gate was
so blocked up that they could not open it to get our horses through.
Their only outlet was through our house. The door leading to this was
instantly occupied by some of the Mexicans, while others ran their
rifles through all the crevices and holes in the walls, and began firing
away at the Indians. They, disappointed in their attempt to carry off
our horses, after ham-stringing several of them, leaped back over the
walls, exposing themselves as they did so to the rifles of the Mexicans.
Several were shot down, but the greater number made their escape. No
one attempted to follow them, however, for there could be no doubt that
a large party of them were in the neighbourhood, and that they would
very likely renew their attack on us. They did not disappoint us. In
less than a quarter of an hour the trampling of horses' hoofs was heard,
and through the gloom of night a large body of horsemen was seen
galloping up through the street of the ruined village. As they got
near, they gave vent to the most unearthly shrieks and cries, intending,
undoubtedly, to terrify us. Captain Driscoll was not, however, totally
u