the end window."

There was a solemn silence now, and they all sat looking at one
another with very earnest faces.

"It's a solemn time, boys," said Uncle Moses, "a deeply
solemn time."

To this the boys made no reply, but by their silence signified
their assent to Uncle Moses' remark.

At length, after a silence of some time, Frank spoke.

"I think we can manage something," said he, "to keep them out for
the night. My idea is, to put the largest bedstead against the
door. It opens inside; if the bedstead is against it, it can't be
opened."

"But the windows," said Clive.

"O, we needn't bother about the windows, they're too high up," said
Frank, confidently.

And now they all set themselves fairly to work making preparations
for the night, which preparations consisted in making a barricade
which should offer resistance to the assaults of the bloody-minded,
murderous, beetle-browed, scowling, and diabolical brigands below,
Frank's suggestion about the bed was acted upon first. One of the
bedsteads was large, ponderous, old-fashioned, and seemed capable,
if placed against a doorway, of withstanding anything less than a
cannon ball. This they all seized, and lifting it bodily from the
ground, they placed it hard and fast against the door. The result
was gratifying in the highest degree to all of them.

They now proceeded to inspect the room, to search out any weak
spots, so as to guard against invasion. As to the windows, they
thought that their height from the ground was of itself sufficient
to remove all danger in that quarter.

But in their search around the room they noticed one very alarming
thing. At the south corner there was a step-ladder, which led up
into the attic, thus affording an easy entrance to any one who
might be above. Frank rushed up to the step-ladder and shook it.
To his great relief, it was loose, and not secured by any fixtures.
They all took this in their hands, and though it was very heavy,
yet they succeeded in taking it down from its place without making
any noise. They then laid it upon the floor, immediately underneath
the opening into the attic. They would have felt, perhaps, a trifle
more secure if they had been able to close up the dark opening
above; but the removal of the step-ladder seemed sufficient, and
in so doing they felt that they had cut off all means of approach
from any possible enemy in that quarter.

Frank drew a long breath of relief as he looked around. He