the Indians, as they
emerged from the wood in the distance, stealing nearer and nearer the
water which separated us from the mainland. It was very evident that
they were in strong force, and fully expected to surprise the castle.
We waited for my father's word to open fire. As yet, indeed, none of
those near had shown themselves, being concealed by the shrubs which
grew on the farther shore, and which, we were thus shown, ought long ago
to have been cut down.

There had been no light on the west side of our house, the windows of
the sitting-room opening in the opposite direction, so that probably the
Indians supposed we were all fast asleep. We kept a profound silence.
The time seemed very long; and had I not been assured that I had seen
human beings moving about, I should have fancied that we must have been
mistaken.

I was waiting, ready to fire, when I heard the door leading to the
platform open. Looking round, I saw my two cousins.

"What is happening?" exclaimed Juanita.

Rita asked a similar question.

"Go back! go back!" I cried out, louder than I ought to have spoken;
"the enemy are close at hand."

Scarcely were the words out of my mouth than an arrow whistled through
the air. For a moment the dreadful thought seized me that one of them
had been struck; but the missile was quivering in the woodwork above
their heads. They quickly retreated, and I heard the door closed behind
them. I calculated the spot from which the arrow had been shot, and
with the help of my companions, training my gun towards it, fired.

Before the sound had died away, the most fearful yells and shrieks rose
from the brushwood before us. Showers of arrows, mingled with bullets,
came pinging against the walls, the bright flashes from the Indians'
muskets lighting up the whole shore. Tim was not slow to follow my
example; and at the same moment the rest of the garrison began blazing
away at our enemies, although it was difficult to distinguish them among
the brushwood, behind which they took good care to conceal themselves.
We were well sheltered; but this sort of work might continue until the
whole of our ammunition was exhausted. Though we had every reason to
believe that some of our bullets took effect, it was impossible to
ascertain what number of the enemy were killed; their fire, however, did
not appear to diminish. They probably calculated on our having no large
amount of ammunition, and intended to make their assa