nting to heaven, lest haply we shoot one
another.'

'Us shan't never shutt one anoother, wi' our goons at that mark, I
reckon,' said an oldish chap, but as tough as leather, and esteemed a
wit for his dryness.

'You come next to me, old Ike; you be enough to dry up the waters; now,
remember, all lean well forward. If any man throws his weight back, down
he goes; and perhaps he may never get up again; and most likely he will
shoot himself.'

I was still more afraid of their shooting me; for my chief alarm in
this steep ascent was neither of the water nor of the rocks, but of
the loaded guns we bore. If any man slipped, off might go his gun, and
however good his meaning, I being first was most likely to take far more
than I fain would apprehend.

For this cause, I had debated with Uncle Ben and with Cousin Tom as to
the expediency of our climbing with guns unloaded. But they, not being
in the way themselves, assured me that there was nothing to fear, except
through uncommon clumsiness; and that as for charging our guns at
the top, even veteran troops could scarcely be trusted to perform it
properly in the hurry, and the darkness, and the noise of fighting
before them.

However, thank God, though a gun went off, no one was any the worse
for it, neither did the Doones notice it, in the thick of the firing in
front of them. For the orders to those of the sham attack, conducted by
Tom Faggus, were to make the greatest possible noise, without exposure
of themselves; until we, in the rear, had fallen to; which John Fry was
again to give the signal of.

Therefore we, of the chosen band, stole up the meadow quietly, keeping
in the blots of shade, and hollow of the watercourse. And the earliest
notice the Counsellor had, or any one else, of our presence, was the
blazing of the log-wood house, where lived that villain Carver. It
was my especial privilege to set this house on fire; upon which I had
insisted, exclusively and conclusively. No other hand but mine
should lay a brand, or strike steel on flint for it; I had made all
preparations carefully for a goodly blaze. And I must confess that I
rubbed my hands, with a strong delight and comfort, when I saw the home
of that man, who had fired so many houses, having its turn of smoke, and
blaze, and of crackling fury.

We took good care, however, to burn no innocent women or children in
that most righteous destruction. For we brought them all out beforehand;
some were glad,