e they have probably got careless, and are sure
to expose themselves as they stand up to fire. Now, Bob," he went on, as
he took his place at the loophole, "I will take the first who shows
himself. I do not think you would miss, but I am sure that I shall not,
and it is important not to make a mistake the first time."

Half a minute later a native showed his head and shoulders over a bush
as he rose to fire. Before he could raise his gun to his shoulder he
fell with a bullet through his head from Mr. Atherton's unerring rifle.
That gentleman quietly reloaded.

"You had better take the next again, sir," Bob Grimstone said quietly.
"I do not suppose I should miss, but I might do. I do not reckon on
hitting a small mark more than eight out of twelve times."

It was nearly four minutes before another native showed himself.

"I think, sir, there is one standing behind that big tree twenty yards
in the bush. I thought I saw something move behind it just now."

"I will watch it, Bob," Mr. Atherton said, raising his rifle to his
shoulder and looking along it through the loophole.

Two minutes passed, and then a head and shoulder appeared from behind
the tree. Instantaneously Mr. Atherton's rifle cracked, and the native
fell forward, his gun going off as he did so.

"We need not stand here any longer," Mr. Atherton said quietly, "there
will be no more shooting from that side for some time."

Mr. Atherton went to the other end of the house.

"How are you getting on, Wilfrid?"

"We have had three shots. I fired twice and Bill once. I think I missed
once altogether, the other time the native went down. Bill wounded his
man--hit him in the shoulder, I think. They haven't fired since."

"Then you can put down your guns for the present. Mrs. Renshaw has just
told me that breakfast is ready." Mrs. Renshaw and Marion had indeed
gone quietly about the work of preparing breakfast for their defenders.

"So you are a non-combatant this morning, Miss Marion?" Mr. Atherton
said as he took his place with the rest of the party, with the exception
of the Grimstones, who were placed on the watch, at the table.

"Yes," the girl replied; "if I thought there were any danger of the
natives fighting their way into the house, of course I should do my best
to help defend it; but I do not think that there is the least fear of
such a thing, so I am quite content to leave it to you. It does not seem
to me that a woman has any business to fight