l from a dog
chained up outside. He listened, and made out the voices of men talking
in low tones. The lower windows had shutters, and these Mr. Atherton had
with some difficulty persuaded Mr. Sampson, who was himself incredulous
as to the possibility of attack, to have fastened up of a night. Mr.
Atherton ran upstairs, knocked at the doors of Wilfrid's and the
settler's rooms, and told them to get up instantly, as something was
wrong. Then he threw up his window.

"Who is there?" he asked.

"Open the door," a native replied, "we have a message for you."

"You can give me the message here. I shall not come down until I know
who you are."

"The message is that you are to open the door and come out. Te Kooti
wants you."

Mr. Atherton could just make out the figure of the speaker in the
darkness.

"That is my answer," he said as he fired.

A fierce yell from twenty throats rose in the air, and there was a rush
towards the door, while two or three shots were fired at the window. Mr.
Atherton had, however, stepped back the instant he had discharged his
rifle, and now, leaning out, discharged the chambers of his revolver in
quick succession among the natives gathered round the door. Shrieks and
yells arose from them, and they bounded away into the darkness, and
again several musket-shots were fired at the window. By this time the
settler and Wilfrid had both joined Mr. Atherton, having leapt from
their beds, seized their arms, and ran out when the first shot was
fired.

"It is Te Kooti's men," Mr. Atherton said. "They have come at last. I
expect there will be a few minutes before they attack again. You had
better throw on some clothes at once and tell the ladies to dress
instantly. We may have to leave the house and try to escape across
country."

Wilfrid and the settler gave the messages, and then returned.

"How many of them do you think there are?" Wilfrid asked.

"About twenty of them, I should say, and we could rely upon beating them
off; but no doubt there are parties told off to the attack of all the
outlying settlers, and when the others have done their work they may
gather here."

"Where are they now?" Wilfrid asked as he gazed into the darkness.

"I fancy they are behind that shed over there. They are no doubt
arranging their plan of attack. I expect they will try fire. There! do
you see? That is the flash of a match."

A minute later a light was seen to rise behind the shed, and there was
the so