se says:--

With heevenly wappons I have focht
The baittles o' the Lord."

"Ah yes, pahdon me my mistake. Come in, gentlemen; the Squiah will be
happy to see you."

Maguffin's captors entered, were warmly greeted by their friends in hall
and kitchen, partook of a hasty supper, and were ready for the
engagement of the night.

Perrowne, who was a good rider, soon made his appearance, reporting that
the Richards were only too glad to make the desired repulse of the evil
crew from their neighbourhood, and, as members formerly of a volunteer
company, understood something of military tactics. The parson also
reported that he had nearly fallen in with the advancing attacking force
of, he should say, twenty men; but, sighting them ahead, he advanced
slowly until he saw them move solidly to his left into the fields, with
the evident intention of coming at the house through the strip of bush.
The villains could not be far off. "Now, Squiah," said the colonel,
"hasten, suh, to join Mr. Tehhy; a few minutes make all the diffehence
in case of an attack."

The Squire had now nine men under his command, including his
father-in-law, for Ben and Timotheus were safely back, having passed the
formidable Maguffin. The other six were Sylvanus and Rufus, Messrs.
Hill, Hislop, Perrowne, and Coristine. All were armed with loaded guns
and rifles; the carbine and the blunderbuss remained to guard the house.
Rapidly they reached the bush which hid them from view, and rejoiced the
veteran's heart with their array.

"Now, grandfather," said Carruthers, "you must get us all into shape."

"Well now, we'll make belave this is a bittillion, an' you're cornel,
an' Oi'm sargint-major. It's ten shtrong we are, an' there's three
roifles an' two double barrels anyhow. You git in the rare, Cornel an'
Mishter Coristine an' Mishter Parrowne an' Ben Toner; the rist av yeez
shtay where yeez are, till I say 'Extind!' thin, tin paces apart for the
front rank, an' tin for the rare rank; but the rare alternatin' wid the
front. Whin Oi say, 'Front rank!' that rank'll diliver it's foire, an'
go on wid its loadin' behind a three, moind! an' so on wid the rare. By
the powers, here the varmints come. Shtiddy min, lishten till me an' be
quoiet--Extind!"

There were some loudly beating hearts at that moment, for the enemy was
in force, and partly armed with guns of some sort. Instead of advancing
across the fields, as the defenders had hoped, they desce