, driving away the flies that were buzzing about, as
if they knew that I was soon to be for them to rest on, without a hand
to sweep them away.

At last, though, as I lay there wondering what could be done to save us,
the thought came all at once, and struggling to my feet, I held Lizzy to
my heart a minute, and then went off to find Captain Dyer.

It quite took me aback to see his poor haggard face, and the way in
which he took the trouble, for it was plain enough to see how he was cut
to the heart by Miss Ross's treatment of him. But for all that, he was
the officer and the gentleman; he had his duty to do, and he was doing
it; so that, if even now, after losing so many men, and with so many
more half disabled, if the enemy had made a bold assault now, they would
have won the place dearly, though win it they must.

That did not seem their way, though they wanted the place for the sake
of the great store of arms and ammunition it contained, but all the same
they wanted to buy it cheap.

I found Captain Dyer ready enough to listen to my plan, though he shook
his head, and said it was desperate. But after a little thought, he
said: "There are some hours now between this and night--help may come
before then; if not, Smith, we must try it. My hands are full, so I
leave the preparations with you: let every one carry food and a bottle
of water--nothing more--all we want now is to save life."

I promised I'd see to it; and I went and spoke cheerfully to the women,
but Mrs Maine seemed quite hysterical. Miss Ross listened to what I
had to say in a hard strange way; and really, if it had not been for
Mrs Bantem putting a shoulder first to one wheel and then the other,
nothing would have been done.

The next person I went to was Measles, who, during a cessation of the
firing, was sitting, black and blood-smeared, with his head tied up,
wiping out his gun with pieces he tore off the sleeves of his shirt.

"Well, Ike, mate," he says, "not dead yet, you see. If we get out of
this, I mean to have my promotion; but I don't see how we're going to
manage it. What bothers me most is, letting these black fellows get all
this powder and stuff we have here. Blow my rags if we shall ever use
it all! I've been firing away till my old Bess has been so hot that
I've been afraid to charge her; and I'll swear I've used twice as many
cartridges as any other man. But I say, Ike, old fellow, do you think
it's wrong to pot these nigg