hat we can
make a better stand here than at the residences of any of the other
planters, I shall be able to persuade several of them to come here with
their families, and assist in the defence of the place."

"In the mean time we must send off for assistance," observed the Earl;
"I am perfectly ready to agree to your proposition; indeed, I should be
very unwilling to attempt to travel with my two young ladies and son at
this hour; besides which we should probably be watched, and if we were
so, we should eventually be captured by these people. But what could
have caused them to think of rebelling?"

"Probably, my lord, emissaries from France have landed on the island,
and also there are several discontented settlers of other nations,
besides Caribs and blacks, who are always ready for a disturbance, in
the hopes of gaining something during it."

"However," observed the Earl, who in his youth had been a soldier, "we
must make preparations for defending the place; I have had a little
experience of that sort of thing in Ireland, and I suspect there is not
much difference between the characters we shall have to deal with and
those I have been accustomed to in my native country."

Mr Jefferson, as he had proposed, immediately sent out three of his
most trusty household servants, with notes to the neighbouring planters,
inviting them to take refuge in his house, while the other servants of
the establishment were at once ordered to come in. A number of trees
from the neighbouring woods were forthwith cut down and brought into the
house, to assist in barricading the windows and doors. Every available
board, tops of tables and chests were broken up to close all the
entrances, loop-holes being cut in them through which muskets could be
fired at the advancing foe. Neither Lady Sophy nor Lady Nora seemed
much alarmed at seeing the preparations.

"It reminds me very much of our younger days," observed Lady Sophy to
her cousin. "You remember what work there was in defending the old
castle, though that appeared to us to be a far better place to defend
than this is. Still as our friends do not appear to be alarmed I do not
see why we should be." Lord Barry seemed aroused by the exertions he
was called on to make, and set to work with zeal in assisting in
fortifying the house; all languor had disappeared, and he was now full
of animation. In a short time the gentlemen who had been summoned
arrived at the house. Most of them