ter damper?"

"Hungry again?" said the captain angrily. "But make haste back. They
are in sad alarm at the camp."

"Shall we be able to stay here, father?" said Norman, on their way back
through the darkness.

"Stay, boy? Yes. Only let them give us a few days or weeks' respite,
and I do not care. But look here, boy, we have gone too far to retreat.
We must hold the place now. It is too good to give up meekly at a
scare from a gang of savages. Come, Norman, you must be a man."

"I was not thinking of myself, father, but about mamma and the girls."

The captain drew a sharp, hissing breath.

"And I was too," he said in a low voice. "But come, let's set them at
rest for the night."

Five minutes later Norman felt two soft hands seize his, and hold him in
the darkness, as a passionate voice whispered in his ear: "Oh, Norman,
my boy--my boy!"

Then there was a long silent watch to keep, and there was only one who
slept in camp that night--to wit, Shanter. And Rifle said merrily, that
the black slept loud enough for ten.

CHAPTER NINE.

"ALONG O' THAT THERE NIGGER?"

But Shanter, though he slept so soundly, was ready to start up if any
one even whispered, and also ready to lie down and sleep again the
moment he found that all was well; and at the first grey dawning of day,
when the great trees began to appear in weird fashion from out of the
darkness, and the tops of the mountains to show jagged against the sky,
he sprang up from where he had slept close to the warm ashes, yawned,
gave himself a rub as if he were cold, and then shook out his arms and
legs, and picked up his weapons.

"Mine go along, see myall black fellow. Little Marmi come."

This was to Norman, who turned to the captain.

"Yes; go, and be very careful. Recollect it will be broad daylight
directly."

Norman gave a sharp nod, and caught his brother and cousin's eyes fixed
upon him enviously.

The captain noticed it.

"Wait," he said; "your turns will come, boys.--Now, Norman, scout
carefully, and put us out of our misery at once. If the blacks are
coming this way, hold up your gun as high as you can reach. If they are
going in another direction, hold it with both hands horizontally above
your head."

Norman nodded and ran after Shanter, who was already on his way, and
together they reached the precipice, and climbed the face to creep down
at once among the bushes, from which place of vantage they could see
right into