s how to proceed, when the fertile brain of the Captain devised a
method of crossing it.

"Boys," said he, "of coorse you've all played at leap-frog; very well,
strip and go in, a dozen of you, lean one upon the back of another from
this to the opposite bank, where one must stand facing the outside
man, both their shoulders agin one another, that the outside man may be
supported. Then we can creep over you, an' a dacent bridge you'll be,
any way."

This was the work of only a few minutes, and in less than ten we were
all safely over.

Merciful Heaven! how I sicken at the recollection of what is to follow!
On reaching the dry bank, we proceeded instantly, and in profound
silence, to the house; the Captain divided us into companies, and then
assigned to each division its proper station. The two parties who had
been so vindictive all the night, he kept about himself; for of those
who were present, they only were in his confidence, and knew his
nefarious purpose; their number was about fifteen. Having made these
dispositions, he, at the head of about five of them, approached the
house on the windy side, for the fiend possessed a coolness which
enabled him to seize upon every possible advantage. That he had
combustibles about him was evident, for in less than fifteen minutes
nearly one-half of the house was enveloped in flames. On seeing this,
the others rushed over to the spot where he and his gang were standing,
and remonstrated earnestly, but in vain; the flames now burst forth with
renewed violence, and as they flung their strong light upon the faces
of the foremost group, I think hell itself could hardly present anything
more satanic than their countenances, now worked up into a paroxysm of
infernal triumph at their own revenge. The Captain's look had lost all
its calmness, every feature started out into distinct malignity, the
curve in his brow was deep, and ran up,to the root of the hair, dividing
his face into two segments, that did not seem to have been designed
for each other. His lips were half open, and the corners of his mouth a
little brought back on each side, like those of a man expressing intense
hatred and triumph over an enemy who is in the death-struggle under his
grasp. His eyes blazed from beneath his knit eyebrows with a fire that
seemed to be lighted up in the infernal pit itself. It is unnecessary,
and only painful, to describe the rest of his gang; demons might have
been proud of such horrible vi