at the place was like, and whether it could be built up
again."

"Built up? Why, it hasn't been blown down."

"No; burnt down."

"Burnt! What, our house?"

"Yes."

"But not my kitchen? Oh, Master George, don't say that my kitchen has
been burned too."

"There's nothing left of the place but a little firewood and a few
scuttles of ashes."

Sarah wrung her hands. "Oh dear--oh dear!" she cried, "why wasn't I
told before?"

"Never mind; you'll soon be well again. You were not told for fear of
worrying you; and as soon as we have got rid of the Indians my father
will have the place all built up again, and it will be better than
ever."

"Never!" said Sarah, emphatically. "But you were not hurt, my dear,
were you?"

"No," I said, "only horribly frightened."

"No," said Sarah, emphatically, "you may have been startled, my dear,
but I'm not going to believe that you were frightened. And you are
hungry, too, and me not able to get about and cook you a bit of food."

"Oh, never mind. Now I know you are better I'll go and get something to
eat."

"Yes, do, my dear, do," she cried, "and make haste. It was very kind of
you to come. But do, please, do take care of yourself, my dear, and
don't go running any more of these dreadful risks. Then you killed all
the Indians?"

"They did," I said.

"That's a comfort," said Sarah. "I'm sorry for the poor savages, but
it's their own fault. They should leave us alone. The cowards too--
shooting a poor woman like me. Well, there's an end of them now."

"Of that party," I said. "We are afraid that there will be another
attack to-night."

"What? Oh dear me! Now I ask you, Master George, how can I get well
with such goings-on as this?"

I did what I could to cheer her up, and went out to find Hannibal just
leaving the doctor, and ready to laugh at the wounds upon his arms as
being too trifling to be worthy of notice. In fact the pains he
suffered did not prevent him from partaking of a hearty meal, at which
Pomp stood looking on regretfully. I happened to catch his eye just as
I was eating rather voraciously, the excitement and exertion having
given me a tremendous appetite.

"Have some, Pomp?" I said, feeling half guilty at sitting there eating,
while the poor boy who had suffered so much in our service should be
only looking on.

"What Mass' George say?" he replied, coming nearer.

"I say, will you have something to eat?"

Pomp sighed.

"What