as we were, as he caught my arm.

"Dem Injum!"

"There, Master George. Quick! Fetch the captain."

"No, no, fire and give the alarm," I said.

"No. Better not. It will alarm them too. Go and fetch the captain."

I hurried away, closely followed by Pomp, and luckily found my father on
his way to go the rounds in company with Colonel Preston.

I told them what we had seen, and they hurried with us to the spot where
Morgan was on duty.

"It can only mean one thing," said the colonel, excitedly. "They would
not trouble much about plunder."

"What do you mean then?" said my father; "a point from which to attack?"

"No," said the colonel, hoarsely. "That!"

As he said the words, there was a faint gleam of light in the direction
of the house, a flash, then quite a burst of ruddy flame; and by the
time we reached Morgan, his face was lit up by the glow as the wooden
structure blazed away rapidly, and the flames like great golden tongues
licked at porch and veranda; while from one window, which showed quite
plainly, so great a volume rushed out that it showed where the house had
been fired.

There was no need to sound an alarm, the great golden fire-flag which
floated in the darkness of the night brought every man out to gaze; and
as the flames mounted higher, illuminating the settlement far and near,
the other houses stood forth plainly, the trees seemed turned to gold,
and the wavy corn and cane came into sight and died out again in a way
wonderful to behold.

"Preston! Bruton!" said a firm voice, "round to the men. Every one on
his guard. Reserves in the centre ready. This is a ruse to take our
attention prior to an attack."

I looked up admiringly at the stern old man, who gave his orders so
promptly, and then saw my father and the colonel hurry off, while the
General shaded his eyes, and looked keenly over the place.

"No," he said, as if to himself, as he drew back. "Ah, you boys! Your
eyes are young and sharp. Try if you can see the Indians crossing along
by the edges of either of the plantations, or coming this way."

"No, sir," I said, quickly. "I have been trying to see them."

"Injum gone round dah," said Pomp, pointing.

"Ah!" cried the general; "you saw them?"

"Yes; gone dat big house."

"Mine," said the General, with a quick catching of the breath. "Yes;
there is no doubt about that."

For as we were speaking, a tiny tongue of fire began to creep up one of
the pine-tree su