uckled a little when
I made a guess, and said that my father must have sent him to look after
me.

The men on the roof of the block-house worked splendidly amidst the
fiery shower, though they were checked several times by the horrible
missiles taking effect, inflicting wounds and burning the poor fellows'
clothing as well; but they returned to their duty as soon as their
comrades were passed down below into the fort, and wherever the flames
got hold they were extinguished. But that which the falling arrows sent
high in air, to drop almost perpendicularly on the fort, failed to do,
though shot with wondrous skill, was accomplished by the arrows sent in
the ordinary way point-blank against the walls.

I was watching the progress of the attack with Morgan, and we were
uttering congratulations about the admirable way in which the men on the
roof worked, and how cleverly each fiery messenger was quenched now
almost as soon as it fell, when there was a fresh attack.

"Yes; we've done 'em, clever as they are, this time, sir," said Morgan.
"I tell you what: if I'd had the management of that affair I'd have had
young Pomp up there."

"Where is he?" I said, for I had forgotten all about him.

"'Long of his father carrying water, sir. But as I was saying, I'd have
had young Pomp up there with a small bucket as he could handle easy,
half full o' water, and set him to catch the arrows as they fell. He's
quick as lightning, and I'll be bound to say he'd have caught the arrows
one by one in his bucket."

"Look--look!" I cried excitedly.

"Eh? What? Ah!" ejaculated Morgan, as evidently from behind one of the
houses, quite invisible in the darkness, we saw quite a little group of
specks glide out, and almost simultaneously another group--and there
seemed to be about thirty in each--came out from the other side, the two
parties joining with almost military precision, and gliding as it were
over the fields till quite close in, when there was a perfect blaze of
light as a golden cloud of trailing lights was discharged straight at
the wooden wall of the fort, and in a few seconds it was wrapped in fire
from top to bottom.

A tremendous yell followed this successful discharge, but it was drowned
by the rapid firing which succeeded, and as I looked on excitedly,
longing to go and assist, and wondering why I had received no orders, I
had the satisfaction of seeing figures flitting to and fro before the
blazing pine-trunks, an