I
could see how they behaved now that we were shut up tightly in our
house, all of which was very reprehensible no doubt; but I am recording
here, as simply and naturally as I can, everything that I can remember
of my boyish life.

The preparations for attack were at last ended, and after securing and
barricading door and window in every way possible, we sat down to wait
for the first sign of the enemy, and I was wondering how long it would
be before we saw the Indians return, when I suddenly awoke to the fact
that I was terribly hungry.

I don't suppose I should have thought of it, though, if Sarah had not
made her appearance with bread and meat all ready cut for us, and very
welcome it proved; Morgan, on receiving his share passed up to him in
the loft, giving me a nod and a smile before he went back to continue
his watch.

And this proved to be a long and weary one. The afternoon sun slowly
descended; and as it sank lower, I could see that my father's face grew
more and more stern.

I did not speak to him, but I knew what it meant--that he was thinking
of the coming darkness, and of how terribly difficult our watch would
be.

"Yes," he said, suddenly, just as if he had heard my thoughts; "they are
naturally quiet, stealthy people, and the darkness will give them
opportunities which would be full of risk by day. I am afraid that they
are waiting in ambush for the night, and that then they will come on."

"I hope not," I thought; but I would not have let my father see how
frightened I was for all the world; and trying to be as cheerful as I
could under the circumstances, I went up and joined Morgan to help him
watch from the latticed openings in the roof, with the garden gradually
growing more gloomy, and the trees of the forest beyond rapidly becoming
black.

Then darker and darker, and there was no moon that night till quite
late.

Beyond the possibility of there being some reptile about that had
crawled up from the river, hungry and supper-hunting, there had never
seemed to be anything about home that was alarming, and night after
night I had stolen out to listen to the forest sounds, and scent the
cool, damp, perfumed air; but now there was a feeling of danger at hand,
lurking perhaps so close that it would not have been safe to open the
door; and as I watched beside Morgan from between the window-bars, we
were constantly touching each other, and pointing to some tree-stump,
tuft, or hillock, asking w