ight for the escape we had
all had.

But still there was the feeling of insecurity afloat, which caused the
greatest precautions to be taken. The forest was not far distant, and
for aught we knew the Indians might again come on.

So sentries were placed, to be relieved after short watches, and I fully
intended to take my turn when I lay down; but, just as it was once
before, almost as I began thinking, all became blank, and the next thing
I remember was waking up, feeling ashamed of my neglect, to find that
once more it was broad day.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.

Morgan and I had more than one long talk that next day about the
Spaniards and the pusillanimous way in which they had behaved; but not
until a good deal had been done to make our tent comfortable, and that
in which poor Sarah was lying, mending fast, but still very weak. A
great deal too had to be done for the wounded, who bore their sufferings
with wonderful patience, and were delighted when I went and sat with
them, and talked over the different phases of the fight.

Morgan was sentry once more in the afternoon, and after seeing my father
comfortably asleep, I went across to him, where he was keeping a sharp
look-out for the Indians; but so far there had been no sign, and we
began talking about the wounded, and how long it would be before they
were stirring again.

"Ah, a long time, sir," he said. "You can make a man weak with a shot
or a cut with a sword. It's done in a moment, but it takes months to
make one strong."

"I say, Morgan," I whispered, "don't you think the General ought to have
a place dug and made for that powder?"

He turned sharply and looked me full in the eyes, but instead of
answering my question, he said--

"You see, Master George, they were regularly cheated over us."

"Who were--the Indians?"

"The Indians? No; the Spanish."

"He will not talk about the powder business," I said to myself. "He
always turns it off."

"You see, sir," he continued, as he softly rubbed the barrel of his
piece to get rid of some of the rust that had encrusted it, "they
expected to find us a set of quiet spade-and-hoe-and-wheelbarrow sort of
people, quite different to them, as are looked upon as being so warlike
and fierce."

"And so we are, Morgan."

"And so we are, lad. We came out here to dig and live, and be at peace,
with our barrows; but that doesn't mean that we haven't got the fighting
stuff in us, ready for use when it's want