ed. I don't want to fight, and
I save my fists for digging, but they are fists all the same, sir."

"Yes, of course."

"Yes, of course, sir. But they Spanish didn't understand that. They
thought that in spite of what was said last time they came, all they had
to do was to make a show, and order us off, and we should go; so they
made a show by shooting at the Indians; and I'll be bound to say that
every time the Spanish officers cried `fire!' they thought they were
frightening us too."

"But they didn't, Morgan."

"Not a bit, sir. Wrong stuff. They made a great big mistake, and when
they get back to Flori--what is it?"

"Florida."

"Ah, Florida, I should say there'll be a good bit o' trouble, for they
were meant to do more than they contrived. You see, when they fired,
the Indians ran, and they followed them up, and fired again, and the
Indians ran faster. Then by and by they came and fired at us."

"And we did not run, Morgan."

"No, sir, not a bit; and as somebody had to run--one side must, you
see--why, they did. You see we didn't look nice. We'd been at it, look
you, and got the marks of battle on us to show that we could do
something, and it was rather startling to men coming on to attack a
place. First beginning of fighting one feels a bit squeamish; after
that one don't. We'd got over our squeamishness; they hadn't, for I
don't count their bit of firing as anything. Think they'll come back,
sir?"

"If they do, it will be with a war-ship, and great guns," I said. "Not
as they did this time."

"Then I don't think they'll come at all, sir, for bringing a war-ship
means big business, and our having war-ships too to keep them off. Do
you know, I begin to think that we shall have a holiday now, so as to go
back home."

Day after day glided by, and in the rest and relief it seemed as if
quite a new life was opening out for us. My father was mending rapidly,
and Sarah was well enough to insist upon busying herself about many
little matters to add to our comfort. Hannibal only seemed to me to be
dull and quiet, while Pomp was at me every day about going out
somewhere, and looked as if he were a prisoner chained by the leg when
told that he must not stray from camp.

There had been repeated discussions, so my father told me, over the
all-important question of giving up our watchful life, and beginning
once more to take to that of peace; but it was still deemed advisable to
wait, and another