guard the window, he returned into the other room
with Reuben.

"I rather expect they are going to try to burn us out. We must keep
them from that, if we can.

"Mr. Shillito, will you go up to the upper room, and keep an eye on
the stables? Shoot down anyone who may pass your line of sight.

"Haven't you got any loopholes, Caister?"

"Yes, of course I have," Dick replied. "I had forgotten all about
them. Yes, there are two loopholes in the logs in each side of the
house, upstairs. They have been shut up by wisps of straw, ever
since the house was built."

Giving strict orders, to the two men, to shout instantly if anyone
moved near the window, the two young men went upstairs.

"Have you seen anything, Shillito?"

"Not a thing. One would almost think that they have bolted."

"They will hardly do that, I fancy," Reuben said. "There are ten or
twelve of them, but I think one or two must have got a bullet in
them."

"I wish they would come on," Dick said, as he pulled out the straw
from the loopholes.

Reuben went to them all in succession, and looked out, but nothing
could be seen of their assailants. Presently, however, a number of
dark figures appeared, each bearing a burden.

"They have been cutting brush wood!" Reuben exclaimed. "I was
right, you see. They are going to try to smoke or burn us out. Now
I think it's time to give them a lesson."

"Look, look!"

The exclamation was excited by a sudden glare of light, on the
other side of the stables.

"The scoundrels have set fire to the stables!" Shillito said.

"What shall we do--make a sally?" Caister asked. "I am ready for
it, if you think right."

"No," Reuben said, "they would only shoot us down as we come out.
They must guess that some of us are up at this window, or they
would try to carry the horses off, instead of destroying them.

"I only wish we were on the poor beasts' backs. We would go for
them, though they were twice as many.

"I don't see the others now--they must have gone round to the other
side of the house."

Scarcely had Reuben taken up his station, at one of the loopholes
behind, than he again saw the dark figures. He took steady aim and
fired. There was a sharp cry, and one of the fellows fell to the
ground. The others at once threw down their burdens, and fled.
Three minutes later there was a shout.

"Look here, you policeman, and you, Caister, you shall pay dearly
for this night's work. I swear it, and Bill Fothergill n