ch harm; but, to our dismay, we saw that each one carried a piece of
burning tow; and if these fell on the shingles of the roof, they would
too probably set them on fire. To extinguish the flames, too, we should
have to expose ourselves to a great risk of being shot. Happily, as yet
the arrows either flew over the building, or the tow fell out, and as
far as we could discover no damage had been done. Some, however, struck
the out-buildings; and the roofs of these being thatched, they were soon
in flames. The barns, too, were set on fire, and blazed furiously.

Night at length came on, but it brought us no respite; for our savage
foes could be seen, by the light from the burning out-buildings, still
hovering in vast numbers round us. Suddenly, too, the granary burst
into flames, making the night almost as bright as the day. It enabled
us, however, to see our foes more clearly, and of this we did not fail
to take advantage. We prudently retained only light enough in the house
to enable us to see our way about; and we were thus comparatively
concealed, while they were exposed to view.

We might have still kept the enemy at bay, had not the other two field
hands both been struck down, in the same manner as their companions. We
were now only six, opposed, as it appeared to us, to several hundred
foes. Still no one dreamed of giving in.

Klitz and Gillooly behaved admirably, and did much to retrieve their
character. They always kept together--Klitz kneeling down to fire,
while Gillooly sprang now on one side, then on the other, of his
loophole, as he fired his rifle through it.

Our position had become very critical; the wind might at any moment
bring the flames of the out-buildings against the house itself, in which
case our fate would be sealed, for it would be almost impossible for us
to extinguish them.

At length, to our relief, the enemy again drew off. From their previous
daring conduct, we could not hope, however, that they intended to raise
the siege; perhaps they only waited to see whether the flames from the
out-buildings would set the house on fire, and thus save them all
further trouble and danger. But the wind, fortunately, continued to
blow up the valley, keeping the flames away from the house.

Uncle Jeff now directed me to go round and give some food to each man.
When I came to him, "Ralph," said he, "go and look into the
ammunition-chest. I have my fears that we are running short of
cartri