d upon it, and as the blows of a crowbar were heard, he placed a
pistol to the little wicket in the panel high up, and fired a shot to
alarm the attacking party.

The blows of the crowbar ceased, and a low suppressed yell from many
voices broke out from all round the little stone-built place.

"That has quieted them for the moment," said my father; and, applying
his eye to an aperture made for the purpose, he inspected the attacking
force.

"French marines," he said quietly. "Well, my lads, they're outside and
we are in. If they leave us alone we will not injure them, if they
attack they must take the consequences. It is war time; they have
landed, and we are fighting for our homes and all belonging to us. Will
you fight?"

There was a low dull growl at this, uttered it seemed by every man
present, and as my father's words had been distinctly heard upstairs,
the men with Bigley and me joined in.

"That's good," said my father. "I thought so. Now once more trust to
your strong aims and cutlasses. A couple of shots and then swords.
They don't want loading again. If they break in we must retreat
upstairs. If they prove too much for us and force their way up, we must
hold out as long as we can, and then retreat by the north window and
back up the west side of the valley among the big stones; but no retreat
till I give the word. Now, my lads, do you want anything to make you
fight?"

"Only the orders, captain," said the foreman, "or the French beggars to
come on."

"All in good time. What are they doing?" said my father. "One shot
can't have scared them off. Ah, the cowards! I expected as much."

For just then a dull light shone in through the window, and made every
bar clear. The dull light became brighter, and the Frenchmen set up a
cheer.

"They've fired the big shed roof, sir," said the foreman.

"Father," I cried down the stairs, "they have fired Sanders's cottage."

"Curse 'em," growled the foreman. "I'll make pork crackling of
somebody's skin for that."

"Now they've gone on to the next cottage," cried Bigley.

"They're firing all the cottages," cried another of the men, and now the
growl that rose from our little force was furious and fierce, and full
of menace against the enemy, who had done this to give them ample light
as I suppose.

"Never mind, my lads, they have forgotten that it will make it easier
for us," said my father. "But hold your fire. It will be wanted here."

We