when, to use the ancient
weapon.

"You must be _very_ careful, Buttercup," said Mary in a low voice,
"_not_ to fire till I tell you, and to point only _where_ I tell you,
else you'll shoot father. And _do_ keep your finger off the trigger!
By the way, have you cocked it?"

"O missy, I forgit dat," answered the damsel with a self-condemned look,
as she corrected the error. "But don' you fear, Missy Mary. I's use'
to dis yar blunn'erbus. Last time I fire 'im was at a raven. Down hoed
de raven, blow'd to atims, an' down hoed me too--cause de drefful t'ing
kicks like a Texas mule. But bress you, I don' mind dat. I's used to
it!"

Buttercup gave a little sniff of grave scorn with her flat nose, as
though to intimate that the ordinary ills of life were beneath _her_
notice.

We have said that all fires had been extinguished, but this is not
strictly correct, for in the room where the two maidens watched there
was an iron stove so enclosed that the fire inside did not show, and as
it was fed with charcoal there were neither flames nor sparks to betray
its presence. On this there stood a large cast-iron pot full of water,
the bubbling of which was the only sound that broke the profound
stillness of the night, while the watchers scarcely breathed, so
intently did they listen.

At last the patient and self-restraining Dick saw a dark object moving
towards his side of the stockade, which he felt was much too real to be
classed with the creatures of his imagination which had previously given
him so much trouble. Without a moment's hesitation the rifle flew to
his shoulder, and the prolonged silence was broken by the sharp report,
while an involuntary half-suppressed cry proved that he had not missed
his mark. The dark object hastily retreated. A neighbouring cliff
echoed the sounds, and two shots from his comrades told the sailor that
they also were on the alert.

Instantly the night was rendered hideous by a series of wild yells and
whoops, while, for a moment, the darkness gave place to a glare of light
as a hundred rifles vomited their deadly contents, and the sound of many
rushing feet was heard upon the open sward in front of the ranch.

The three male defenders had ducked their heads below the protecting
breast-work when the volley was fired, and then, discarding all idea of
further care, they skipped along their respective lines, yelling and
firing the repeaters so rapidly, that, to any one ignorant of t