otheus got the fowling piece and the Squire
looked to the priming of his pistols. Mr. Nash, of course, had both
revolver and dirk knife concealed somewhere about his person. Then Mr.
Errol conducted family prayers, the children were sent to bed, the
ladies briefly informed of the situation, and the garrison bidden a more
than usually affectionate good-night.

CHAPTER IX.

The Squire Posts Sentries--Sylvanus Arrests Tryphosa--Change of
Watchword--Nash Leads an Advance--The Cheek of Grinstuns--The
Hound--Guard-room Conversation--Incipient Fires Extinguished--The
Idiot Boy--Grinstun's Awful Cheek--The Lawyer and the Parson
Theologize--Coristine's Hands--Doctor and Miss Halbert.

The full strength of the garrison was twelve able-bodied men, of whom
five carried fowling pieces, one a blunderbuss, another a carbine,
another a rifle, and four were armed with pistols. The Squire was in
supreme command, and Mr. Nash was adjutant. They decided that the
garrison as a whole should go on guard for the night, that is, from ten
o'clock till six in the morning, a period of eight hours, making, as the
Captain put it, four watches of two hours each. Thus the remaining ten
were divided into two guards of five, and, as the morning guard, from
four to six, would probably not be required, it was determined to put
those who had most need of rest on the companion one from twelve to two.
These were Captain Thomas, the veteran Terry, the two parsons, with
Wilkinson, who was thrown in simply as a pistol man, the only other of
the kind being the lawyer. With ammunition in their pockets, or slung
round their shoulders, the first guard sallied forth under the Squire's
guidance. Coristine was left to watch the front of the house behind the
shrubbery bordering the fence, and keep up communication with Nash, who
patrolled the road on horseback. Ben Toner's station was the path
running parallel with the palings on the left of the garden, beyond
which was an open field, not altogether destitute of stumps. Silvanus
was posted on the edge of the meadow, at the back of the garden and
out-houses; and Timotheus, on the right of the stables and connected
buildings. Just where the beats of the brothers met, there was a little
clump of timber, the only point affording cover to an advancing enemy,
and to that post of honour and danger Rufus was appointed. Having
placed his men, the Squire returned to the guard-room, his office,