been softly
up to Ready, found him with his eyes open.

"How do you find yourself, Ready?" said William.

"I am quiet and easy, William, and without much pain; but I think I am
sinking, and shall not last long. Recollect that if you are obliged to
escape from the stockade, you take no heed of me, but leave me where I
am. I cannot live, and were you to move me, I should only die the
sooner."

"I had rather die with you, than leave you, Ready."

"No, that is wrong; you must save your mother, and your brothers and
sister; promise me that you will do as I wish."

William hesitated.

"I point out to you your duty, William. I know what your feelings are,
but you must not give way to them; promise me this, or you will make me
very miserable."

William squeezed Ready's hand; his heart was too full to speak.

"They will come at daylight, William; you have not much time to spare;
climb to the look-out, and wait there till day dawns; watch them as long
as you can, and then come and tell me what you have seen."

Ready's voice became faint after this exertion of speaking so much.

William immediately climbed up the cocoa-nut tree, and waited there till
daylight. At the dawn of day, he perceived that the savages were at
work, that they had collected all the faggots together opposite to where
the old house had stood, and were very busy in making arrangements for
the attack. At last, every one shouldered a faggot, and commenced their
advance towards the stockade; William immediately descended and called
his father, who was talking with Mrs Seagrave. The muskets were all
loaded, and Mrs Seagrave and Juno took their posts below the planking,
to reload them as fast as they were fired.

"We must fire upon them as soon as we are sure of not missing, William,"
said Mr Seagrave, "for the more we check their advance, the better."

When the first savages were within fifty yards, they both fired, and two
of the men dropped; they continued to fire as their assailants came up,
with great success for the first ten minutes; after which the savages
advanced in a larger body, and took the precaution to hold the faggots
in front of them, for some protection as they approached. By these
means they gained the stockade in safety, and commenced laying their
faggots. Mr Seagrave and William still kept up an incessant fire upon
them, but not with so much success as before.

Although many fell, the faggots were gradually heaped up, till