weeks that followed, Mr. Sutherland sometimes joining him, and many a
plump monster was thereby secured for the benefit of the colonists.

It was well for him that he could thus divert himself, as the state of
affairs at St. Andrews was rapidly growing worse. Not only were the
Scotsmen threatened with famine, but with disease also. The hot, damp
climate, so different from that to which they were accustomed, bred
deadly fever. Every day the number of the men who strove to complete
the fortifications and to till the ground for the harvest they were
destined never to reap grew less. Many of the pale, gaunt, but still
resolute labourers passed quickly from their work to the overcrowded
hospital, and thence with little delay to their graves, until the
burial-ground came to have more occupants than the huts.

And yet, despite their double danger, the colonists kept up their petty
strifes, their jealousies, their mutual antagonisms, and refused to
admit of any settled authority. Then came back the ship which had been
sent to Jamaica for provisions as empty as she had gone, and bringing
the astounding news that, by a royal edict obtained through the evil
influence of the rival companies, all the English colonies in America
and the West Indies were strictly forbidden to afford any assistance
whatever to the struggling Scotch colony at Darien, whose utter ruin
now seemed inevitable.

CHAPTER XI.

THE MIDNIGHT ATTACK.

Donalblane took these difficulties and disasters deeply to heart, not
so much on his own account, for, like all brave-spirited boys, he had
no doubt that _he_ would pull through all right somehow, but because of
his hero, Mr. Paterson, who had won the affection and loyalty of his
young heart. He considered him the noblest of men, and more than once
had got into trouble by hotly resenting the undeserved slurs and sneers
that were too freely cast upon him.

"Ye dinna ken what ye're saying, ye sneakin' loon!" he had once
retorted to a lanky youth who was meanly making charges against Mr.
Paterson that were no less false than frivolous; and when the other
responded with a blow, Donalblane, taking no account of the disparity
in size and age, flung himself at him so fiercely and used his fists to
such good purpose that the slanderer was soon fain to flee the field.

"Ye lee, ye lee, and ye ken weel ye're leeing!" he cried indignantly on
another occasion; but this time, his antagonist being a powerful