. Tim, who observed it, cried out,--"Faith, masther dear,
better to let the house burn than to lose all our lives, which would
have happened, maybe, into the bargain; so we'll just hope to live and
fight another day, and go back and build it up again before long."

My father, giving Tim a friendly nod, turned away his head and pushed
forward to the front, while the doctor and I brought up the rear. He
was too good a soldier to omit sending out scouts to bring us timely
notice of the approach of an enemy; but we pushed on as fast as we could
move, with our firelocks ready for instant use, hoping that, even if
attacked, we might fight our way to Castle Concannan, the distance not
being great.

Our anxiety was soon relieved by our arrival at our destination. My
eldest uncle came out to receive us. Gerald had faithfully delivered
our father's message, and they had immediately set to work to put the
place in a state of defence. All the timber that could be collected had
been brought in to barricade the windows and doors; and they had already
begun to remove part of the roof which was thatched, and which, as it
could easily be set on fire by arrows with burning tips, was likely to
prove dangerous. The considerable force we brought enabled these
operations to be rapidly carried on. The thatch was conveyed to a
distance from the house, that it might not be employed for smoking us
out, while all the men able to use saws and hammers set to work to fit
and nail up the timbers. Every door and window was so strongly
barricaded, that a cannon-shot only could have knocked them in.

My uncle had, fortunately, two small field-pieces. To enable these to
be used with effect, ports were cut in the lower part of the doors on
either side, with traps or portcullises to mask them till it was
necessary to run them out and fire. All the windows were loopholed; and
a number of large stones and bricks, taken from the walls of the
outhouses, were carried up to the roof, to be hurled down on the heads
of our assailants, should they attempt to escalade the walls.

Our men were then divided into four parties, that, should the house be
attacked on every side at once, it might be effectually defended. Uncle
Denis had charge of one of the guns; and as I had learned to load and
fire one on board ship, I had command of the other, with Gerald and Tim
under me.

The preparations occupied us the greater part of the night, and not till
towards