"You, Gerald, had better go to the watch-tower," continued Arthur. "Margaret and papa, Jenny, Ruth, Baldabella, and the child, will accompany you. We shall have sufficient force to defend the cave here."
"But Margaret can watch. Do let me have some work, Arthur," said Gerald.
"Very well, then, you shall be aide-de-camp, and bring me the reports of sentinel Margaret. Away! away!" said Arthur.
Margaret was placed on the ledge, to watch, and reported that Peter, followed by the unwilling savages, was already on the height. She saw the keen-eyed convict examine the ground, and take up a scorched potato-stalk, with some of the bulbs hanging to it, which had been imprudently left. He then went forward to the stone-lined reservoir, which was plainly the work of man; and pointed it out to his followers, as well as some tracks on the soft earth. The natives, however, looked sullen, did not reply, but gazed anxiously round, as if expecting some unusual appearance; and all shrunk together beneath the rocky wall in which the watchers were concealed.
When Margaret communicated her observations, Baldabella said, "Black fellow look for Bayl-yas—bad spirit; they not know good white man pray, send Bayl-yas away."
"Now, Meggie," said Gerald, springing up the ladder to her side; "I'll give them a fright, and disperse them;" and the imprudent boy uttered a deep unearthly groan. In a moment the men darted forward, and were springing down the steep, when the commanding voice of their leader recalled them; and Margaret, with much vexation, saw that he was explaining the cause of their alarm, for he pointed to the spot where she stood, in a menacing manner. He continued to speak to the men in a tone of exultation, waving his arms, till he induced them to return and accompany him in his search.
"Away, at once, foolish boy," said Margaret; "and tell Arthur all we have seen, and your imprudent act. They will not leave the spot now, till they have found our hiding-place."
Poor Gerald, completely crest-fallen, hastened to make his report and his confession; and Arthur saw plainly they should now be obliged to have recourse to arms. He ordered Hugh to wait till he should have fired off his two barrels, and then to take his place till he should have time to reload. The ammunition was put in charge of Wilkins and Jack to serve out; and cruel as was the necessity, Arthur trusted they might thus defend their position, and weary out even the malignant and stubborn convict.
There could be no doubt discovery must soon take place, as the light by degrees poured into the cave, through the small openings which the savages uncovered one after another. Still Peter saw none of these could possibly be the entrance to any concealment; but at length he stepped on the large slab; it was immediately removed, and a shout of exultation arose, as the large chasm pointed out the retreat of the persecuted family. For a moment there was a pause: even if the descent had been easy, the men were not so rash as to throw themselves into the clutches of their foes below, and spears directed against an unseen enemy would be wasted. Then Peter leaned over the opening, and called out,—
"Come on, ye cowards, and fight fairly if ye can, or else hand up them guns, wi' yer powder and cash, and then cut off, vagabonds as ye are, or I'll make this den ower hot to haud ye."