“‘Sind the blackguard out; it’s Shearman, the detective, an’ shure he’s afther Scrubby, the spalpeen! Sind him out, or be jabers we’ll have both av ye out, ye bloodsuckers!’
“A pick came hurling, and thrust its four inches through the door; a huge missile fell violently upon the roof, almost coming through. Terribly serious was it becoming. The boss commanded them to desist, but was greeted by a tornado of rocks, spades, &c., thudding over every inch of the edifice.
“Two bullets now buried themselves in the doorpost, three inches more and they would have entered the superintendent’s heart. Seeing nothing but our death would allay their drunken rage, the boss declared his intention of fighting to the last.
“We grasped hands and then piled all the available moveables against the door; and then charged the three rifles and four revolvers we had.
“We both ascended into a low loft over the room, the eaves of the roof forming a narrow opening near the floor. We knelt down and peered out. About thirty men, most intoxicated, armed with excavating tools and firearms, were grouped a little way off, gesticulating and reeling at a terrible rate.
“Though divested of his scarlet kerchief, I recognised my horse-thief. Communicating my discovery to my companion, he said that when I first described the rascal he thought he knew him, for his name was entered on the work-list yesterday when he came from Omaha.
“‘And depend upon it,’ added the boss, ‘he has escaped some criminal penalty in other settlements than Omaha.’
“The lull in the human tempest was now accounted for. Part of the crowd were now engaged in belabouring four Chinamen who had refused to join in the assault; the rest were hilarious witnesses of the performance.
“At last, the luckless Celestials being punched into speechlessness, attention was turned on us. Not to betray our refuge, the boss slipped down the ladder and ordered our assailants once more to desist, as we were prepared to kill, if necessary, and determined to rather die than surrender. A renewed bombardment of projectiles inconceivable was their response.
“‘Now Shearman,’ said the boss, “use your weapon well, for the way things look, I dont think we could procure life assurance policies on any terms. However, we can stand a siege if fire is not enlisted on the enemy’s side. We have provisions and water below for a week, and half a cwt. of bullets and powder. But, by Jove, this roof will never stand such missiles as the one that Irishman is picking up; and it is not proof against the balls of that crack rifle your friend of the scarlet kerchief is loading; so we’ll put these planks along this side, and keep them from bringing fire to the door—that would be death. See him! look!