“It did not. The fire must have burned the roof away, and so let it in.”
The rain was pouring down upon them in torrents as though there was indeed no covering above their heads.
The scout gave a quick start, as this idea of new danger was forced home to his mind.
“If the roof is burned away we can’t stay here,” he cried. “Stay where you are, and I will try and find out.”
He moved away from them, and they heard him feeling his way up the ladder.
Not three minutes had passed before he was back again.
“Well?” said Sam Wilson, anxiously.
“Half of the roof is burnt to a cinder, and part of it has tumbled in!”
His words struck to their hearts like ice.
“What is to be done?” said Ned, almost in a tone of despair. “If this be so, we can’t keep the savages out, the moment they discover how matters stand.”