We hid in the darkness, the four of us, and presently heard the sound of heavy feet mounting the ladder.
“No shooting,” I whispered. “Just seize them. We may catch more by-and-by in the same trap. And wait until all are in the room. Silence like death, till I move.”
Not a sound escaped us, and for my part I held my breath when the head and shoulders of the first man appeared at the open window, and he stepped all unsuspecting into the room; and a second and then a third followed, each with his bundle of straw or wood as fuel.
One of the men came so near me to deposit the burden that he almost touched me, and as he stooped to put it down, I gave the signal.
“Now,” I cried in a loud voice and sprang upon my man. A scene of wild tumult followed as the series of tough struggles commenced. The men fought hard, and we stumbled and tumbled and wrestled in the darkness, blundering hither and thither, taking and giving fierce blows, often knocking up against one another, mingled at times in dire confusion, all straining with desperate effort, breathing hard and speaking scarce a word save when some sharp ejaculation of anger or pain, or a violent oath leapt from between tight-clenched teeth.
Ivan was the first to beat his man, and soon afterwards, as my hand chanced to knock against a heavy billet of wood, I seized it and dealt my antagonist a blow on the head which laid him out.
I was considering how to use the victory when some one came to the foot of the ladder, ran up a few rungs, and called—
“Start the fire.”
At the same instant a tremendous crash was heard in the lower part of the house, followed by loud screams from the women and the gruff tones of men. Then Helga’s voice came loud and piercing, calling to me for help.