"There is no water," she exclaimed. "I went to the tap to get some for the kettle; a quart or two trickled out and then it stopped."
Her husband stood stupefied at the news.
"I thought yesterday that it was not running as fast as usual, but I did not give it a second thought."
"They must have done something to the spring. Some of the natives who have been here must have noticed you drawing water, and have told other blackfellows of the water running out from the side of a wall whenever you wanted it. If there is a white man among them he would, when he heard the story, be sure that water was obtained from a spring. He would hear about a barrel being sunk in the ground, and I have no doubt that, after their attack failed the night before last, he had the pipe stopped up. If you recollect, James thought he heard somebody up there and fired. I have no doubt it was then that they played this trick. There would be enough water in the pipe itself to supply us yesterday; now it has come to an end. This accounts for their stopping here. It is a terrible blow, and it may be a fatal one."
He then went up to the men and explained what had happened. All saw how serious the position had at once become.
"We must hold on till the last, sir," one of them said. "You may be sure that they would spare none of us after losing so many of their men the other night."
"My wife says there is rather over two quarts of water left. We must content ourselves with half a pint a day; that would last us for three days. When we are thirsty we must chew some of the raw meat; in that way we ought to be able to hold out for four or five days. Before that time the news that we are besieged here may reach the settlements, or some of our friends may ride over. We will fire a rifle every five minutes or so to give them warning that something is up, and they will take care not to fall into an ambush, and as soon as they find how matters stand will ride back and bring help."
It was but a feeble ground for hope, but all agreed that it might happen as he said.
"Do you think that there is any chance of getting through, Mr. Roberts? I could try if you like," Thompson said.