“But why are you here, Morgan?” I said, suddenly, as I felt that most of the defenders were either at work firing, or busy with buckets and water.
“Because I was sent here, sir,” said Morgan, gruffly.
And though I questioned him, he said no more, but chuckled a little when I made a guess, and said that my father must have sent him to look after me.
The men on the roof of the block-house worked splendidly amidst the fiery shower, though they were checked several times by the horrible missiles taking effect, inflicting wounds and burning the poor fellows’ clothing as well; but they returned to their duty as soon as their comrades were passed down below into the fort, and wherever the flames got hold they were extinguished. But that which the falling arrows sent high in air, to drop almost perpendicularly on the fort, failed to do, though shot with wondrous skill, was accomplished by the arrows sent in the ordinary way point-blank against the walls.
I was watching the progress of the attack with Morgan, and we were uttering congratulations about the admirable way in which the men on the roof worked, and how cleverly each fiery messenger was quenched now almost as soon as it fell, when there was a fresh attack.
“Yes; we’ve done ’em, clever as they are, this time, sir,” said Morgan. “I tell you what: if I’d had the management of that affair I’d have had young Pomp up there.”
“Where is he?” I said, for I had forgotten all about him.
“’Long of his father carrying water, sir. But as I was saying, I’d have had young Pomp up there with a small bucket as he could handle easy, half full o’ water, and set him to catch the arrows as they fell. He’s quick as lightning, and I’ll be bound to say he’d have caught the arrows one by one in his bucket.”
“Look—look!” I cried excitedly.
“Eh? What? Ah!” ejaculated Morgan, as evidently from behind one of the houses, quite invisible in the darkness, we saw quite a little group of specks glide out, and almost simultaneously another group—and there seemed to be about thirty in each—came out from the other side, the two parties joining with almost military precision, and gliding as it were over the fields till quite close in, when there was a perfect blaze of light as a golden cloud of trailing lights was discharged straight at the wooden wall of the fort, and in a few seconds it was wrapped in fire from top to bottom.