“And get knocked on the head,” grumbled the old man grimly, as he forced a bullet down upon the powder in his rifle. “No, parson, stop here; and I think, if what friend Bray tells us be true, you had better take to war this time instead of peace.”
“Take away those chests,” said Mr Meadows peremptorily, to one of the shepherds; and the man drew them away, when stepping out into the moonlight, he walked hastily forward to the advancing party, and was seen, by the friends who were anxiously watching him, to enter the little cluster and disappear.
Story 3--Chapter VII.
Besieged.
A quarter of an hour elapsed, during which no time was lost, but everything possible done to make the place a little less insecure; and then, impatient at Mr Meadow’s non-return, Murray proposed that they should fetch him in.
“How, young man?” said old Lee sternly.
“Try fair means first; and if not so, by force.”
Bray laughed, and Murray turned upon him angrily; but their attention was suddenly taken up by a loud shouting in the direction of the enemy, and they could distinctly see that a struggle was taking place. Directly after, Mr Meadows was seen running towards them.
“Throw open the door!” exclaimed the settler; and it was done just as a shot rang out, and its report went echoing up the sides of the valley, while Mr Meadows was seen to fall.