“Only father and uncle,” said Rifle, for just then their elders entered the house, and closed and fastened the door before coming into the back room.
“It’s getting so dark, boys, that we’ll trust to the place now to protect us. Close that window all but the narrow slit. Are the other windows fast?”
“Yes, father,” said Norman; “all but the loopholes in our bedroom and the kitchen. Think they’ll come?”
“Can’t say, boy; but we think it is not wise to risk a spear from some fellow who has crawled up.”
“Black fellow crawl up,” said Shanter, as Norman secured the window.
“They had better stay away,” said the captain, gravely. “Poor wretches, it is very horrible to have to fire at their unprotected bodies. If they would only keep away.”
The captain cast an eye over the defences, and at the boys’ weapons before going to the girls’ bedroom, which stood a little higher than the other rooms of the house, and being considered the safest spot in the stronghold, the ladies were all gathered there.
Here the boys could hear him talking cheerily as the place grew darker and darker, for the fire in the kitchen had been extinguished, and lights were of course forbidden. From the front room by the door came the low murmur of voices, where Uncle Munday and Sam German sat together, the latter now armed with a gun, though his pitchfork was placed beside him, as if even now he might require it for his defence.
At last, wearied out with sitting in one position, Rifle rose and went to the door, where his uncle and Sam German were keeping watch.
“Think you can hit a black, Sam?” whispered Rifle, after a few words with his uncle.