“And mother shall nurse me when I’m wounded.”
“Oh, my boy—my boy!”
“Silence, sir! Mrs Dean, he is only tormenting you. It is not likely that he will be hurt, but out here in the wilderness we do sometimes have to fight to protect the women and children. There, do not be uneasy; I see your son will do you credit.”
Esau gave a gulp, and turned red in the face, while I suffered a twinge of jealousy on finding that the lad, whom I blamed as the cause of all the trouble, should be spoken to in this way while I was treated with a coldness that, in my sensitive state, seemed to freeze all the better nature within me.
“A pretty mess this, sir,” said Barker, as we joined him out in the enclosure. “Those stupid donkeys have let loose a nice gang. They’ll be as savage as possible against everybody, and be coming down upon us just when we don’t expect it.”
“But have they arms and ammunition?”
“Plenty, sir. They stripped our men, and if we don’t look out they’ll strip us. Why, the little valley will never be safe again while they are about.”
“No,” said Mr Raydon. “It’s a bad look-out, but we must take every precaution. You may rely on my helping you, as I promised, and if I am the unlucky one attacked first, I look for help from you.”
“And you shall have it, sir. I answer for the lads up the valley. What do you propose doing first?”
“Nothing,” said Mr Raydon.