The awning in the court-yard was partially torn down; several of the wounded men received still further injury; two of the cooks were disabled, and the stove was overturned, strewing the coals on the kitchen floor in such a way as started a blaze among the dry wood, which threatened speedy destruction to the house.
There was no longer any thought of retaliation, for it was necessary that the flames should be extinguished before they gained too much headway, and the orders were to form lines for passing water.
Hardly had this work been begun when another shower of rocks descended upon the laborers, driving them in from the spring as several of the party fell under the well-directed assault, and during the short time of confusion which ensued the fire gained no inconsiderable headway.
Only three or four men could work to advantage at bringing water from the spring in the court-yard, for the flow was not large enough to permit of much being carried at a time, and while they were engaged in this nearly useless labor Captain Seaworth ordered all the others save those in charge of the cannon to form a cordon around the building for the purpose of keeping up an incessant discharge of musketry into the thicket.
Not a single ape could be seen as the men marched bravely to their posts amid the falling missiles, and their volleys, however rapid, had but little effect, owing to the fact that they were forced to fire at random.
After the muskets had been emptied half a dozen times, and the attack had been checked in some slight degree, every third man was told off to fight the flames; but so much time had elapsed that before the work was well begun it could be plainly seen that all their efforts were vain.
Then, in order to save the lives of the helpless ones in the court-yard, a still larger number of defenders were assigned the duty of conveying the wounded to a building on the outskirts of the settlement, and while this was being done it seemed as if every tree in the vicinity concealed an enemy who kept up a continuous discharge of rocks.
For those in charge of the cannon to remain in the house where they could only shoot directly in front was useless, and under Philip’s command the ordnance was taken outside. From this point, first in one direction and then another, heavy charges of small shot were poured into the thicket from whence came the missiles in the greatest profusion, but evidently without doing much injury to the enemy.
The situation was now deplorable. That the main portion of the settlement would be consumed there could be no question, for the flames had fastened upon the wings on either side of the court-yard, and as all the cottages were of such an inflammable material it needed but little to complete the work of destruction.
The glare of the flames threw into brightest relief those who were struggling to protect themselves and save the property, and thus they afforded good targets for the unseen enemy, who had now completely surrounded the village.