A guard of several men was placed over the captain, who was taken below where strong arms threw up the earth in great heaps. Mad eyes fell upon the captive, and he was told that his life would be forfeited if he attempted to escape.
Above, the settlers fought the flames at the risk of their lives, for the foe were raining bullets from the hill and the battle had opened in terrible earnest.
Suddenly a startling cry came from the vicinity of the well.
“No more water!”
And the words were echoed on every side. Mothers pressed their babes to their breasts, and told the little ones that the last drop of water had been drawn from the well!
“What of the fire?” shouted Armstrong to the men on the roof.
“If we had more water we could master it,” was the reply. “Without water we are doomed.”
Then he leaped to the gangway and cried to the well-diggers below.
“No water yet?”
“No!” was the despairing answer.