"What is it?" she asked in a scared voice. "Are we safe? Has Captain Evans come?"
"Come down with me. Mr. Hoffman's dying, and wants to see you."
She wouldn't come for some time; and when she did come she was trembling all over, and I had to steady her with my right arm along the passage.
We found a tin with some water in it, and I took her to Mr. Hoffman, where we could just see him lying.
"Thank God!" I heard him whisper, when she bent over him.
I went away, wanting to cry.
Then I suddenly remembered that the Scotchman could guide us down to the water, and ran off to find Mr. Ching, but couldn't.
Miller appeared from somewhere.
"That old Scotchman could guide us back," I said. "Where's Mr. Ching?"
"That ain't no good, sir," he said. "They're all round us now, 'undreds and 'undreds of 'em, an' 'e's got only fifty men with 'im." Then I noticed that bullets were coming from the back of the house as well, and heard furious firing near the little gate by which we had entered.