Chapter Fifteen.
Mr Twigg rides forward to prepare for the defence of the house—The rest of the party follow—Encounter a party of blacks—Prove to be friends—The overseers incredulity—Preparations for defending the house—Doubts as to the truth of the reports—A fresh arrival brings alarming news—Mr Hayward’s account of his escape—Scouts sent out—All hands labour at the fortifications—Major Malcolm and a party set off for Walton Hall—The insurgents appear and attack the house—Driven back—The siege—Provisions and water become scarce—A sortie to obtain water—The insurgents attempt to burn the stockades—Driven back by Belt and Archie—Another sortie to dig yams—Archie captured by the rebels.
Mr Ferris was acting as charioteer to Mrs Twigg, and took the lead of the carriages.
“What’s the matter?” she cried out, as she caught sight of old Martin galloping up, dreadful surmises, however, entering her mind.
“Oh, Missee Twigg, don’t stop, and I tell you as you go along,” answered the old butler, who having seen his master following behind, turned his horse round.
“Are the children all safe?” was the next question the anxious mother put.
“Yes, dey all berry well; but Martha tell me if I lub dere lives and yours to jump on horseback and come and tell you to make haste home. She say, and I know she speak de truth, dat de black fellows who run away to de mountains, and many oders, tousands and tousands from all de estates, hab got hold of firelocks and ’munition, and intend to murder all de whites in de island, from one end to de oder, and before night dey come and burn down Bellevue and cut de troats of us all. She say our only hope am to get aboard ship or make de house so strong dat we able to drive dem away when day come.”
“How did Martha know this?” asked Mrs Twigg anxiously.
“Dat more nor I can tell,” answered Martin. “All I know am dat she speak de truth.”