Mass' George Part 65

"Well, sir, you were not at home, so we did what I hope you approve of-- treated ourselves as you in your hospitality would have treated us. We sat down, ate and drank, and after we were refreshed we came back, but we saw no enemy."

I felt hot and cold with indignation as I listened to this man's cavalier treatment of my father, and to see that many of those present were ready to join this scout in believing it to be a false alarm.

"I am glad, sir, that you have returned in safety to make your report,"

said my father, coldly.

"Oh, come, Winters," said Colonel Preston, warmly, "if you had seen those boats bristling with arrows you would not think our friend Bruton had been crying wolf."

"And if he will go into our temporary hospital he will see one of the wounded lying there seriously injured."

"But I do not want to cast doubts on Captain Bruton's report."

"Then why did you try, sir?" I said hotly. "Ask the doctor if it was a sham wound from an arrow that I got in my leg."

"George!" said my father, sternly, "remember what you are."

"I do, father," I said vehemently; "but this man seemed to think you had not spoken the truth."

"No, no," said the settler, flushing up, "only that he might have been deceived."

"I only wish you had been tied up for hours to a tree as I was, sir," I said, "expecting to be killed by the Indians. I believe even now you can't believe it is true."

"Hush!" said my father, sternly. "I'm afraid, gentlemen, that though nothing has been seen of them, the Indians are hiding in the forest, ready to descend upon us at what they consider a favourable opportunity, and I beg, I implore, for your own sakes--for the sake of all whom you hold dear, not to treat what I have said as being exaggerated."

"We shall not, Bruton," said the General firmly, after standing listening in silence all through. "I have plenty of faith in my young friend, your son, and you may rest a.s.sured that I am not going to treat what has taken place as a false alarm. Gentlemen, to your posts.

Colonel Preston, the gate must be closed at once, and every other man will remain under arms till ten to-night, when the second half will relieve them. Gentlemen, I consider that the siege has begun."

The evening came in dark and gloomy, and night fell as if almost at once. All was still but the faintly-heard lapping of the water on the strand, and the customary croaking and hollow bellowing from the forest; and it seemed to me, feverish and ill at ease now, that a feeling of awe had come upon the occupants of the enclosure, who were seated about in groups of families, discussing their strange positions in whispers, and waiting at the first alarm to obey the General's command, and take shelter in the great block of wooden buildings const.i.tuting the fort--a building which had been gradually enlarged as the settlement had increased, so that, in addition to shelter and protection, there might be ample room for magazines, armoury, and stores.

I was seated with Pomp and my father, where we had partaken of the food that had been served out, thinking of my bed at home, and of how dearly I would have liked to be lying there instead of upon the hard ground, when an alarm was given, and the officers, my father amongst them, hurried up to the fort to ascend to the roof, and watch the glow which had suddenly begun to appear in the southwest.

I had followed my father and stood by him, as I heard the General say sharply, in answer to a remark made by some one of those present, upon whose faces the faint glow was reflected--

"Forest fire, sir? No; I am afraid it is--"

"My house, gentlemen," said my father, calmly. "The attack has begun."

A dead silence followed my father's words, and it was almost a minute before the General said gravely--

"Yes, Bruton, the attack has begun, and in a way I dreaded. Well, we must beat it off. I am sorry that your pleasant home should be one of the first to fall a victim to the enemy; but as it was built up, so it can be built up again. There will be plenty of willing hands to help one of our most trusty brothers."

A murmur of warm a.s.sent followed this remark, and then the General spoke again.

"Is Mr Winters here?" he said.

"Yes, General."

"What have you to say, sir, now?"

"That I beg Captain Bruton's pardon, sir; and that I will be one of the first to help restore his house, if it please G.o.d I live through the trouble that is to come."

"Thank you, Mr Winters," said my father, quietly. "If we are staunch to each other I have no fear for the result."

"Look--look!" came in a low murmur, and my heart sank, for it seemed so piteous to see the bright glare rising over the forest, as the poor house over which so much pains had been taken seemed, in spite of the distance, to be sending up wreath after wreath of golden smoke, while for a short time there was a ruddy light spreading high up into the sky.

But it all faded out as rapidly as it had arisen, and I went down into the enclosure, to stumble soon after upon Morgan, who said grimly--

"Didn't think after that soaking, look you, she would have burnt out so quick, Master George."

"Oh, don't talk about it, Morgan," I said. "There, I must lie down now; I am too weak and tired to stand."

"Come this way then, my lad, and lean on me," he said gently; and he helped me to where I could see something white lying on the ground.

It was the great bundle Sarah had made, and close by it lay Pomp fast asleep.

"Burned so quickly after the soaking it had had," seemed to be buzzing in my brain, and the ruddy glow flashed up before my eyes once more; but only in imagination, for I believe that as my head touched that great soft bundle, regardless of danger from tomahawk or arrow, I went off fast asleep, and slept on hour after hour, nor opened my eyes again till it was broad day.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

It was a miserable scene upon which I gazed, in spite of its being a bright clear morning; but as I grasped where I was, and shook off the drowsy confusion, there was a feeling of thankfulness in my heart, for the dark night had pa.s.sed away, and we had not been attacked by the Indians.

But the moment I had felt more cheerful, down came a depressing cloud, as I remembered our row for life, our narrow escape, and the reflection of the fire I had seen.

"Poor old house!" I sighed to myself, for it was so terrible that the beautiful little home should have been utterly destroyed; and it all seemed to come up before me with its high-pitched gable ends, the rough pine porch, the lead-paned windows that came over from England; and as I saw it all in imagination once more, I fancied how the pa.s.sion-flowers and other creepers must have looked crisping and curling up as the flames reached them; and what with my miserable thoughts, the stiffness I felt from my previous day's exertions, and the pain from my little wound, if ever I had felt horribly depressed, I did then.

"Ma.s.s' George hungly?" said a familiar voice; and there was Pomp's contented face before me, as he came up hugging to him some slices of bread.

"No," I said, ill-humouredly, "I can't eat; my leg hurts me so."

"Pomp can," he said; "and him hand hurt too. Missie Morgan want to see Ma.s.s' George."

I took one of the pieces of bread Pomp gave me, and began to eat mechanically as I walked across the enclosure by the various little groups of settlers and their families, to where my father was busy with the other officers superintending the construction of a barricade outside the gate, so as to divide the Indians in case of an attack, and force them to come up to the entrance one by one.

"Ah, my boy," said my father, quickly, "how is the leg?"

"Hurts," I said, in an ill-used tone.

"Naturally," he cried with a laugh. "There, don't be down-hearted about a little pain. I came and had a look at you, but you were asleep.

There, do you see how we are getting ready for your Indian friends? We hope to give them such a severe lesson that they will leave us alone in future."

"Then you think they will attack us, father?" I said. "Some one just now told me that all was quiet, and that the Indians had gone."

"That is the very reason why I think they will attack us, my boy, and the sooner the better, George. It must come, and I should like them to get their sharp lesson and go; for I want to hang this up for an ornament or to turn it into a pruning-hook."

He touched his sword as he spoke, and turned to Morgan, who came up.