Defending the Island

was Susan relieved from guard duty, and then the gate ha

ount on finding us asleep, mayhap, although it would be queer people who could close t

arm to stand guard, and even though the savages do not make any m

mother and mine want all the children together while they pray for the goo

house, stopping very suddenly, however, as a low sound, not unlike the ca

rought inside the enclosure if for no other reason t

ely those who were skulking on the harbor island might succeed in their purpose,

r, for I am not minded to take the chances of being surprised, ever though we ha

care of the cows during so many years, they would follow her more readily tha

ng out of the stockade; but she put an end to the controversy by slipping through the gate immed

hin the enclosure during the warm season, and as they filed through the gate Mark felt decidedly more comfortable in mind, for now

y of hay which had been made during the summer, the children went into the house, which seemed strang

hey would best be screened from any stray bullets. A supply of fuel was stacked up near the fireplace, to the end that it might be poss

nces, entered the building, they found the women and smaller children gathered close be

y minutes, mother dear, for much remains

nd guidance in this their time of peril, and the children listened to the petition as they had never done before. It was as if the pray

de, and never a question was asked or a word spoken when Mark, Luke, and Susan, rising to thei

as was practical with the limited amount of material at hand, in order that, in event of an attack, it

bs, horses for wood-sawing, and household utensils were piled up or pushed unto positi

ht improvised platforms whereon they could stand while

uld be impossible for the Indians to paddle across the waters of the

e shore, in full sight of those who might approach, and, in event of a

e ready to face the more immediate danger to the end that their lo

once, warning all hands to stay where they are until the sun has risen, after which we will open fire, trying to do the greatest possible amount of execution i

ure startled the children; but an instant later they saw tha

omentary alarm, and the children went boldly forth to do battle-two boys and

r the other headlands, and therefore it was that Mark divided his small force, sending Luke to patrol the northern point, while he paced to and fro on the sout

e alert for any suspicious noises either behind or in front of them, for there wa

e exposed in case the savages had already landed on Mount Desert, for the gate of the palisade was unlocked

s barred on the inside, and Mary Pemberton standing close beside it in

se whom he considered were entrusted to his charge, and it only

seemed to the young leader as if he had taken into consid

nwhile that the other two were on the alert, and then Mark saw a canoe put off from the harbor isl

order to fire at least one shot before the Indians could disembark; but at that moment an exclamation fr

dled straight across the water, in t

force opposed to them, and therefore, counted on bringing their bloody w

ust perforce give all their attention to one party, leaving the others to do as they please

rk cried to his companions. "Come this way, Sue, and Luke,

while Luke stood his ground, but with the disagreeable knowledge that

e defence. It was necessary the three should be inside the stockade before those who wer

s in front of us will take good care to move so slowly as to

crutch-like rest which was used in those day

with its freight of painted terrors, and instantly the Indians ceased paddling, thus proving that they had no intentio

don't intend to give us any show at them, and we are foolish if we remain. Yonder

triving to prevent a tremor of fear

. You start on ahead

rl said, stoutly. "We will share th

k of defending the island," and Mark kissed her on the cheek more tenderly t

ur being able to do anything here," Mark cried to his brother, as he

eated; but it could be seen that its occupants did not count on approach

position behind the fence when t

gate, having been warned by the report of her cousin's musket, Mary Pemberton

ithin the enclosure, for while Mark was replacing the bar which locked the gat

gate having been fastened, he ran toward that

just beyond the de

ou hit

laming myself for not having practiced more often after your father insis

y out over the top of the palisade, which was not a simple matt

eering eagerly around, when the report of a mu

s mother, the girl had taken her station on one of the casks at a point overloo

asked, as he mounted one of

e turned to recharge her weapon; but Mistress Hardin

as you children; but we may, at leas

rd immediately after the first shot was fired, doubtless hoping to gain an advantage while the defenders were reloa

e weapon, thus telling that an equal number of bullets had

began to whistle over the heads of those who were exposed to view, as

sible; we can count on their staying under cover while doing so much shooting!" Then, turning to his mother, he added, "There i

members of the company were in comparative safet

im a view of the outside without his being obliged to expose himself, and Susan was leaning agai

ing, Sue?" Mark

ust now I can't see anythin

e matter wi

matter-of-fact tone. "It bleeds a little, an

e made as if to jump down from the

hurt badly, which I'm not, you have n

had been necessary for Susan to remind him of his duty

sisting on an examination of the injury. "I will take her to the hous

here," Susan cried, more concerned lest she be forced to le

the building if at that moment the assault had not been renewed, a

re, had divided the force, a portion remaining hidden in the thicket to fire at the childr

to move quickly, and it was impossible fo

!" Mark cried, as half a dozen Abenakis, carrying a heavy tree-trunk

ee of the savages fell, and their fellows, dropping th

their weapons, detonations being echoed and re?choed from mountain to

and Susan and Luke replied

ree-trunk succeeded in crawling off to the shelter of the u

ted out from his place of concealment, Mark raise

the wounded, and it's possible they'll go back to th

ng his voice, he cried, loudly, "Listen, ye Abenakis, whom our fathers have fed when you were hungry, and sheltered when you were cold, but who would murder us now! Take away your wounded

make prisoners the wives and children of those men who had ever been their friends, did not question the faith of the lad when

ew while lifting the wounded from the ground. "Do Indians kill their friends? Do they speak soft words only wh

il the Indians were hidden once more

n we will go away, telling the Fre

e shall be few left to report to the cowardly Frenchmen, if you remain here very long. You shall be shot down

ed by remaining in a crouching position, as during the short fight, and the reply to his words came in the f

had been seen the flash of the muskets, but no one cou

nd, a canoe was seen putting off from the shore, directly in front of the dwellings, and, after such delay as was necessary,

It now remained to be seen whether the Abenakis were willing

an cried, joyfully.

, "and if they had not been sent by French

Mark?" the girl cried, as she l

ish drove away from Mount Desert French settlers, and now those who are stirring the Indians up to this kind of business are trying to make things even. We can count on

save one to stand guard behind the palisade, should not

and well in view, therefore the savages would not be able to leave it secretly, an

a couple of hours, Luke."

howing that she was determined to do a full

to lie down," Mark replied, intending that she

to Co