Defending the Island

ldren were inside the dwelling

as come into my mind that we might improve our condition if we raised the top of the

bout it?" Luke asked

, by making loopholes between the upper ends of the logs, we would

r logs, taking the chances that the

e a single boat putting off from the harbor island, and then I can get

to make on his proposition, but set off in search of the axe

m, lest there might be Indians in the thicket, and a few moments later it

d this on the posts above the platform on which Susan was stationed. By chopping either side of the uprights, close to the top, he made V

view of the enemy directly in front, and such shelter would be of great v

ery firmly, and the three children who were to defend the stockade be

em in place. Then Mark occupied himself with making a careful examination of

fences, and it only remains to wait until the enemy is ready

island," Luke replied. "The sails are furled, an

seen the

in aboard the schooner; but th

ke some guess as to when another attack would be made; but in this last he was unsuccessful. The men were lounging on the vessel, or ashore

o be heard by his companions at their several posts of duty. "It is known that we count on defending

the powder?"

ful in making every shot count, to last us during two assault

nnounced, and the boys gave no further heed as to speculations regarding

e was no danger of an immediate attack, for the craft coming sh

robable the enemy counted on boldly reconnoitering the island, nor was it reasonable to

coming; but we'll be ready for

hem if they get too

ould the Abenakis, if they were bold enough to land in broad day," Mark replied, and,

ept the boats of the settlers, beached the canoe, and strai

ers curiously, until they were within fifty or

derstand the reason for this visit," he cried, show

ade?" one of the visitors asked,

the tim

s asked, as he advanced a single pace, to show that

mile. "You must take us for simples, if it is in your

ere. I desired that you yourself should state it in order to the better understand how ent

, having seen your force, a

quarter if you surrender without resistance, it

promised at Falmouth, when the defenceless prisoners

no one shall be harmed if you surrender this p

saying that he could not restrain the Indian allies," Mark said, stoutly. "Since then it is difficult to believe

urrender?" the visi

e. It is better to die fighting than be put to the tortu

twinkling, and, if you resist, no mercy may be exp

sked. "What have we done that you st

eplied, impatiently. "It is my intention to clear this

ve gone away, and then come here to fight women and children!

knew from the voice that the words were uttered by a girl, an

at once," he said, after a brief pause. "In case you are so foolish a

there is one left alive to fire a musket, and when you succeed in the noble work of murdering wome

ord?" the officer asked,

t," Mark

wheeling about, he marched toward the shore, looking back from time to time a

a bargain with them," Luke said, half

e done nothing to warrant their making an attack upon us, and it is well they should hear the

canoe, in which the three men had embarked, and it was in his mind that when they

the schooner, and the canoes of the Indians, were engaged in transporting th

well under way. "We won't need to expect a night attack, and hang around in suspense waiting for it, because the assault is to b

aunt, and when she returned, carrying a heavy

house, under charge of Ellen. The ot

usly. "The Frenchmen are already marching along

ere armed with muskets, and the others carrying pikes, the head of which glittered in the sun, marching in soldierly array down the beach. In th

y counting on carrying the place by the first assault. If the force had been divided, so that a portion might attack from

seem possible they could defend themselves against such a force; b

ould be eager to gain the shelter of their vessel. Both of you can strike four squirrels out of five at fifty paces, and surely you should be able to do a

ale and distressed, as was but natural under the desperate circumstances; but a single glance at their faces would

white men, by seemingly insisting that some other method of procedure be adopted

ho had demanded the surrender pushed his way past the savages

ain of hitting the mark, shoot, and have the second musket where it can be got at q

y weapon as soon as it was empty. The ammunition, divided into three portions, was near the sharpsho

evidently intending to begin the attack near th

remost men plunged forward to the ground, and five

the second musket hurriedly, however, and crippled

ngly, and the words were hardly more than spoken before both he and

en halted without the word

d around the stockade, but the stout logs afforded good protection. Never a

oting, lest a bullet accidentally come through one of the loopholes, and when, because their weap

s will soon show their backs!" Mark cried, cheerily,

emost of the assailants began to fall back, carrying the officer with them

ack twenty white men and nine Indian

beyond range of those in the stockade, was a halt made, an

, and the wounded seated on the sand attending to their injuries. None had been killed outright, but the majority of th

for the savages were shouldered aside with scant ceremony, and after a few moments all the Abenakis, f

leaped down from the platform, and ran toward that portion of the stockade immediately in the re

had been allowed to grow dangerously near the buildings, and had hardly mounted for the purpose of

e matter?"

ere they can shoot while remaining under c

thicket two or three muskets were discharged, thus showing th

sin, carrying a weapon in each ha

The Abenakis won't kick up m

wo or three lobster-pots toward the palisade. "The Frenchmen are paddling back to the schoo

ngerous portion of the attack was now to be met, for it was impossible to see a single foe. The swaying of

he collection of lobster-pots. "They are shooting close, and if you

showing the

be here to hold

geous girl clambered up on the shaky platform unti

st she should be killed, Mark left his station to

f," he said, and would have gone back to his previous positio

at your end of the f

ch need for me to

for me to skulk behind the posts. Unless you hew the timbers at

as forced to protect himself so far as possible, but while he chopped at the posts half

l times they fired at the places where the branches were waving as if some person was wal

Frenchmen yet remained on board their vessel, and when th

ets has gone home, and we have sent far too many at random. The Frenchmen are

en, are w

le the fence. You and our mothers shall attend to the household d

thing for me to

is certain that we shall have our hands full during all this night.

Susan said, as she went toward the house, and a

or the instant, that some of the savages had gained

en came a hum of voices raised high in excitement and f

torily, and as the girl appeared he dema

e water we took into the house, a

able to make merry even amid the terrible surroundings, so great was his relie

here, until the entire pla

l soon be able to clear it out, for I reckon these begga

hmen should come

f that, and get along wit

to Co