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〃Very　likely；　sir；　a　canoe　which　has　separated　from　the　others　during　the　night。　Come；　quick；　William；　they　have　begun　to　yell。〃

Another　half…minute；　and　they　arrived　at　the　door　of　the　stockade；　they　entered；　shut　the　door；　and　then　barricaded　it　with　the　cocoa…nut　poles　which　they　had　fitted　to　the　inner　door…posts。



Chapter　LXII

The　loud　yells　of　the　savages　struck　terror　into　the　heart　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　it　was　well　that　she　had　not　seen　their　painted　bodies　and　fierce　appearance；　or　she　would　have　been　much　more　alarmed。　Little　Albert　and　Caroline　clung　around　her　neck　with　terror　in　their　faces；　they　did　not　cry；　but　looked　round　and　round　to　see　from　whence　the　horrid　noise　proceeded；　and　then　clung　faster　to　their　mother。　Tommy　was　very　busy；　finishing　all　the　breakfast　which　had　been　left；　for　there　was　no　one　to　check　him　as　usual；　Juno　was　busy　outside；　and　was　very　active　and　courageous。　Mr。　Seagrave　had　been　employed　making　the　holes　between　the　palisades　large　enough　to　admit　the　barrels　of　the　muskets；　so　that　they　could　fire　at　the　savages　without　being　exposed；　while　William　and　Ready；　with。　their　muskets　loaded；　were　on　the　look…out　for　their　approach。

〃They　are　busy　with　the　old　house　just　now；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　that　won't　detain　them　long。〃

〃Here　they　come；〃　replied　William；　〃and　look；　Ready；　is　not　that　one　of　the　women　who　escaped　from　us　in　the　canoe；　who　is　walking　along　with　the　first　two　men？　Yes；　it　is；　I　am　sure。〃

〃You　are　right；　William；　it　is　one　of　them。　Ah！　they　have　stopped；　they　did　not　expect　the　stockade；　that　is　clear；　and　it　has　puzzled　them；　see　how　they　are　all　crowding　together　and　talking；　they　are　holding　a　council　of　war　how　to　proceed；　that　tall　man　must　be　one　of　their　chiefs。　Now；　William；　although　I　intend　to　fight　as　hard　as　I　can；　yet　I　always　feel　a　dislike　to　begin　first；　I　shall　therefore　show　myself　over　the　palisades；　and　if　they　attack　me；　I　shall　then　fire　with　a　quiet　conscience。〃

〃But　take　care　they　don't　hit　you；　Ready。〃

〃No　great　fear　of　that；　William。　Here　they　come。〃

Ready　now　stood　upon　the　plank　within；　so　as　to　show　himself　to　the　savages；　who　gave　a　tremendous　yell；　and　as　they　advanced　a　dozen　spears　were　thrown　at　him　with　so　true　an　aim　that；　had　he　not　instantly　dodged　behind　the　stockade；　he　must　have　been　killed。　Three　or　four　spears　remained　quivering　in　the　palisades；　just　below　the　top；　the　others　went　over　it；　and　fell　down　inside　of　the　stockade；　at　the　further　end。

〃Now；　William；　take　good　aim；〃　but　before　William　could　fire；　Mr。　Seagrave；　who　had　agreed　to　be　stationed　at　the　corner　so　that　he　might　see　if　the　savages　went　round　to　the　other　side；　fired　his　musket；　and　the　tall　chief　fell　to　the　ground。

Ready　and　William　also　fired；　and　two　more　of　the　savages　were　seen　to　drop　amidst　the　yells　of　their　companions。　Juno　handed　up　the　other　muskets　which　were　ready　loaded；　and　took　those　discharged；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave；　having　desired　Caroline　to　take　care　of　her　little　brother；　and　Tommy　to　be　very　quiet　and　good；　came　out；　turned　the　key　of　the　door　upon　them；　and　hastened　to　assist　Juno　in　reloading　the　muskets。

The　spears　now　rushed　through　the　air；　and　it　was　well　that　they　could　fire　from　the　stockade　without　exposing　their　persons；　or　they　would　have　had　but　little　chance。　The　yells　increased；　and　the　savages　now　began　to　attack　on　every　quarter；　the　most　active；　who　climbed　like　cats；　actually　succeeded　in　gaining　the　top　of　the　palisades；　but；　as　soon　as　their　heads　appeared　above；　they　were　fired　at　with　so　true　an　aim　that　they　dropped　down　dead　outside。　This　combat　lasted　for　more　than　an　hour；　when　the　savages；　having　lost　a　great　many　men；　drew　off　from　the　assault；　and　the　parties　within　the　stockade　had　time　to　breathe。

〃They　have　not　gained　much　in　this　bout；　at　all　events；〃　said　Ready；　〃it　was　well　fought　on　our　side；　and　William；　you　certainly　behaved　as　if　you　had　been　brought　up　to　it。〃

〃Do　you　think　they　will　go　away　now？〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Oh；　no；　madam；　not　yet；　they　will　try　us　every　way　before　they　leave　us。　You　see　these　are　very　brave　men；　and　it　is　clear　that　they　know　what　gunpowder　is；　or　they　would　have　been　more　astonished。〃

〃I　should　think　so　too；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃the　first　time　that　savages　hear　the　report　of　firearms；　they　are　usually　thrown　into　great　consternation。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　but　such　has　not　been　the　case　with　these　people；　and　therefore　I　reckon　it　is　not　the　first　time　that　they　have　fought　with　Europeans。〃

〃Are　they　all　gone；　Ready？〃　said　William；　who　had　come　down　from　the　plank　to　his　mother。

〃No；　I　see　them　between　the　trees　now；　they　are　sitting　round　in　a　circle；　and；　I　suppose；　making　speeches。〃

〃Well；　I'm　very　thirsty；　at　all　events；〃　said　William；　〃Juno；　bring　me　a　little　water。〃

Juno　went　to　the　water…tub　to　comply　with　William's　request；　and　in　a　few　moments　afterwards　came　back　in　great　consternation。

〃Oh；　Massa！　oh；　Missy！　no　water；　water　all　gone！〃

〃Water　all　gone！〃　cried　Ready　and　all　of　them　in　a　breath。

〃Yes；　not　one　little　drop　in　the　cask。〃

〃I　filled　it　up　to　the　top！〃　exclaimed　Ready　very　gravely；　〃the　tub　did　not　leak；　that　I　am　sure　of；　how　can　this　have　happened？〃

〃Missy；　I　tink　I　know　now；〃　said　Juno；　〃you　remember　you　send　Massa　Tommy；　the　two　or　three　days　we　wash；　to　fetch　water　from　the　well　in　little　bucket。　You　know　how　soon　be　come　back；　and　how　you　say　what　good　boy　he　was；　and　how　you　tell　Massa　Seagrave　when　he　come　to　dinner。　Now；　Missy；　I　quite　certain　Massa　Tommy　no　take　trouble　go　to　well；　but　fetch　water　from　tub　all　the　while；　and　so　he　empty　it。〃

〃I'm　afraid　you're　right；　Juno；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃What　shall　we　do？〃

〃I　go　speak　Massa　Tommy；〃　said　Juno；　running　to　the　house。

〃This　is　a　very　awkward　thing；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　observed　Ready　gravely。

Mr。　Seagrave　shook　his　head。

The　fact　was；　that　they　all　perceived　the　danger　of　their　position：　if　the　savages　did　not　leave　the　island；　they　would　perish　of　thirst　or　have　to　surrender；　and　in　the　latter　case；　all　their　lives　would　most　certainly　be　sacrificed。

Juno　now　returned：　her　suspicions　were　but　too　true。　Tommy；　pleased　with　the　praise　of　being　so　quick　in　bringing　the　water；　had　taken　out　the　spigot　of　the　cask；　and　drawn　it　all　off。

〃Well；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃it　is　the　will　of　Heaven　that　all　our　careful　arrangements　and　preparations　against　this　attack　should　be　defeated　by　the　idleness　of　a　child；　and　we　must　submit。〃

〃Very　true；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃all　our　hopes　now　are　that　the　savages　may　be　tired　out；　and　leave　the　island。〃

〃If　I　had　but　a　little　for　the　children；　I　should　not　care；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃but　to　see　those　poor　things　suffer　…　is　there　not　a　drop　left；　Juno；　anywhere？〃

Juno　shook　her　head。

Mrs。　Seagrave　said　she　would　go　and　examine；　and　went　away　into　the　house　accompanied　by　Juno。

〃This　is　a　very　bad　business；　Ready；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃What　would　we　give　for　a　shower　of　rain　now；　that　we　might　catch　the　falling　drops！〃

〃There　are　no　signs　of　it；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃we　must；　however；　put　our　confidence　in　One　who　will　not　forsake　us。〃

〃I　wish　the　savages　would　come　on　again；〃　observed　William；　〃for　the　sooner　they　come；　the　sooner　the　affair　will　be　decided。〃

〃I　doubt　if　they　will　to…day；　at　night…time　I　think　it　very　probable。　We　must　make　preparations　for　it。〃

〃Why；　what　can　we　do；　Ready？〃

〃In　the　first　place；　sir；　by　nailing　planks　from　cocoa…nut　tree　to　cocoa…nut　tree　above　the　present　stockade；　we　may　make　a　great　portion　of　it　much　higher；　and　more　difficult　to　climb　over。　Some　of　them　were　nearly　in；　this　time。　If　we　do　that；　we　shall　not　have　so　large　a　space　to　watch　over　and　defend；　and　then　we　must　contrive　to　have　a　large　fire　ready　for　lighting；　that　we　may　not　have　to　fight　altogether　in　the　dark。　It　will　give　them　some　advantage　in　looking　through　the　palisades；　and　seeing　where　we　are；　but　they　cannot　well　drive　their　spears　through；　so　it　is　no　great　matter。　We　must　make　the　fire　in　the　centre　of　the　stockade；　and　have　plenty　of　tar　in　it；　to　make　it　burn　bright；　and　we　must　not；　of　course；　light　it　until　after　we　are　attacked。　We　shall　then　see　where　they　are　trying　for　an　entrance；　and　where　to　aim　with　our　muskets。〃

〃The　idea　is　very　good；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃if　it　had　not　been　for　this　unfortunate　want　of　water；　I　really　should　be　sanguine　of　beating　them　off。〃

〃We　may　suffer　very　much；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　who　knows　what　the　morrow　may　bring　forth？〃

〃True；　Ready。　Do　you　see　the　savages　now？〃

〃No；　sir；　they　have　left　the　spot　where　they　were　in　consultation。　I　suppose　they　are　busy　with　their　wounded　and　their　dead。〃

As　Ready　had　supposed；　no　further　attack　was　made　by　the　savages　on　that　day；　and　he；　William；　and　Mr。　Seagrave；　were　very　busy　making　their　arrangements；　they　nailed　the　planks　on　the　trunks　of　the　trees　above　the　stockade；　so　as　to　make　three　sides　of　the　stockade　at　least　five　feet　higher；　and　almost　impossible　to　climb　up；　and　they　prepared　a　large　fire　in　a　tar…barrel　full　of　cocoa…nut　leaves　mixed　with　wood　and　tar；　so　as　to　burn　fiercely。　Dinner　or　supper　they　ha