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.
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