"
William squeezed Ready's hand; his heart was too full to speak.
"They will come at daylight, William; you have not much time to spare;
climb to the look-out, and wait there till day dawns; watch them as
long as you can, and then come and tell me what you have seen."
Ready's voice became faint after this exertion of speaking so much.
William immediately climbed up the cocoa-nut tree, and waited there
till daylight. At the dawn of day, he perceived that the savages were
at work, that they had collected all the faggots together opposite to
where the old house had stood, and were very busy in making
arrangements for the attack. At last, every one shouldered a faggot,
and commenced their advance towards the stockade; William immediately
descended and called his father, who was talking with Mrs. Seagrave.
The muskets were all loaded, and Mrs. Seagrave and Juno took their
posts below the planking, to reload them as fast as they were fired.
"We must fire upon them as soon as we are sure of not missing,
William," said Mr. Seagrave, "for the more we check their advance, the
better."
When the first savages were within fifty yards, they both fired, and
two of the men dropped; they continued to fire as their assailants came
up, with great success for the first ten minutes; after which the
savages advanced in a larger body, and took the precaution to hold the
faggots in front of them, for some protection as they approached.
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