By
these means they gained the stockade in safety, and commenced laying
their faggots. Mr. Seagrave and William still kept up an incessant fire
upon them, but not with so much success as before.
Although many fell, the faggots were gradually heaped up, till they
almost reached to the holes between the palisades, through which they
pointed their muskets; and as the savages contrived to slope them down
from the stockade to the ground, it was evident that they meant to
mount up and take them by escalade. At last, it appeared as if all the
faggots had been placed, and the savages retired farther back, to where
the cocoa-nut trees were still standing.
"They have gone away, father," said William; "but they will come again,
and I fear it is all over with us."
"I fear so too, my boy," replied Mr. Seagrave; "they are only
retreating to arrange for a general assault, and they now will be able
to gain an entrance. I almost wish that they had fired the faggots; we
might have escaped as Ready pointed out to us, but now I fear we have
no chance."
"Don't say a word to my mother," said William; "let us defend ourselves
to the last, and if we are overpowered it is the will of God.
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