The Forrest City times., 1888-02-11
CHATTER XXI. THE ATTAC OK.

The captain looked on for awhile in silencc. Then he spoke.
 My lads" he said, five given Silver . broadside. pitched 1t in red-hot on pur- pose; and before the hours out e he said, we shall be boarded We're outnumbered, needn't tell you that, but we fight in shell ter; and, . minute ago, l should have said we fought with discipline. I've no manner of doubt that we can drub them, if you choose.
 Then he went the rounds, and saw, e he said that all was clear.
 On the two short sides of the house, east cad west there were only two loophoes; on the south side where the porch was two again; and on the north side, five. There Was round score of muskets for the seven of us; the firewood had been built into four piles-tables, you might say-one about the middle of each side, and on each of these tables some ammunition and four loaded muskets were laid ready to the hand of the defenders. In the middle, the cutlasses lay ranged.
 "Toss out the fire" said the captain; 'sthe ohlll Is past, and we musn't have smoke in our eyes"
 The iron fire basket was carried bodily out by MT. Trelawney, and the embers smother cd among send.
 "Hawkins hasn't had his breakfast Haw- kins, help yourself, and back to your post to eat it." continued Captain Smollett Live ly, new, my lad; you'll want it before you've done. Hunter, serve out round of brandy to all hands"
 And while this was going on. 1s captain completed. in his own mind the ssse ef the defense.
 Doctor, you will take the dcce,s hs re- sumed. See and don't expose yourself; keep within, and fire through the porch. Hunter, take the east side, there. Joyce, you stand by the west my man. Mr. Ire lawney, you are the best shot-you and Gray will take this long north side, with the five loopholes; it's there the dangr is If they can get up to it, and fro in upon Ns through our own ports, things would begin to look dirty. Hawkins neither you nor ere much account at the shooting; we'll stand by to load and bear hand" As the captain had said, the chill was past As soon as the sun had climbed above our Eirdle of trees, it fell with all it's force upon the clearing, and drank up the vapors at draught. Soon the sand was baking, and the resin melting in the legs of the block house. Jackets and coats were flung aside; ; | shirts were thrown open at the neck, and | rolled up to the shoulders; and we stood there, each at his post in fever of heat and anxiety.
 An hour passed away. Hang themP' said the captain. This is I as dull as the doldrums. Gray, whistle for a wind"
 And just at that moment came the first news of the Attack.
 If you please, sir" said Joyce, If I sec l any one am to fire%' "I told you sop cried the captain. Thank you, sir" returned Joyce, with the same quiet civility. Nothing followed for time; but the re- | mark had set us all on the alert, straining | ears and eyes-the musketeers with theIr pieces balanced in their hands, the captain | out in the middle of the block-house, with | his mouth very tight and frown on his | face.
 | So some seconds passed. till suddenly | Joyce whipped up his musket and fired. | The report had scarcely died away ere it | was repeated, and repeated fir, m without in scattering volley; shot behind shot, like a string of geese, from every side of the in- closure. Several bullets struck the log house, but not one had entere and, as the | smoke had cleared away and vanished, the | stockade and the woods around 1t looked as | quiet and empty as before. Not bough 1 waved, not gleam of a mnsketrbarrel be- trayed the presence of our foes. Did you hit your man?' asked the cap l tain.
 No, sir." replied Joyce. 'T believe not, I sir.''
 Next best thing to tell the truth" nut 1 tered Captain Sm0llett Load his gun, | Hawkins How many should you say there were on your side, doctorY'
 "I know precisely" said Dr. Livesey.
 "Three shots were fired on this side. 1 saw | the three fisshes-two close together-one
 farther to tn vest"
 ''Threep' .peated the captain. "And
 how many On yours, MT. Trelawney"'
 But this was not so easily answered. There had come many from the north-seven, by the squire's computation; eight or nine,
 according to Gray. From the east and west only single shot had been fired. It was | plain, therefore that the attack would be
 developed from the north, and that on the other side we were only to be annoyed by a show of hostilities. But Captain Smollett
 made no change in his arrangement If the mutineers succeeded in crossing the stock ade, he argued, they would take possession of any unprotected loophole, and shoot us down like rats in our own stronghold. Nor had we much time left to us for
 thought Suddenly, with loud huzza, a
 little crowd of pirates leaped from the woods on the north side, and ran straight on the
 stockade At the same moment the fire was once more opened from the woods, and a
 ride-ball sang through the doorway, and knocked the doclor's musket into bits. The boarders swarmed over the fence like monkeys Squire and Gray fired again and yet again; three men fell, one forward into the inclosure two back on the outside But of these, one was evidently moro frightened
 than hurt, fo he was on his feet again in a crack, and Instantly disappeared among the
 trees.
 Two had bit the dust one had fled, four
 had made good their footing inside our de- lenses, whilt from the shelter of the woods, seven or eig men, each evidently supplied
 with severn uskets, kept up hot though useless fire the log-house.
 The four no had boarded made straight
 before them for the building, shouting as
 they ran, and the men among the trees shouted back to encourage them. Several
 shots were fired, but such was the hurry of 10 narksmen, that not one appeared to
 have taken effect. In a moment, the four
 pirates had swarmed up the mound and
 upse upon uS
 The head of Job Anderson, the boatswain,
 appeared at the middle loophole.
 At lem. all hands-all handsp' he roared,
 in voicc of thunder.
 At the same moment another pirate grasped Hunters musket by the muzzle,
 wrenched 1t from his hands, plucked it through the loophole, and. with one stun
 hing blow, laid the poor fellow senseess on the floor. Meanwhile third, running un- harmed all around the house, appeared sud denly in the doorway, and fell with his cut
 lass on the doctor.
 our pcsfsion was utterly reversed. A mo.
 ment since we were firing. under cover, al
 an exposed enemy, now 1t was we who lay
 uncovered. and could not return blow.
 The log-house was full of smoke, to which
 ws owed our comparative safety. Cries and
 senfusions. the flashes and reports of pistol I ~t~ t... f.