Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-12-30
An hour passed away.

An hour passed away.
"Hang them!" said the captain
This is as dun as the doldrums. Gray
whistle for n wind"
And just at that moment came ihf
first news of the attack.
IF You please. sir" said Joyce. II
see anyone. ala TO tire|
Il told you sol" cried the captain.
THANK YOU. sir" returned Joyce.
with the same quiet civility.
Nothing followed for time; but the
remark had set us all on the alert
straining ears and eyes-the musket'
GERS with their pieces balanced in then
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 sudden
" Joyce whipped up his musket and
fired. The report had scarcely died
away ere it was repeated and repeated
from without in. a scattering volley
shot behind shot. like a string of geese.
from every side OF the inclosure. Sew.
eral bullets struck the log house. bui
not one entered; and, as the smoke
cleared away and vanished, the stock
ade and the woods around it looked
as quiet and empty as before. Not a
bough waved. not the CLEAN of mus
ket barrel betrayed the presence Of our
foes.
Did you hit your man?" asked the
captain.
mo, sir" replied Joyce. ~ Oclievr
not, sir"
Next best thing 10 tell the truth,
muttered Capt Smollett, Load his
gun. Hawkins. How many should you
say there were on your side. doctor|
81 know precisely" said DR.. Livesey
"Three shots were fired on this side
! saw the three flashes-two close TO
gether-one further 10 the west"
"Taree!" repeated the captain. And
how many on yours, Mr.. 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 a single shot
had been fired, It was plain, therefore
that the attack would be developed
from the north. and that on the other
three sides we were only TO be an
moved by a show of hostilities. But
Capt Smollett made no change in his
arrangements. If the mutineers sue
ceedcd in crossing the stockade, he ar.
gued. they would take possession OF
any unprotected loop hole and shoot US
down like rats in our stronghold.
Nor had we much time left 10 us for
thought. Suddenly, with loud huzza,
a little cloud 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 rifle ball sung
through the doorway and knocked the
doctors 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 more frightened than
hurt. for he was on his feet again in
crack, and instantly disappeared
among the trees
Two had bit the dust, one had fed
four had made good their footing in.
side our defenses while from the shel
ter Of the woods seven or eight men,
each evidently supplied with several
kept up hot though useless
fire on the log house.
The four who had boarded made
straight before them for the building
shouting as they ran, and the men
among the trees shouted back to en-
them. Several shots were
fred. but such was the hurry Of the
that not one appeared Il
have taken effect In moment the
four pirates had swarmed up The
mound and were upon US.
The head of Job Anderson. the boat
swain, appeared at the middle loop
hole.
AT email hands!" he reared, in
a voice of thunder.
At the same moment another pirate
yrasped Hunters musket by the mu,
zle. wrenched it from his hands
plucked it through the loophole. and. |
with one stunning blow, laid the poor
fellow senseless on the floor Mean
while a third. running unframed all
round the house, appeared suddenly in
The doorway. and fell with his cutlasy
on the doctor.
Our position was utterly reversed
A moment since we were firing, under
cover, at an exposed enemy; now il
vas we who lay uncovered. and could |
Tot return a blow
The log house was fun of smoke. to |
which we owed our comparative safety |
"A