Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-04-19

self; keep within, and fire through the
porch. Hunter, take the east side,
there. Joyce, you stand by the west,
my man. Mr.. Trelawney, you are the
best shotgun and Gray take this Ions
north side. with the five loop-holes;
it's there the danger is. III they q get
up to IL, and fire I'm upon us through
our own ports. things would begin to
look dirty. Hawkins, neither you nor
/ are much ccoun at the shooting;
We'll stand by to load and bear a hand"
AS the captain had said. the chill
was past. AS soon as the sun had
climbed above our girdle of trees 1t
fell with all its force upon the clear
ing n drank up the vapors at a
draught. Soon the sand was baking,
and the resin melting In the logs of the
blockhouse. Jackets n coats were
flung aside; shirts We're thrown open
at h neck n rolled up TO the
shoulders; and we stood there, each at
his post, in a fever of neat and anxiety.
An hour passed away
Hang them!" said the captain.
This Is 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
| see anyone, am | to fire?"
Il told you sol" cried the captain.
Thank you. sir" returned Joyce.
with the same quiet civility.
Nothing followed for a time: but the
remark had set us all on the alert,
straining ears and eyes-the musket-
GERS with their pieces balanced in their
hands, the captain out in the middle
OF the block-house, with his mouth
very tight and a frown on his face.
So some seconds passed, till suddenly
Joyce whipped up his musket and
fired. The report had scarcely died
away ere 1t was repeated and repeat
ed from without in a scattering volley.
shot behind shot, like a string Of
geese, from every side of the Enclosure.
Several bullets struck the log house,
but not one entered; and, as the smoke
feared away and vanished, the stock
ade and the woods around IL looked
as quiet and empty as before. Not a
bough waved, not the CLEAN Of a
musket barrel betrayed the presence
of our ofe3.
Did you hit your man?" asked the
ca plain.
mo, sir" replied Joyce. Il believe
not, sir"
Next best thing to tell the truth"
muttered Captain Smollett. Load his
gun. Hawkins. How many should you
say there were or your side, doctor?'
Il know precisely said DR.. Liyesey.
Three shots were fred on his side.
| saw the three fashes-two close to-
g~ether-one further to the west"
Three" repeated the captain. And
how many on yours, Mr.. Trelaw-
ney?"
But this YVES 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 fred. 1t was pain, therefore,
that the attack would be developed
from the north, and hat on the other
three sides we were only 10 be an
noyed by a show Of hostilities. But
Captain Smollett made no change in
his arrangements. If the mutineers
succeeded in crossing the stockade, he
argued, they would tax possession of
any unprotected loop hole n shoot
US down like rats In our stronghold.
Nor had we much time left 10 us for
thought. Suddenly, with a loud huZza,
a little cloud of pirates leapcd 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.
Continued next weeK.)