THE ATTACK ON UPHILL--MY FATHER'S WARNING--THE BEGINNING OF THE FIGHT--
OUR VICTORY--A COWARDLY REVENGE--MR. TIDEY ACTS AS SCOUT--MR. MCDERMONT
RENEWS HIS PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE OUR FARM--WE RESOLVE TO GO WEST--UNCLE
DENIS DECIDES TO JOIN US--AN EXPEDITION TO DIO'S RELIEF--WE DISCOVER THE
CAVE--WE FIND DIO--HIS DELIGHT AT THE PROSPECT OF RETURNING--TOO WEAK
FOR THE JOURNEY--OUR ARRIVAL HOME--PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE--UNCLE
DENIS WITH US AGAIN--THE MARCH COMMENCED--CROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER--ON
THE PRAIRIES OF MISSOURI--"WESTWARD HO!"--POSSIBILITIES OF DANGER--THE
PROPER PLACE TO CAMP--THE WAY TO BIVOUAC--THE REAR-GUARD.
No sooner was Boxer safe inside the room, than Peter began hurriedly to
close the shutter, when we heard the report of a gun, and a bullet with
a loud thud struck it. Fortunately the wood was thick, or one of us
might have been shot. Peter, quick as lightning, closed the shutter and
put up the bar.
"Dem rascally Kentuckians do dat!" he exclaimed; "hand me your rifle,
massa, and me pay dem back. Stan' by to open de shutter for me to
fire."
"No, no, Peter," I said; "the men are not likely to show themselves, and
the other is sure to fire the instant he sees the window open."
The shot had aroused my father and mother and the rest of the household,
and we heard my father and Uncle Denis calling to each other. Peter
having struck a light, we went into the hall, where we all soon
assembled, with the exception of my mother and Kathleen, when I narrated
what had occurred.
"The fellows are bent on mischief, there can be no doubt about that,"
said my father. "They are probably not aware how many there are of us
in the house, and expect to force their way in without much opposition."
Uncle Denis proposed rushing out and getting hold of the fellows who had
fired, supposing that they were waiting for others to come up before
attacking the house. My father, however, advised that we should remain
within doors.
"If we go out the fellows will see us, and may pick us off with ease,
while, on the other hand, they cannot approach without showing
themselves, and we shall be perfectly justified in shooting them down
should they come with hostile intent."
My father's first care was to place my mother and Kathleen in safety,
and to insist on their going into a store-closet, to which no bullets
could penetrate should any pierce the shutters. Black Rose begged leave
to accompany them, but Biddy indignantly refused to hide herself,
declaring that she only wished "the spalpeens" would show their ugly
faces at the door, and she would put some marks on them which they would
carry to their graves. Having thus expressed herself, she hastened into
the kitchen, where she lighted the fire, blowing away with all her might
to get the poker into a red heat.
My father's first care was to set one of us to watch at the window of
each room, to give the alarm should any attempt be made to force them,
while he himself stood at the front entrance. Peter was posted at the
rear of the house. Loop-holes had been formed in the shutters through
which we could look and see what was taking place outside. They had
slides so that they could be closed in an instant. As no lamps were
left burning in any of the rooms, those outside could not distinguish
the small openings, while the moon, though waning, afforded light
sufficient to enable us to see anyone moving about round the house.
Our preparations for defence were made in a shorter time than I have
taken to describe them. I was looking through the loophole in my
window-shutter in the front of the house when I saw a person stealing
cautiously forward along the road which led to it. I could make out
that he had a rifle in his hand, which he was holding ready for action.
Presently half-a-dozen more men came in sight, when their leader stopped
until they got up with him. I instantly called out to my father that
the enemy were close upon us.
"We must be certain that they come with hostile intent. Let no one fire
until I give the word," he said; "I will speak to them first, and hear
what they want."
There was little doubt about that, however; before my father could open
the loophole, a thundering blow was dealt with the trunk of a tree
against the door, making it shake on its hinges, though the tough wood
held firm.
"Who dares thus attack my house?" shouted my father; "off with you, or
take the consequences."
A shower of bullets which pinged against the door and walls on either
side was the reply. Our assailants, disappointed in their first attempt
to break open the door, hoped to alarm us into submission.
"Open the door, and let us in; we come on lawful business to look after
a runaway slave, and have him we will, alive or dead, although we burn
your house about your heads," shouted one of the men outside.
Uncle Denis thought from the sound of the voice that it was Mr Bracher
himself who spoke.
"We have no runaway slave within, but open the door we will not; so if
you again make the attempt to force it, your blood be on your own
heads," answered my father in a firm voice.
"That's all empty boast," was the answer; "if you hurt any of our men,
not one of you shall escape with your lives."
"Faith! we're wasting time talking to the fellows," cried Uncle Denis;
"let's begin to treat them as they deserve. If they don't go away, I'll
knock over that big blackguard Bracher, and his crew will soon be taking
to their heels if they haven't him to lead them on."
My father, although a soldier, was as averse as any man to shedding
blood.
"We will show them that they are not likely to succeed, and that they
will pay dearly for the attempt if they again try to break open the
door," he said. "Mr Bracher," he shouted, "understand that I don't
wish to be your enemy, and have no unkind feeling towards you. You have
made an unwarrantable attack on my house. No harm has as yet come of
it. If you will go peaceably away I will overlook the insult and take
no further steps in the matter; but if not, I once for all warn you that
I am well prepared to defend my house, and that you will pay dearly
should you try to enter it. I again say your slave is not within my
doors, so that you will gain nothing if you succeed, which you have no
chance of doing."
My father in speaking this had some hopes of inducing the Kentuckians to
change their intentions, and at all events he might prolong the time so
that daylight would surprise them before they should recommence the
attack. It would then be more easy to distinguish the leaders and shoot
them down, when the rest would in all probability beat a hasty retreat.
Of this Silas Bracher, if he was there in person, was probably aware.
In spite of the warning the Kentuckians had received, they, supposing
perhaps from our not having fired that we had no ammunition, or were
afraid of doing so, again assaulted the door with their battering-ram;
it, however, as before, stoutly withstood the thundering blows they
bestowed on it.
"If they will have it they must," at length exclaimed my father; and
scarcely were the words out of his mouth than Uncle Denis, the overseer,
and our guest fired. I was going to fire when my father shouted to Dan
and me not to pull a trigger. A cry arose from the midst of our
assailants, followed by a loud shout.
"Death to all within the house! Batter in the door, boys; a few strokes
and it will be done."
The ram thundered against the door. I at that moment looked through my
loophole, and I caught sight of a party in reserve, who the next instant
sent a shower of bullets rattling against the shutters and walls, one
shot narrowly missing my head as it whistled through the loophole. I
therefore thrust out my rifle and fired in the direction from whence the
shot came. Whether or not I had hit anyone I could not tell. I was too
well-trained a sportsman to lose a moment before again reloading. All
our little garrison were now engaged in firing and loading as fast as
they could. My father kept his post at the door, and Uncle Denis and
the overseer stationed themselves at the windows nearest to him on
either side, ready, should the door be burst open, to assist in driving
back the miscreants, while Biddy remained intently watching the
proceedings, with her hand on the red-hot poker, prepared to help in the
defence. As I could not bring my rifle to bear on the party with the
battering-ram, I contented myself with firing at those in the distance,
but as they kept as much as possible under cover, I could not tell
whether my shot took effect. The blows which the door received
threatened every instant to break it in, and I suspected that we should
have a fearful struggle before we should succeed in driving back our
assailants. Their cries and shouts increased. Excited with rage and
disappointment they rushed again and again to the assault. The firing
also became hotter and hotter. Fortunately, so well sheltered were all
our party, as we only went to the window to fire, then retreating behind
the walls, that not one of us had hitherto been hurt. From the sounds
which reached my ears I believed that the rifles of those of the
garrison who commanded the entrance were taking effect. Presently,
after another attempt to break open the door, I saw our assailants in
the grey light of morning beating a rapid retreat and dragging along
with them three or four of their number who had been either killed or
badly wounded.
"Victory, victory?" shouted Uncle Denis, "Erin-go-braugh, I knew we
should do for the audacious villains. Hurrah, hurrah?" The rest of us
echoed his shout, including Biddy from the kitchen, while she flourished
her red-hot poker above her head.
My father hastened to assure my mother and Kathleen that we were safe
for the present, while we all shook hands round, congratulating
ourselves on our victory.
"We must not be too certain that we have got rid of them altogether,"
observed my father; "those Kentuckians are persevering fellows. If they
think they have a chance of success they will be at us again."
Increasing daylight enabled us to see for some distance around the
house, but no one could we discover. We all began to believe that they
had finally gone away, when Peter, who was looking through a window at
the side of the house exclaimed--
"See, massa, see! look dare!"
A bright flame shot up, its size rapidly increasing. It was in the
direction of a barn in which a quantity of corn and other produce was
stored.
"The scoundrels have set it on fire in revenge!" exclaimed Uncle Denis;
"let's be out and after them."
"The very thing they would wish us to do," observed my father; "probably
one of their objects in firing the building was the hope that we should
rush out to extinguish the flames. Provided the fire does not extend,
it will be wiser to remain here."
Uncle Denis agreed that my father was right. That he was so we
afterwards ascertained from one of the farm-labourers who had cautiously
followed the Kentuckians.
The sun at length rose, when Mr Tidey insisted on going out to learn
whether they had actually taken their departure. To this my father
consented, and the Dominie set off with his rifle, accompanied by Boxer.
On going out, he found numerous splashes of blood in the front near the
battering-ram, showing that the Kentuckians had been deservedly punished
for the outrage.
We had reason to be thankful that we had all escaped without injury.
Towards evening Mr Tidey came back bringing the satisfactory
intelligence that he had traced the retreating party to the Ohio.
Severe as was the lesson they had received, it was but too probable that
they would return and take another opportunity of wreaking their
vengeance on our heads. My father was a brave man, and had he been
alone would have remained and defended his property to the last, but he
thought of the danger to which my mother and we were exposed, and this
made him more willing than he otherwise would have been, to listen to
the proposal of Mr McDermont.
"You'll be after having a troubled life of it here, captain," observed
our guest, the next day. "For my part I am not altogether unaccustomed
to such proceedings in the old country, and have no wife or children to
be troubled about, and should rather like the excitement of the sort of
life I should have to lead here for a year or two, until I have taught
the Kentuckians to leave me alone in peace. This makes me bold to offer
you a price for your farm, should you be disposed to move farther
westward or northward, out of their way. I know how to deal with
fellows of their character, though I should be puzzled if I had redskins
to guard against, or a new country to clear. What say you now to twenty
thousand dollars? It will go a long way westward. I am aware that your
farm, under other circumstances, would be worth more than that. Should
you accept my proposal, I would advise you not to migrate to
Swampyville. You have the advantage of my experience in that matter,"
he added, laughing.
My father took time to consider Mr McDermont's proposal, and he and
Uncle Denis had a long consultation on the subject. He finally decided
to accept the offer, and greatly to his satisfaction Uncle Denis told
him that he had made up his mind to part with his farm in Kentucky and
to cast in his lot with us.
"I wish that I had done so years ago," he said. "I had an offer just
before I left home: I shall not be long in settling the matter."
Our uncle was a man of action, and observing that he should give Mr
Bracher a wide berth, and promising to return in a few days, at once set
about making preparations for a start.
Mr McDermont was ready to purchase the furniture and everything we did
not require. Dan and I meantime set off to try and find poor Dio, and
either to escort him on his way to Mr Grey's, or should he desire to
return, to bring him back with us, as my father considered that for the
present he would run no risk of being captured, and he might prefer
continuing with us to seeking his fortune among strangers. We gladly
undertook the duty, having little doubt of what he would like to do.
"I am afraid the poor fellow must have been starving all this time, as
the provisions Mr Tidey left with him can scarcely have lasted more
than couple of days," observed Dan as we trudged along.
"He had his rifle, you must remember," I answered, "and although he may
not be a very good shot, he will be able to knock over a few birds or a
racoon, or an opossum, and there are berries in abundance growing in the
neighbourhood of the cave."
Although I said this, I was well aware that there were many dangers to
which Dio might have been exposed. Wolves or bears while prowling about
might have found him asleep, or he might have fallen into the hands of
Indians, or he might have been discovered by white men, who, suspecting
him to be a runaway slave, might have secured him in the hope of
obtaining a reward for bringing him back. There was also the
possibility, should he have finished his provisions, that he might have
been afraid of going out in search of more, and that he might be
suffering from starvation. We therefore hurried on as fast as our legs
could carry us. We did not pass a single farm on our route where we
could obtain assistance should we require it, although there were
several away to the eastward.
In spite of the utmost exertions we could make, it was nearly sunset
before we reached the neighbourhood of the cave. We looked about, no
sign of Dio could we discover, not the slightest trail to show that he
had left the cavern or that anyone had entered it. So far this was
satisfactory. Though we knew the locality, the mouth of the cavern
itself was not very easy to find. We had therefore to hunt about for
some time, until at length we discovered the bushes which grew in front
of it, when we at once began to creep through them; we crawled on till
we found ourselves in the mouth of the cave. Mr Tidey had minutely
described the spot where he had left Dio. We groped our way forward
expecting to see the light from his fire, but not a gleam came forth
from any of the passages to direct us.
"Oh, suppose a bear and her cubs are hid away anywhere, what shall we
do?" exclaimed Dan.
"Shoot the bear and knock the cubs on the head," I answered, although I
knew that was more easily said than done.
Dan and I called to Dio in vain. Again I shouted, "Dio, Dio, answer us,
pray do, if you are here."
"Listen! I hear a voice; it's very faint, but not far off," said Dan.