Old Martin Lee saw with anxious solicitude Edward Murray rush after
Bray; then the closing door hid them from his sight; and with renewed
energy he clutched his gun, and struck fiercely at the first assailant
that presented himself, shivering the stock to pieces, and laying the
man motionless at his feet. But the barrel made no insignificant
weapon; and he fought, as did Mr Meadows, fiercely, though in vain; the
odds were too great, even though they were ably seconded by the
shepherds. Through the beaten-down door the convicts rushed; and in a
few moments the defenders were trampled under foot, and lay on the now
deeply-crimsoned floor, the women being dragged out of the house into
the front.
Then followed the scene of ruin and confusion previously enacted in the
next valley. Food was obtained, the shepherd's weeping wife being
compelled to provide it, and then it was devoured by the red-handed
crew. Wine, spirits, all were seized, and a mad debauch ensued; the
ruffians, for the most part, having been deprived of such indulgences
for years. But, soon satiated, the eager search for arms and ammunition
was continued; men loading themselves, too, with much more plunder than
they could bear away.
As for the dead, they lay unnoticed, the wounded receiving but little
better treatment, till at last the moon slowly dipped behind the western
ridge of hills, causing a deep shadow to creep along the Gap, and up the
opposite slope, when, with an oath at the coming darkness, one ruffian
thrust a light against some curtains, which caught fire in an instant.
The flame ran up to the dry, boarded ceiling, and in a few minutes it
became plain that the settler's pleasant home must become a heap of
ruins.
"What are you doing of?" shouted one convict to another, who, regardless
of the flames, dragged out two bodies, in which there seemed to be some
trace of life. But the man did not answer, and when the other attempted
to hinder him, struck the ruffian to the ground in an instant.
But the next moment he was on his feet, knife in hand, and sprang at his
assailant; but only to go down again, as if the fist that struck the
blow had been so much lead.
He lay for a few moments, half-stunned, and then rose, slowly muttering,
and shaking his head, while the other, in answer, apparently, to the
mute appeals of the women, half-dragged, half-carried the wounded men
out of reach of the rapidly increasing flames.
The man did it, though, in a coarse, rough, brutal way, as if afraid
that he might lose caste in the eyes of his companions; and then, after
bestowing a contemptuous kick on each, he rejoined his party, loaded
himself with such booty as he had secured, and the motley group began to
make preparations for returning down the valley.
"Here, carry this!" exclaimed a fellow, seizing one of the women by the
arm; but she broke from him to dart to one of the prostrate forms, and
lift its head into her lap. The ruffian was at her side the next
instant, though, trying to drag her away; but as she resisted, he struck
her to the ground, and hurried to join the others.
Poor Mrs Lee sank to the earth, with a wail of misery, and remained
motionless; but the other woman, the shepherd's wife, took the load
pointed out to her, and followed her captors, trembling, and apparently
half beside herself.
The flames had by this time wrapped the greater part of the house; and
the convicts were passing the lean-to, shingle-roofed outbuilding at the
end, when there rang forth a wild, despairing cry; and, dropping his
load, as his companions were arrested, the same man who had dragged out
the wounded, sprang forward and caught Katie in his arms, and bore her
senseless from the flames, just as, with a fierce rush, the wind came
careering up the valley, and dark clouds began to gather over head, as
if betokening a storm.
"Now, then; we've more than we can carry now!" shouted the one who
seemed to be the leader; and then, burdened as they were with plunder
and three wounded men who could not walk without assistance, they slowly
made their way to the bright little bay where they had left the schooner
moored, to find her struggling, as it were, with the wind; and as they
came well in sight they saw her break away, and in spite of the efforts
of those left on board she ran on the bar at the mouth of the little
harbour, where, it being now low water, a tremendous surf was running,
the huge waves leaping over her and sweeping the decks in an instant.
Twice she seemed lifted as if to be borne clear of the sands, but only
to be dashed down again, the masts going at the second shock; and then,
as if lightened, she lifted again, seemed to shake herself, and plunged,
stern forward, farther on to the sand-bars, to lie rolling and wallowing
in the midst of the fierce waters--a hopeless wreck.
Ten minutes had been sufficient time to effect the ruin; when seeing
their retreat cut off so suddenly, the convicts stood upon the shore,
with their ill-gotten booty, staring at one another, and apparently
bewildered, till the one who had assumed the leadership promptly gave
his orders, which the men sullenly obeyed, and followed him back towards
the Moa's Nest.
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