I passed the early part of that night now seated in the darkness by my
father, now stealing away when I believed him to be asleep, and joining
Morgan, who was acting as one of the sentries, and had kept Pomp by his
side so as to make use of his keen young eyes, which seemed to see
farther through the darkness of the night than those of any one else in
the camp.
And as I stood at Morgan's side I could not help thinking of the great
change that had taken place. Only a few hours before the fort was
crackling and blazing, huge logs splitting with a loud report, and
wreaths of fire and smoke circling up into the lurid sky, while all
within the enclosure was lit up, and glistened and glowed in the intense
light. Now all was gloom, depression, and darkness--a darkness so thick
that it seemed to me as if the Indians had only to come gently up and
select the place to climb over and then carry all before them.
I was tired and despondent, and that made me take, I suppose, so dreary
a view of my position, as I waited for the enemy's advance. And yet I
think my despondency was warranted, for I felt that if the Indians
attacked they would carry everything before them; and if they did I
could not doubt the determination of Morgan and his companions. And
there I found myself standing beside the man who was ready to put a
light to the powder and send everything into chaos--for that he would do
it in the emergency I felt sure.
I had been backwards and forwards several times, and was standing at
last gazing over the fence in silence, trying to convince myself that
some objects I saw in the distance were bushes and not Indians, when
Pomp suddenly yawned very loudly.
"Hush!" whispered Morgan, sternly.
"Pomp can't help um. So dreffle tire."
"Then keep a sharp look-out, and try if you can't see the Indians."
"Pomp did, but eye got blunt now. Why not go look for Injum?"
"I wish the General would let the boy go," whispered Morgan. "He might
be able to get in some news."
"Pomp nebber see noting here. May Pomp go, Mass' George?"
"Of course you can't, boy," said Morgan, shortly. "Go and ask the
commanding officer, and see what he'd say to you."
Pomp yawned, put his arms over the edge of the fence, after getting his
feet into a couple of notches, and drawing himself up and resting his
chin upon his fists, he stared out into the darkness.
"Here de Injum," he said; and a thrill ran through me as I followed the
boy's pointing finger, but could see nothing.
"Can you, Morgan?"
"See? No!" he said, pettishly; "but you'd better go and give warning,
sir."
I hurried off, and found Colonel Preston with the General, who received
my news, and word was passed round to the various sentries, while the
colonel made for the reserves in the centre of the enclosure, where in
utter silence every man seized his piece, and stood ready to march to
the point threatened, while I guided the General to where Morgan was
stationed.
"No, sir. Not seen anything, nor heard a sound," said the latter, on
being questioned. "It was this boy who saw them."
"Yes, ober dah," said Pomp, pointing.
"Can you see them now?"
"No, sah. All gone."
This was unsatisfactory, but the General seemed to have perfect faith in
the boy's declaration, and a long exciting watch followed.
The Indians' habits had grown so familiar that every eye and ear was on
the strain, and finger upon trigger, as tree, shrub, and grassy clump
was expected momentarily to develop into a foe. The secretive nature of
these people made our position at times more painful and exciting, as we
knew that at any moment they might come close to us in the darkness, and
almost before the alarm could be given, dash up to the palisade and
begin climbing over.
But the weary hours crept on without any fresh sign, and the opinion
began to spread that it was a false alarm, while Pomp was so pressed
with questions that he slunk away into the darkness.
I followed him though, just making him out by his light, white cotton
clothes, and saw him at last throw himself down on his face; but he
started up into a crouching position, ready to bound away as I came up
to him.
"No good, Mass' George," he said, angrily. "I 'tupid lil nigger, and
done know nuff talk. Nebber see no Injum; nebber see nobody. Keep ask
say--`Are you suah?' `Are you suah?' Pomp going run away and lib in de
tree. Nobody b'leeve Pomp."
"Yes, some one does," I said, as I sat down beside him in the darkness;
and for the first time I noticed that we were close to the tarpaulin and
canvas spread over the powder-kegs.
"No. Nobody b'leeve Pomp. Um wish Injum come and kill um."
"No, you don't," I said; "because you know I believe you, and have often
seen that you have wonderful eyes."
"Eh? Mass' George tink Pomp got wunful eye?"
"Yes; you can see twice as well in the dark as I can."
"No; Mass' George tink Pomp 'tupid lil nigger; no good 'tall. Pomp go
run away."
"I shall call you a stupid little nigger if you talk like that," I said.
"Don't be foolish. I hope the Indians will not come any more, and that
we shall soon go back home."
"Injum coming; Pomp see um. Dey hide; lie flat down on um 'tummuck so;
and creep and crawl um."
He illustrated his meaning, but crouched down by me again directly.
"Dat on'y Pomp fun," he whispered. "Pomp nebber run away from Mass'
George, and ah!--look dah!"
He pointed away into the darkness so earnestly that I stared in that
direction, but for some little time I could see nothing. Then, all at
once, I made out a figure which came cautiously toward where we sat, but
turned off and went round to the opposite side of the heap out of our
sight, and it was evident that we were not seen.
I was going to speak, but just as the words were on my lips I recognised
Morgan, who must have just been relieved; and as I fully grasped now
where we were, I turned cold as ice, and a peculiar feeling of moisture
came in the palms of my hands.
I wanted to speak, but I could not; I wanted to cry to him hoarsely, but
no words would come; and if ever poor fellow suffered from nightmare
when he was quite awake, it was I in those terrible moments, during
which there was a peculiar rustling, then a loud cracking sound, as if
something was being wrenched open and broken, and the tarpaulin was
agitated and shaken.
My ears were strained to listen to what came next, and that would be, I
felt sure, the clicking of a flint and steel; but the sounds did not
come, and just as I was at last feeling as if I could bear all this no
longer, there was a sound of the tarpaulin falling on the earth, and
Morgan came softly round and close by again without seeing us, while I
crouched there ready to faint, and fully expecting every moment to be
swept away by a terrific explosion.
"What Mass' Morgan want?" said Pomp at last, as a sudden thought struck
me, and mastering the feeling of paralysis which had held me there, I
made a dash round to the other side to tear away the slow match which
the man must have started, and which would, I supposed, burn for a few
moments and then start a train.
To my surprise I could see no sparkling fuse nor smell smoke, but
concluding that it must be under the tarpaulin, I raised the edge with
trembling hands, when Pomp said quietly--
"Dat powder, Mass' George; Pomp know. Mass' Morgan come fess lot more;
and oh! What lot tumble all about."
His quick eyes had made out that which was invisible to mine; and, after
stooping, he held a handful before me.
I drew a breath full of relief. I knew now. He had not come to fire
the fuse, but to tear open one of the kegs and let a portion of the
powder lie loose, so that whoever came to do the terrible deed would
only have to discharge his firelock down amongst it, when a spark would
explode the whole.
"Only to be quite ready," I thought, as the desire for life thrilled
through my veins.
"Pomp 'crape it up and put in Mass' George pocket," said Pomp; and then
we both stood away, for there was a flash and the sharp report of a gun.
"Pomp did see Injum, Mass' George," said the boy; "and here dey come."
Another shot, and another, and my heart seemed to leap as I felt that
Morgan's plan might not be long before execution after all, if the
Indians made a desperate assault.
One minute before, the great enclosure was perfectly still, now it was
all excitement; orders rang out; there was the tramp of armed men, as
they hurried toward the spot from whence the firing had come.
Then came a shot from quite the opposite side, fresh orders were
shouted, and there was a tramp of feet in that direction, the enemy
evidently attacking in two places at once so as to divide our little
force.
Flash after flash now cut the darkness to right and left, and we both
stood listening to the quick orders and the curious ringing sound made
by the ramrods as the men reloaded.
The firing was not rapid, our men seeming to have had instructions to be
very careful and only fire when they saw a good chance; but it was kept
up steadily, and it was evident that the Indians had not succeeded in
gaining a footing as yet.
"Let's run and tell my father what's going on," I said. "He'll be so
anxious."
I made for the tent, with Pomp following, and found my father standing
at the entrance, supporting himself on Hannibal's arm.
"Ah, George, my boy," he said, excitedly. "It's hard not to be able to
help. Who is at the front?"
"At the front?" I said, wonderingly.
"Yes. Is any one protecting the palisade between the two points
attacked? Go and see how many are there; and if few, tell Colonel
Preston to draw the General's attention to the fact. If there are
people there, ask his forgiveness for my interference. It is solely
from anxiety for our safety."
I ran off, followed by Pomp, and soon found Colonel Preston and gave him
my father's message, as he was leading some more men to where the firing
was fiercest.
"Yes, yes, of course," he said, angrily. "It is not likely it has been
forgotten."
I drew back at his words, and felt that I should like the General to
have heard my father's message; and just then I came upon Morgan
running, loaded with ammunition, to the other side.
"Where is the General?" I asked.
"Over here, lad, where I'm going. Don't stop me."
But I did stop him to tell him my father's words.
"Of course it is!" replied Morgan, as sharply as the Colonel had spoken.
And I have often thought about it since--that such a slip should have
been made by two gentlemen, both of whom had had great experience in
military matters. But, of course, in the excitement of the double
advance, and with so few men at their call, it was easy to think of
nothing but repelling that attack, the more especially as there were men
posted all round.
My answers were so unsatisfactory for taking back to where my father
was, that I determined to go over to the part in question, and see how
it was for myself.
As I hurried on, my course lay round the heap of ashes and burnt wood
which had formed the block-house; and curiously weird it all seemed to
be, with the flashes and heavy reports of the pieces to right, and left,
mingled with the savage yells of the attacking Indians, who, as far as I
could tell, seemed to be striving to beat back our men from the fence.
It was darker than ever as I got round the remains of the fort, and
knowing that the ground there was free from impediment, I was in the act
of breaking into a trot, when there was a curious stifled sound in
front--a noise as of an axe falling on wood; and my companion sprang at
me and dragged me back.
"Mass' George," he whispered, "Injum dah. Come ober big fence."