"How did you hear this, Caesar?" he asked.
"Please, massa, I out last night, to help bury Mammy Quacca, who die in
de morning, when my brother Sambo cum in and say he almost caught by
Cudjoe's fellows, and hear dem swear dat dey cum to kill all de white
people, and before long he tink dey cum dis way to Belmont." (That was
the name of Mr Talboys' place.)
"Cudjoe! Who are you talking about? The fellow has been dead these
thirty years or more," said our host.
"Dey say him Cudjoe. Perhaps him come to life again," answered Caesar,
as if he fully believed such an event probable. "Or maybe him `Tree
Fingered Jack.'"
"Three Fingered Jack" was a negro leader who about that time made
himself notorious.
"Possibly some fellow has assumed the name of the old Maroon leader," I
observed.
Mr Talboys, after further questioning the blacks, again turned to us,
and remarked, "I'm afraid there's some truth in what these negroes say.
At all events, it would be wise to be prepared." He spoke in a cool
tone, not a bit flustered.
"I'm very sorry to have brought you into a position which may not prove
to be very agreeable," he continued; "but I know, young gentlemen, that
I can rely on your assistance."
Of course we could give but one answer.
"The first thing to be done is to barricade the house, and I'll get you
to do that, with Caesar to assist you," he said. "Keep an eye on the
boy, lest he should run away, while I send off Cato to give notice to my
neighbours, who will probably assemble here, as this house can be more
easily defended than theirs. I will myself summon my overseer and
clerks. I, of course, shall also despatch messengers to Kingston for
assistance, and we may hope to hold out till the troops arrive. The
rebels expect to take us by surprise, and to murder us without
resistance, as they have the whites in other districts. I must,
however, tell my wife and daughters, or they may be alarmed should they
suddenly discover what is going on."
We heard a good deal of talking in Mrs Talboys' room, and then the
master of the house came out, with a brace of pistols in his belt, and a
sword in his hand.
"The ladies are quite prepared, and will give you all the help they
can," he said. "They'll show you where the arms and ammunition are
kept."
Having finished dressing, we set to work, under Caesar's directions, to
put up shutters, and to strengthen the doors with planks and stout
pieces of timber, which we found in a yard, apparently prepared for the
purpose. We were soon joined by Mrs Talboys and Miss Lucy, who both
appeared equal to the emergency. Having shown us where the arms and
ammunition were kept, they assisted to carry planks and to hold the
boards up while we nailed them on. Miss Lucy had a hearty laugh at the
grimaces made by Chaffey when he happened to hit his finger instead of
the nail he was driving in. We worked away as busily as bees, and
before Mr Talboys returned had already secured most of the doors and
the lower windows. They were all loopholed, so that on whatever side
our enemies might assault the house, a warm reception would be given
them. We were still working away when Mr Talboys appeared.
"Our friends will soon be here," he said. "We shall muster nearly a
dozen muskets, and I hope that with them we may be able to keep the
rebels at bay; though, if they're disposed for mischief, they may ravage
our plantations with impunity."
The overseer and clerks, each armed to the teeth, soon afterwards came
in, and our preparations for defence went on still more rapidly. It was
now midnight, but as yet none of the neighbours had arrived; and we
formed but a small garrison to defend so small a building from the host
of foes who might attack it.
"Me go out and see whether niggers come?" said Caesar.
"No, no; you stay in the house, and help fight," answered his master,
who hadn't forgot the black's purpose of running away and leaving us to
our fate.
"Cato, you go out towards Silver Springs, and learn, if you can, the
whereabouts of the rebels. Call at Edghill on your way, and tell Mr
Marchant and his family to hurry on here, and that we'll do our best to
protect them."
"Yes, massa," answered Cato, who, for a black, was a man of few words,
and was evidently a trustworthy fellow.
Caesar looked somewhat disappointed. I suspect that if he had found the
rebels approaching, we should not have seen his face again. We were
kept fully employed improving the fortifications. Mr Talboys, who was
full of resources, devised three platforms, which were run from the
upper windows above the doorway, with holes in them through which hot
water or stones, or other missiles, could be dropped on the heads of the
assailants. We had also means of access to the roof, so that if it were
set on fire, we might extinguish the flames.
Still the enemy didn't appear, nor did Cato return to bring us
information. Had we been idle, the suspense might have been more
trying; but as we were actively engaged, we scarcely thought of what
might possibly happen. At last Cato's voice was heard shouting--
"Massa Marchant and de piccaninnies come, but de rebels cum too, and dis
nigger not know which get in first."
"We must go and help our friends then. Who'll accompany me?" asked Mr
Talboys.
"I will, sir," said I.
"And I," said Tom Pim. And our other two messmates said the same.
The overseer seemed inclined to stop and defend the house. We
immediately set out, Mr Talboys leading the way, and we keeping close
to him. The night was dark, and we might easily have missed our road.
After going some distance he stopped for a moment to listen. There came
through the night air the tramp of feet, and the hum of voices, though
apparently a long way off.
"What can have become of Marchant?" exclaimed Mr Talboys, after we had
gone some way further.
"Here I am," said a person who stepped out into the middle of the road
with a child in his arms. "My wife was tired, and our children declared
they could go no further without resting, and except our two nurse
girls, all the slaves have run away."
"They might have rested too long," said Mr Talboys. "Come, Mrs
Marchant, I'll help you; and these young gentlemen will assist the
children."
We discovered the family group seated on a bank; and each of us taking
charge of one of the children, we followed Mr Talboys back towards
Belmont as fast as our legs could move. He strode along at a great
rate, for the sounds, which before had been indistinct, now grew louder
and louder, and we knew that the enemy could not be far off. That they
were marching towards Belmont there could be no doubt. Mrs Marchant
gave a shriek of alarm every now and then, and the children cried with
terror. We tried to soothe them, but it was no easy matter to do so as
we ran along.
"Try and keep the children quiet," said Mr Talboys in a suppressed
tone, "or the blacks will hear us. Push on, young gentlemen; I'll bring
up the rear and defend you."
"I'll stay with you," I said; for it struck me that Chaffey might easily
carry the child I had charge of, and so I handed it to him.
"And I'll stay also," said Tom, giving his charge to Sinnet, who, with
one of the black girls, was dragging another along. Mr Marchant had
enough to do to support his wife and carry another of their progeny.
The house was already in sight, but we could hear the tramp of the
insurgents' feet coming nearer and nearer, though we could not tell
whether we ourselves were yet seen. Mr Marchant and his family hurried
on, probably sorry that they had not made more speed at first. We had
our pistols ready, a brace each, in our belts, and our swords by our
sides, should we come to a close encounter; but the blacks had, we
concluded, firearms, and might shoot us down, should they see us, at a
distance. I could not but admire the cool gallantry of Mr Talboys,
with so much at stake, yet willing to risk his own life in the defence
of those he had promised to protect. He stood for nearly a minute to
enable his friend's family to get ahead. The ground rose gradually
towards the house, and we could now distinguish a dark mass coming
across the open space in the plain below.
"Now we'll move on," said Mr Talboys; and we proceeded deliberately
towards the house.
"They must have got in now," he added shortly afterwards, speaking as
before in a suppressed tone.
It was time indeed for us to be hurrying on, for as we looked round, a
party of blacks, forming the advance guard, and whom we had not
previously seen, suddenly appeared, not fifty paces off. They saw us at
the same time, and with loud yells came rushing up the slope.
"On, lads, as fast as your legs can carry you," cried Mr Talboys, and,
facing round, he fired his musket into the middle of them. Whether any
one fell we did not stop to see, but ran towards the house. The blacks
followed, hoping to overtake us, and fortunately not stopping to fire.
Mr Marchant and his family were only just then entering the house.
They had got safe in, and we were about to follow when a shower of
bullets came whistling round our heads and rattling against the walls.
We sprang in, Mr Talboys following. No time was lost in closing the
door and putting up the barricades. We had scarcely finished when a
second volley was fired, showing that the rebels were in earnest, and
meant, if they could do so, to destroy the inmates of the house. Still,
finding that we had escaped them, instead of dashing on, they kept at a
respectful distance, under such cover as the hedges and palings afforded
them. As the bullets pinged against the shutters and walls the children
began to cry, and Mrs Marchant and her black damsels to shriek out.
Mrs Talboys and Lucy remained perfectly quiet, doing their best to calm
the fears of their guests.
"We have a strong house and brave defenders, and we need not be afraid
of the rebels," said the former in a quiet tone.
Meantime Mr Talboys, leaving us to defend the lower storey, mounted to
the top of the house, where, keeping under shelter, he could take a
look-out at whatever was going on below.