Surprisingly, we all slept very well that night. Each of us (save Geoff
and Marion) took an hour and a half at sentry-go, roaming through
the monstrous old place peering out of windows and jumping at every
creak; but before and after my own tour of duty I slept dreamlessly
and comfortably, and found in the morning that the others had done
likewise. We foregathered at the breakfast table, which was placed
in the center of a broad cheerful beam of sunlight that lanced down
through age-old panes of glass, and we ate tinned meat and biscuits
with honey and mugs of well-creamed coffee, with as excellent appetites
as one could wish for.
When the meal was done, Johnson picked up one of the long pig-sticking
spears and hefted it, trying the balance.
"Going to stab us a shoat, Sergeant?" asked Alec.
"No sir. It's that I can't abide firearms, while fifty years ago I was
rather good with one of these, if I may say so without boasting. A
number of us used to go out on the veld and try our luck at riding down
small antelope, on days when the Boers left us alone, you know, sir. I
think I could still wield one with the best of you young 'uns--begging
your pardon, I'm sure, sir."
The Colonel bounced out of his chair. "Line up for weapons issue," he
cried. "Who's tough enough to handle my elephant gun?"
"Will Chester," said Marion, with a grim nod.
I was then presented with the heaviest piece of Bedford's artillery
and two pocketfuls of shells. Doctor John drew the Mannlicher and the
Colonel himself took a murderous old 450-400 with which he'd once
hunted big game. Marion had a light sporting rifle. Geoff and Alec, who
styled themselves the Hamstrung Brigade, could obviously not handle
rifles; but Alec thrust two Colt .45s through his belt, and Geoff was
allowed to wear a long hunting knife--"just in case." The Colonel
outfitted each of us others with one or two revolvers apiece, and we
parceled out plenty of ammunition. Even Johnson had to add a .22 target
pistol to his brace of spears.
* * * * *
"Now then," said Colonel Bedford, "here's how I see it. We're in as
good a place as any for hanging on: the place is unburnable, and we can
hold it against successive waves--first fighting on the ground floor,
then retreating to this one, hall by hall and room by room, and finally
when things really grow hot we can get onto the roof and make a fight
there. We're far enough away from any settlement that the noise of a
battle won't carry except by a freak of the wind. We can have a nice
private war."
"But," interrupted Marion, "do we want a nice private war? I think we
should want publicity for it, because _they_ don't. D'you see? I'm for
dragging the whole mess into the open."
"And end in a loony bin," said Alec. "No, the Colonel's right as far
as he goes: this is the place to make a stand, and since we know we
can't escape to anywhere in this island that'll be safe, we may as well
stop here to make our fight. They aren't going to bring down a blooming
brigade to eliminate us, mind you; they'll think, 'Ha, there's only
seven, we'll just send round a score or so to pip 'em.' They don't know
we've an arsenal here."
"And meanwhile," said Geoff excitedly, waving his pipe, "Arold Smiff in
Birmingham will be gathering _his_ crew. If we give him--how long would
you say, Will?"
"Another couple of days, maybe. He's got to treat each of those thugs
to a drink or two and sound him out before he hires him. It will take a
few days. Besides, he thinks he's got a week at least. I'm supposed to
be meandering over England getting names. And I'm afraid that scheme's
out, too."
"P'raps, p'raps ... well, say we give Arold a couple of days, and then
phone him--from Exeter Parva, let's say--to bring his outlaws down here
a-whoopin' and a-cussin' in a bunch. How's that? They roar in, mop up
practically all the usurpers in sight, then we catch a few of the
aliens and tell 'em. 'This is a sample. We can see you, so there's no
use your sticking. Scram!' How's that?"
"Dandy, dandy. Except for the little matter of getting out of here to
phone Arold. What if we're surrounded?"
"Oh, hell's tinkling bells! Where's your red Injun blood? But if you
like, one of us can leave now, before they arrive. He can contact
Arold, have him hurry it up, and in a day or two catch the besiegers in
the rear." Geoff was jubilant, and some of his fervor rubbed off on me.
I said. "Right! We'll draw straws."
"You're the logical choice, Will," said Alec. "You know this Smith,
after all. The plan is your pigeon. You go."
The Colonel was standing by the window, glancing out now and again as
we talked. He said, "One minute chaps. Come here."
We crowded to the window. He pointed down to the drive. Shortly we saw
a man run stooping across an open space in the old stone balustrade.
The substance of the alien body seemed to float about him like a flimsy
cloak of many colors.
"They're all along the front," said Bedford. "If they've covered the
back, lads--it's a bit late for our emissary to think of leaving."
We spread out over the house, peering cautiously out of windows at
front and back and sides. Then we gathered in the upper hall, as
disconsolate a band of crusaders as ever eyed each other with grim
scowls.
We were entirely surrounded. The siege was on.