By midday, all the defenders of the forest were assembled in the
semi-circular plateau on the face of the hill; and, scouts having
been placed near the entrance, they awaited the coming of the
enemy. So far as possible, every means had been taken to prevent
the access to their place of retreat being discovered. A stream had
been turned, so as to run down a small ravine, leading to its
approach. Trees which had been blown down by the wind had been
previously brought, from a considerable distance; and these were
piled in careless confusion across the gorge, so as to look as if
they had fallen there, and give an idea that no one could have
passed that way.
For the next two days, all was quiet. A scout upon the hilltop, and
others who were told off to watch the Spaniards, reported that the
woods below were being thoroughly searched; that the enemy were
acting in the most methodical way, the columns being now in close
connection with each other, the intermediate forest being searched
foot by foot; and that all were converging towards the central
mountains of the position. The dogs had proved valuable assistants,
and these were tracking the paths used by them, and steadily
leading them towards the stronghold.
That they would finally escape detection none of the defenders had
much hope. The Spaniards would be sure that they must be somewhere
within their line; and after the loss suffered, and the immense
preparations made, it was certain that they would not retire until
they had solved the mystery, and, if possible, annihilated the
forest bands.
On the fourth day after entering the wood, the Spaniards came to
the point where the barricade of trees had been erected. So
skilfully had this been constructed that they would have retired,
believing that there was no path beyond this little gorge; however,
the restlessness and anger of the dogs convinced them that there
must be something behind. Slowly a passage was cut, with axes,
through the virgin forest on either side; for the lesson they had
received had checked their impetuosity. They came down at the side
of the barricade, and thus having passed it, pressed forward in
steady array until they came to the foot of the great cliff. Here
the dogs were not long before they pointed out to the assailants
the narrow path, scarce visible, running along its face; and a
shout of satisfaction from the Spaniards testified that they now
felt certain that they had caught their enemies in a trap.
Parties were sent off to positions whence they could obtain a good
view of the place, and these soon reported that the ledge continued
to a great opening in the face of the precipice; that in some
places logs had been fixed to widen the path; and that there was
plenty of room, on the plateau formed by the retirement of the hill
face, for a large body to have taken refuge. They also reported
that the cliffs rose behind this amphitheater almost, if not quite
perpendicularly for a great height; and that, still higher, the
bare rock fell away at so steep an angle that it would be
difficult, in the extreme, to take up such a position from above as
would enable them to keep up a musquetry fire, or to hurl rocks
upon the defenders of the amphitheater.
When the reports were considered by the Spanish leader, he saw at
once that this was not an enterprise to be undertaken rashly. Men
were sent down to the plain below to reconnoiter; while others were
dispatched round the mountain, to see whether the path extended
across the whole face of the precipice, and also to discover, if
possible, whether the recess was commanded from above.
Both reports were unfavorable From the valley the great natural
strength of the position was manifest, for half a dozen men could
defend such a path as this against a thousand, by placing
themselves behind an angle and shooting down all who turned the
corner; while the men from above reported that the peak shelved so
rapidly towards the top of the sheer precipice, that it would be
impossible to get near enough to the edge to see down into the
amphitheater They reported, however, that stones and rocks set
going would dash down below, and that points could be gained from
which these missiles could be dispatched on their errand.
A council of war was held; and it was determined, in the first
place, to endeavor to force the position by direct attack. Some men
of approved courage were chosen to lead the forlorn hope; a number
of marksmen, with arrows and firearms, were placed in the valley to
keep up a fire upon any who might show themselves on the path,
while above, several hundreds of men were sent up, with crowbars,
to loosen and hurl down rocks.
The defenders, on their part, were not idle. Two spots had been
chosen in the pathway for the defense At each of these the face of
the cliff extended sharply out in an angle, and it was on the side
of this angle next to the amphitheater that the preparations were
made. Here barricades of stones were heaped up on the path, which
at this point was some three yards wide. Six of the steadiest and
most courageous negroes were placed here, with muskets and pikes.
Two of them were to lie with their guns pointed at the protecting
angle so that, the instant anyone showed himself round the corner,
they could open fire upon him. The others were lying in readiness
to assist, or to relieve those on guard. Either Gerald or Ned
remained with them, always.
A few stones were thrown up on the outside edge of the path, to
protect the defenders from the shots of those in the valley below;
not indeed that the danger from this source was very great, for the
face of the precipice was some eight hundred feet high, and the
path ran along some four hundred from the bottom. With the clumsy
arms in use, in those days, the fear of any one being struck from
below was by no means great.
A similar barricade was erected behind, and the negroes were, in
case of extreme necessity, to fall back from their first position.
At the second point an equal number of men were placed.
Lastly, where the path ended at the amphitheater, strong barricades
had been erected in a sort of semicircle; so that anyone, after
having forced the first defenses, would, as he showed himself at
the entrance to the amphitheater, be exposed to the fire of the
whole of its defenders.
The position was so strong that Ned and Gerald had no fear,
whatever, of its being forced. As the time approached when Ned
expected an attack, the defenders of the farthest barricade were
strengthened by a considerable number, lying down upon the path;
for it was certain that, for the first two or three assaults, the
Spaniards would push matters to the utmost; and that they would not
be repulsed, without severe fighting.
So indeed it proved. Advancing with great caution along the narrow
path, which was sometimes seven or eight feet wide, sometimes
narrowing to a few inches, the leaders of the party of attack made
their way along, until they turned the projecting point. Then the
guns of the two men on guard spoke out, and the two leaders fell,
shot through the body, over the precipice. Now that they knew the
position of their enemy, the Spaniards prepared for a rush.
Gathering themselves as closely as they could together, they
pressed round the corner. Shot after shot rang out from the
defenders, as they turned it; but although many fell, the others
pressed forward so numerously, and bravely, that they could be said
fairly to have established themselves round the corner.
The barricade now, however, faced them; and behind this were
gathered the bravest of the negroes, led by the boys. The
barricade, too, had been covered with thorny branches, as had that
which they had defended before; and the Spaniards, of whom only
some ten or twelve could find fighting room round the corner, were
shot down before they could make any impression, whatever.
Bravely as they fought, it was impossible for men to maintain so
unequal and difficult a fight as this; and after trying for an hour
to storm the barricade, the Spaniards fell back, having lost over
fifty of the best of their men.
In the meantime, with a thundering sound, the rocks were rolling
down from the summit of the mountain. The greater portion of them
did not fall in the amphitheater at all; but, from the impetus of
their descent down the sloping rocks above, shot far out beyond its
edge. Others, however, crashed down on to the little plateau; but
all who were there were lying so close to the face of the rock,
that the missiles from above went far beyond them.
From below in the valley a constant fire was kept up, but this was
as innocuous as the bombardment from above; and when the Spaniards
fell back, only three of the defenders had been in any way injured,
and these were hit by the pistol balls, fired by the assailants of
the barricade.
When the Spaniards retired, all, except the men told off for the
posts at the barricades, fell back to the amphitheater The negroes
and natives were, both alike, delighted with the success of the
defense; and were now perfectly confident of their ability to hold
out, as long as their provisions lasted. There was no fear of want
of water, for from the face of the hill a little stream trickled
out. Piles of yams, bananas, sweet potatoes, and other tropical
fruit had been collected, and a score of sheep; and with care, the
boys calculated that for five weeks they could hold out.
The Spaniards were furious at the non-success of their enterprise,
but after reconnoitering the position in every way, the commanders
came to the conclusion that it was absolutely impregnable, and that
the only plan was to starve out the besieged. It did not appear
that there could be any other way of retreat, and a small force
could watch the path; as it would be as difficult for the besieged
to force their way back by it, as for the besiegers to find an
entry. The greater portion of the force was, therefore, marched
home; a guard of two hundred men being set, to watch the point
where the path along the precipice started.
The incidents of the five weeks which elapsed after the siege began
were not important. It was soon found that the Spaniards had
abandoned the notion of attack; but the vigilance of the defenders
was never relaxed, for it was possible, that at any moment the
enemy, believing that they had been lulled into carelessness, might
renew their attack.
Twice, indeed, at nightfall the Spaniards advanced and crept round
the point of defense; but were each time received so quickly, by
the fire of the defenders of the barricade, that they were finally
convinced that there was no hope, whatever, of catching them
napping.
At the end of five weeks it was determined that the time had
arrived when they should leave their fortress. The Spaniards had
placed a guard of fifty men near the foot of the precipice, to
prevent any attempt of the besieged to descend its face by means of
ropes; but above no precautions had been taken, as it appeared
impossible, to anyone looking at the face of the cliff from a
distance, that a human being could scale it.
Thanks, however, to the pains which had been taken previously, the
way was open. In most places, rough steps had been cut; in others,
where this was impossible, short stakes had been driven into
crevices of the rock to form steps; and although the ascent was
difficult, it was quite possible, to lightly clad and active men.
The time chosen for the attempt was just after dusk had fallen,
when it was still light enough to see close at hand, but dark
enough to prevent those in the valley observing what was passing. A
young moon was already up, giving sufficient light to aid the
enterprise. Some of the most active of the natives first ascended.
These were provided with ropes which, at every bend and turn of the
ascent, they lowered so as to give assistance to those mounting
behind. The strictest silence was enforced, and the arms were all
wrapped up, so as to avoid noise should they strike the rock.
One by one the men mounted, in a steady stream. All were
barefooted, for Ned and Gerald had imitated the example of the
natives; and upon such a task as this, the bare foot has an
infinitely safer hold than one shod with leather. Although the
cliff looked quite precipitous, from a distance; in reality it
sloped gently backwards, and the task was far less difficult than
it appeared to be.
The most dangerous part, indeed, was that which followed the
arrival at the top. The mountain sloped so steeply back that it was
like climbing the roof of a very steep house, and hand and foot
were, alike, called into requisition to enable them to get forward;
indeed, to many it would have been impossible, had not the leaders
lowered their ropes down from above, affording an immense
assistance to those following.
At last, the whole body reached the top and, descending upon the
other side, plunged into the forest. They directed their course to
a valley, ten miles distant, where considerable supplies of
provisions had been stored up; and where some of their crops had
been planted, a few weeks before the arrival of the Spaniards. Here
for two days they feasted, secure that a considerable time might
elapse, before the Spaniards discovered that they had vanished from
the fortress.
Then they prepared to put into execution the plan upon which they
had resolved. They knew that in the town, there would be no watch
of any sort kept; for all believed them cooped up, without a chance
of escape. The four troops then, commanded as before, issued from
the forest as the sun went down, and marched towards the town. It
was soon after midnight when they entered the streets and,
proceeding noiselessly through them, advanced to the spot assigned
to each.
One was to attack the governor's house, and to make him a prisoner;
two others were to fall upon the barracks, and to do as much harm
as possible; while the fourth was to proceed to the government
magazines of stores and munitions, to fire these at a great many
places.
This programme was carried out successfully. The guards at the
governor's house were overpowered in an instant and, as it had been
surrounded, all the inmates were captured. Those of the men who
defended themselves were cut down, but Gerald and Ned had insisted
that no unnecessary slaughter should take place.
The party attacking the barracks had no such instructions. It was
legitimate for them to inflict as much loss as possible upon the
soldiers; and when, with terrible shouts, the negroes broke in upon
them, the Spaniards, taken by surprise, offered but a feeble
resistance. Large numbers of them were cut down, before they could
rally or open fire upon their enemies. As soon as the resistance
became serious, the negroes and Indians vanished, as quickly as
they had come.
In the meantime, the whole of the town was lit up by sheets of
fire, rising from the government magazines. The alarm bells of the
churches tolled out, the shouts of the frightened inhabitants
mingled with the yells of the natives, and the report of firearms,
from all parts of the town; and the townspeople thought that a
general sack and slaughter was at hand.
The negroes, however, entered no private house, but in an hour from
their first appearance they had retired beyond the town; and were
making their way, in a solid and well-ordered mass, for the forest,
bearing in their center the governor and two of his sons.
The success of the enterprise had been complete. They were now, Ned
thought, in a position, if not to dictate terms to the enemy, at
least to secure for themselves an immunity from attacks. Day was
breaking when they entered the hills and, an hour later, one of the
sons of the governor was sent to the party still besieging their
former stronghold, to inform them that the besieged had all
escaped, had made a raid upon the city, and had carried off the
governor; whose instructions to them was that they were to at once
fall back, to avoid being attacked by the negroes.
The officer commanding the besiegers was glad enough to call his
men together, and to retire unharmed from the forest; which now
began to inspire an almost superstitious fear in the Spaniards, so
unexpected and mysterious had been the defeats inflicted upon them
there. The governor's son accompanied the troops back to the city,
and was the bearer of a missive from Ned to the officer commanding
the troops, and to the inhabitants. Ned offered, upon the part of
the forest men, that if the Spaniards would consent to leave them
unmolested in their forest; they upon their part would, in the
first place, release the governor, and in the second, promise that
no acts of violence, or raids of any kind, should be made beyond
its boundaries. The question of fugitive slaves, who might seek
refuge among them, was to be discussed at a meeting between the
heads of each party, should the proposal be accepted. The governor
sent a line, on his part, to say that he was well treated, that he
authorized them to enter into any negotiations which they might
think fit; adding that, in case they should decide to refuse the
offer made them, no thought of his safety should be allowed, for an
instant, to sway their notions.
It was two days before the messenger returned. Several stormy
meetings had taken place in the town. The officers were, for the
most part, anxious to renew the fighting. They were intensely
mortified at the idea of the forces of Spain being compelled to
treat, upon something like even terms, with a handful of escaped
slaves; and would have again marched the troops into the forest,
and renewed the war. The townspeople, however, were strongly
opposed to this. They had suffered immensely, already, by the
destruction of the outlying plantations and haciendas; and the
events of the attack upon the town showed that there was no little
danger of the whole place being burnt to the ground. They were,
therefore, eager in the extreme to make terms with this active and
ubiquitous enemy. The troops, too, were by no means eager to
attempt another entry into the forest. They had fared so ill,
heretofore, that they shrank from another encounter. There was
neither glory nor booty to be obtained, and warfare such as this
was altogether unsuited to their habits. Their discipline was
useless, and they were so bewildered, by the tactics of their
active foes, that there was a very strong feeling among them in
favor of making terms. The council sat the whole day, and finally
the pacific party prevailed.
The deputation, consisting of the officer commanding the troops, of
the ecclesiastic of highest rank in the town, and of one of the
principal merchants, proceeded to the forest. When they were seen
by the lookout to be approaching, Ned and Gerald, with the leading
native and negro, proceeded to meet them. The details were soon
arranged, upon the basis which had been suggested. The forest men
were to enjoy their freedom, unmolested. They were to be allowed to
cultivate land on the edge of the forest, and it was forbidden to
any Spaniard to enter their limits, without previously applying for
a pass. They, on their part, promised to abstain from all
aggression, in any shape.
The question of runaways was then discussed. This was by far the
most difficult part of the negotiations. The Spaniards urged that
they could not tolerate that an asylum should be offered, to all
who chose to desert from the plantations. The boys saw the justice
of this, and finally it was arranged that the case of every slave
who made for the forest should be investigated; that the owners
should, themselves, come to lay a formal complaint of their case;
that the slave should reply; and each might produce witnesses. The
negro was to be given up, unless he could prove that he had been
treated with gross cruelty, in which case he was to be allowed
protection in the forest.
These preliminaries settled, a short document embodying them was
drawn up, in duplicate, and these treaties were signed, by the
three Spaniards who formed the deputation and by the governor on
the one side, and by the four representatives of the forest men on
the other.
Thus ended the first successful resistance, to Spanish power, among
the islands of the western seas.
The governor and his son then left for the city, and the forest men
retired to what was now their country. Ned and Gerald impressed
upon their allies the importance of observing, strictly, the
conditions of peace; and at the same time of continuing their
exercises in arms, and maintaining their discipline. They pointed
out to them that a treaty of this kind, extorted as it were from
one, and that the strongest of the contracting powers, was certain
not to have long duration. The Spaniards would smart at the
humiliation which had, in their opinion, befallen them; and
although the fugitive clause might for some time act favorably, it
was sure, sooner or later, to be a bone of contention. They
impressed upon them also that although they might, as had been
shown, achieve successes for a time, yet that in the long run the
power of the Spaniards must prevail, and that nothing short of
extermination awaited them; therefore he urged the strictest
adherence to the treaty, and at the same time a preparedness for
the recommencement of hostilities.
Some months passed without incident, and the relations between the
little community in the mountains and the Spaniards became more
pacific. The latter found that the natives, if left alone, did them
no damage. Bad masters learned that a course of ill treatment of
their slaves was certain to be followed by their flight, and upon
the bad treatment being proved, these found shelter among the
mountains. Upon the other hand, the owners who treated their slaves
with kindness and forbearance found that, if these took to the
mountains in a fit of restlessness, a shelter there was refused
them. Upon the edge of the forest, patches of plantation ground
made their appearance; and the treaty was, upon the whole, well
observed on both sides.
It was about a year after they had taken to the hills that news
reached the boys that an English ship had come into those waters.
It was brought them across at an island?? by some Simeroons who had
been where the English ship anchored. They said that it was
commanded by Master John Oxenford. The boys knew him, as he had
been on board Captain Francis Drake's ship during the last
expedition, and they determined to make an effort to join him. He
had, however, left the island before the natives started with the
news; and they made an arrangement with them, to convey them across
to that place, when it should be learned that the vessel was
returning, or was again there.
It was not long before they were filled with grief at the news that
reached them, although they felt not a little thankful that they
had not been able to join Captain Oxenford, when he first reached
the islands. This adventurous seaman had, after the return to
England of Captain Francis Drake's expedition, waited for some time
on shore; and then, fretting under forced inactivity--for Captain
Drake had, for the time, abandoned any project which he had
entertained of a return to the Spanish seas, and had engaged in a
war in Ireland--determined to equip an expedition of his own, with
the assistance of several of those who had sailed in the last
voyage with him, and of some Devonshire gentlemen who thought that
a large booty might be made out of the venture.
He equipped a sloop of 140 tons burden, and sailed for Darien. When
he arrived at this isthmus, he laid up his ship and marched inland,
guided by Indians. After traveling twelve leagues among the
mountains, he came to a small river running down into the Pacific.
Here he and his comrades built a boat, launched it in the stream,
and dropped down into the bay of Panama. Then he rowed to the Isle
of Pearls, and there captured a small barque, from Quito, with
sixty pounds of gold. This raised the spirits of the adventurers,
and six days later they took another barque, with a hundred and
sixty pounds of silver. They then set off in quest of pearls. They
searched for a few days, but did not find them in proportion to
their expectations. They therefore determined to return, and
re-entered the mouth of the river they had descended. Here they
loosed the prizes they had taken, and let them go.
The delay at Pearl Island was a mistake, and a misfortune. Captain
Oxenford should have known that the Spanish authorities of the
mainland would, when they heard that a single boat's load of
Englishmen was ravaging their commerce, make a great effort to
capture him; and his attack should have been swift and determined,
and his retreat made without a halt. The fortnight which had been
allowed to slip away caused his ruin. The news of their presence
speedily arrived at Panama. Captain Ortuga was dispatched with four
barques in search of them and, falling in with the liberated
prizes, learned the course that the English had taken. The river
had three branches, and the Spaniard would have been much puzzled
to know which to ascend; but the carelessness of the adventurers
gave him a clue; for, as he lay with his boats, wondering which
river he should ascend, he saw floating on the water large
quantities of feathers. These were sufficient indications of a camp
on the banks, and he at once followed that branch of the stream.
In four days he came upon the boat, which was hauled upon the sand,
with only six men with her. They were lying asleep on the bank, and
the coming of the Spaniards took them completely by surprise, and
one of them was killed before he could make his escape into the
woods. The rest got off. The Spaniards left twenty men to guard the
boat, and with eighty others went up the country. Half a league
away they found some huts, and in these the treasures of gold and
silver which the English had captured were discovered.
Satisfied with having recovered these, Captain Ortuga was about to
return to the river with his men; when Oxenford, with the English
and two hundred Simeroons, attacked them. The Spaniards fought
bravely, and the Simeroons would not stand against their fire. The
English struggled desperately. Eleven of these were killed, and the
Simeroons took to their heels. Oxenford and a few of his companions
escaped, and made their way back towards the spot where they had
left their ship.
News of what was going on had, however, been sent across from
Panama to Nombre de Dios, and four barques from that port had put
out, and had found and taken Oxenford's ship. A band of a hundred
and fifty men scoured the mountains, and into the hands of these
Captain Oxenford and his companions fell. All of them were executed
on the spot; except Oxenford, the master, the pilot, and five boys.
These were taken to Panama, where the three men were executed, the
lives of the five boys being spared.
This news was a sore blow to the lads, who had hoped much to be
able to reach the ship, and to return to England in her. The delay,
however, was not long, for a few weeks afterwards came the news
that another English ship was in those waters. A party of Simeroons
offered to take Ned and Gerald thither in their boat, and they
determined to avail themselves of the offer.
Great was the lamentation, among the community in the forest, when
the news that their leaders were about to leave became known. The
simple Indians assembled around them, and wept, and used every
entreaty and prayer, to change their resolution. However, the boys
pointed out to them that they had already been absent near three
years from home; and that, as the settlers were now able to defend
themselves, and had earned the respect of the Spaniards, they
would, if they continued their present course of avoiding giving
any cause of complaint to the whites, no doubt be allowed to live
in peace. They had, too, now learned the tactics that should be
pursued, in case of difficulty; and by adhering to these, the boys
assured them that they might rely upon tiring out the Spaniards.
Some of the negroes were in favor of retaining the English leaders
by force, but this was objected to by the majority. Many of the
Indians possessed gold, which had been the property of their
ancestors before the arrival of the Spaniards; and some of these
treasures were now dug up, and the boys were presented with a great
store of pretty ornaments, and other workmanship of the natives.
Much rough gold was also placed on board their canoe, and a great
portion of the dwellers of the hills marched down at night with
them to the point of embarkation, a lonely creek far from the
settlement of the Spaniards, to bid them farewell.
The boys, themselves, were affected by the sorrow of their friends,
and by the confidence which these had placed in them; and they
promised that, should they return to those parts, they would
assuredly pay a visit to them, again, in the hills. Before leaving,
they had seen that two of the worthiest and wisest of the natives
were chosen as leaders, and to these all the rest had sworn an
oath, promising to obey their orders in all respects. They had
constantly acted with the boys; and had, indeed, been their chief
advisers in the matters internal to the tribe; and the lads had
little doubt that, for some time at least, things would go well in
the mountains. As to the ultimate power of the refugees to maintain
their independence, this must, they felt, depend upon events beyond
them. If the Spaniards were left at peace, and undisturbed by
English adventurers or other troubles, there was little doubt,
sooner or later, they would destroy the whole of the natives of
this island, as they had destroyed them in almost every place where
they had come in contact with them. However, the boys had the
satisfaction of knowing that they had been the means of, at least,
prolonging the existence of this band, and of putting off the evil
day, perhaps for years to come.
The Simeroons paddled out from the creek and, hoisting the sail,
the boat merrily danced over the water; and the boys felt their
spirits rise, at the hope of seeing their countrymen, and hearing
their native tongue again, after eighteen months passed, absolutely
separate from all civilized communion.
After two days sailing and paddling, they reached the bay where the
natives had reported the English ship to be lying; and here, to
their great delight, they found the Maria, Captain Cliff, lying at
anchor.
Ned and Gerald, when they explained who they were, were received
with great joy and amazement. The story of their loss had been
told, in England; and the captain, who came from the neighborhood
where Gerald's father dwelt, reported that the family had long
mourned him as dead. He himself was bent, not upon a buccaneering
voyage--although, no doubt, if a rich ship had fallen into his
hands he would have made no scruple in taking it--but his object
was to trade with the natives, and to gather a store of such goods
as the islands furnished, in exchange for those of English make. He
had, too, fetched slaves from the western coast of Africa, and had
disposed of them to much advantage; and the ship was now about to
proceed on her way home, each man's share, of the profits of the
expedition, amounting to a sum which quite answered his
expectations.
It was two months later before the boys, to their great delight,
again saw the hills behind Plymouth. None who had seen them embark
in the Swanne would have recognized, in the stalwart young fellows
who now stepped ashore on the hove, the lads who then set sail.
Nearly three years had passed. The sun of the tropics had burnt
their faces almost to a mahogany color Their habit of command,
among the natives, had given them an air and bearing beyond their
years; and though Ned was but eighteen, and Gerald a little older,
they carried themselves like men of mature years.
It had been, indeed, no slight burden that they had endured. The
fighting which had formed the first epoch of their stay in the
island, serious as it had been, had been less wearing to them than
the constant care and anxiety of the subsequent quiet time. The
arrival of each fugitive slave was a source of fresh danger, and it
had often needed all their authority to prevent the younger, and
wilder, spirits of their little community from indulging in raids
upon the crops of the Spaniards.
Once in Plymouth, the lads said goodbye to each other, promising to
meet again in a few days. Each then proceeded to his home. Ned,
indeed, found that he had a home no longer; for on reaching the
village he found that his father had died, a few months after his
departure; and a new pedagogue had taken his place, and occupied
the little cottage.
The shock was a great one, although hardly unexpected, for his
father's health had not been strong; and the thought that he would
not be alive, when he returned, had often saddened Ned's mind
during his absence. He found, however, no lack of welcome in the
village. There were many of his school friends still there, and
these looked with astonishment and admiration on the bronzed,
military-looking man, and could scarce believe that he was their
playmate, the Otter.
Here Ned tarried a few days, and then, according to his promise to
Gerald, started for the part of the country where he lived, and
received a most cordial welcome from the father and family of his
friend.