Mass' George

"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, Ma.s.s' 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 pa.s.sed 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 gra.s.sy 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, Ma.s.s' George," he said, angrily. "I 'tupid lil n.i.g.g.e.r, and done know nuff talk. Nebber see no Injum; nebber see n.o.body. Keep ask say--'Are you suah?' 'Are you suah?' Pomp going run away and lib in de tree. n.o.body 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. n.o.body 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? Ma.s.s' George tink Pomp got wunful eye?"

"Yes; you can see twice as well in the dark as I can."

"No; Ma.s.s' George tink Pomp 'tupid lil n.i.g.g.e.r; no good 'tall. Pomp go run away."

"I shall call you a stupid little n.i.g.g.e.r if

"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 ill.u.s.trated his meaning, but crouched down by me again directly.

"Dat on'y Pomp fun," he whispered. "Pomp nebber run away from Ma.s.s'

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 hoa.r.s.ely, 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 Ma.s.s' 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, Ma.s.s' George; Pomp know. Ma.s.s' 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 'c.r.a.pe it up and put in Ma.s.s' 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, Ma.s.s' 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 a.s.sault.

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."