Page:Adrift in the Pacific, Sampson Low, 1889.djvu/159

 first thing Evans did was to take stock of the force and material under his command. Store-room and hall seemed to him to be well adapted for defence. One commanded the river, the other the lake. The loopholes allowed of the defenders firing from cover. With their eight guns the besieged could keep their assailants at a distance, and with the two little cannons, they could rain bullets on them if they came closer. Revolvers, axes, cutlasses, were there for all to use if it came to a hand-to-hand fight.

Inside the defenders were strong; outside they were weak. There were but six biggish boys against seven active men, accustomed to the use of arms, and desperate enough not to shrink from murder.

"You consider them desperate scoundrels?" asked Gordon.

"Yes," said Evans, "very desperate."

"Except one, who is not quite as bad as the rest," said Kate. "That's Forbes, who saved my life." "Forbes?" said Evans. "Well, whether he was led away by evil counsel, or by fear of his mates, he none the less took part in the massacre. It was he and Rock who came after me. He it was who shot at me as if I was a wild beast. Wasn't he the one who was so glad I was at the bottom of the river? Eh, Kate? I don't think he is any better than the others. He spared you because he knew you could be of use to them, and he won't be behind when the attack comes."

Nevertheless, several days went by. Nothing suspicious had been reported from the guard on Auckland Hill, and this much to Evans's surprise. Knowing Walston's plans, and the importance to him of not