Page:Dickens - A Child s History of England, 1900.djvu/690

260 stood quiet, for the matter of something like half an hour. I took notice from such whispered talk as there was, how little we that the silver did not belong to, thought about it, and how much the people that it did belong to, thought about it. At the end of the half hour it was reported from the gate that Charker and the two were falling back on us, pursued by about a dozen.

"Sally! Gate-party, under Gill Davis," says the sergeant, "and bring 'em in! Like men now!"

We were not long about it, and we brought them in. "Don't take me," says Charker, holding me round the neck, and stumbling down at my foot when the gate was fast, "don't take me near the ladies or the children, Gill. They had better not see death, till it can't be helped. They'll see it soon enough."

"Harry!" I answered, holding up his head. "Comrade!"

He was cut to pieces. The signal had been secured by the first pirate party that landed; his hair was all singed off, and his face was blackened with running pitch from a torch.

He made no complaint of pain, or of anything. " Goodby, old chap," was all he said, with a smile. " I've got my death. And death ain't life. Is it. Gill!"

Having helped to lay his poor body on one side, I went back to my post. Sergeant Drooce looked at me, with his eyebrows a little lifted. I nodded. " Close up here, men and gentlemen all! "said the sergeant. "A place too many, in the line."

The pirates were so close upon us at this time, that the foremost of them were already before the gate. More and more came up with a great noise and shouting loudly. When we believed from the sound that they were all there, we gave three English cheers. The poor little children joined, and were so fully convinced of our being at play, that they enjoyed the noise, and were heard clapping their hands in the silence that followed.

Our disposition was this, beginning with the rear. Mrs. Venning, holding her daughter's child in her arms, sat on the steps of the little square trench surrounding the silver-house encouraging and directing those women and children as she might have done in the happiest and easiest time of her life. Then, there was an armed line, under