hearts of their unprovoked human assailants. His first impression was to call approvingly to the dog, but the next moment's recollection of the danger of such a proceeding, stifled the impulse. Then his attention was called not only to the perfect immunity, from further outrage, of the victim and his follower, but to the profound silence and absence of danger which seemed to exist in that quarter. That the Indians had not departed, although they had not been heard since the yell that followed the cry produced by the thrust from Green's bayonet, he felt assured, and it now occurred to him that they must be directing their efforts against some other part of the building. No sooner had the Corporal conceived this last idea than he again descended, and raising the ladder himself, bore it noiselessly to the spot whence it had been removed, then ordering the candle to be extinguished and the embers to be drawn together, so as to deaden the light of the fire, he with Green and Weston crept up the ladder, Cass being left to complete the preparation of his turkey in the best manner he could, while Philips and Jackson, posted at the front and back doors, listened attentively for the slightest sound of danger, which heard, they were at once to recall the party from above. When the Corporal had gained the top of the ladder, Green, who was the last, having yet his foot on the first step, he was evidently startled by some new danger. But just as he was in the act of springing to the upper floor, the ladder, too frail to sustain their united weight, snapped suddenly asunder in the middle, and fell with some noise, thus separating him from his companions. Regardless of this, and having secured his own footing, he now moved cautiously towards the opposite end of the loft, where a small opening about two feet in length, and one in height, seemingly intended as a ventilator, appeared nearly vertical to the window of the bedroom below. Casting his glance downwards through this opening, he beheld five or six savages, standing near each other, leaning on their guns, and apparently with their heads elevated, as if eagerly watching some object above them. This naturally drew the Corporal's attention to the same quarter, when to his dismay he found that the long ladder usually kept at the barn, was now resting against the gable of the house, not three feet from the right corner of the aperture through which he gazed. In an instant it occurred to him that this had been the work of the Indians, and at once accounted for the grating sounds that had more than once met the ears of the party that night. There could be no doubt that the plan of the enemy now was to enter by the roof, which could be done by removing part of the raw buffalo hides of which it was composed. Indeed it was a slight noise in the direction of that very angle of the roof where the ladder now stood, that had attracted his attention on first putting his head through the aperture while preceding his men. This had suddenly ceased at the moment when the ladder broke and fell, nor had there been a repetition of the sound. Still satisfied that some discovery of the true designs of the Indians would result from his remaining at his post a little longer, he continued at the opening, which was too small to betray him if using precaution, while it enabled him to observe the movements of the enemy. Soon afterwards he heard them speaking in earnest but low tones, as if addressing some one above them, and then a prolonged yell, which was answered by others from the front of the house, echoed through the surrounding forests. Even amid this horrid discord, the quick ear of the Virginian, now painfully on the alert, caught the same sound that had first attracted his attention. It was exactly at the angle of the roof, and only a pace or two from him. The peculiar sound was not to be mistaken even by an unpractised ear. It was evidently that of a knife, not very sharp, cautiously cutting through a tough and resisting leather. The Corporal became now more anxious than ever, but this feeling did not in the slightest degree disturb his self-possession or cause him to waver in the resolution he had from the first adopted. He waited patiently until, as he expected, he heard a corner of one of the buffalo hides turned up, and beheld reflected against the background of light, thus suddenly introduced, the upper part of a human being, whose shorn head covered on the crown with straight and slightly streaming feathers, too plainly indicated his purpose. What a target for the bullet-what a mark for the bayonet of the soldier, who, had not prudence and selfpossession interposed, had certainly used one or the other. But the Virginian had hit upon another, and as he conceived, a better plan to rid him of his enemy, and in his fate, of further probable annoyance from his ferocious companions. It was not his object to let himself be seen, or that the Indians should even know they had been detected in this new device, for he was well aware that if he fired or used his bayonet against the man, those below would rush up the ladder to succeed him, and by their weight prevent the accomplishment of what he had in view, and therefore, cut off as he was in a measure from his party, it was incumbent on him to adopt the only sure means of relief from danger, and that without a moment of delay. as it should be done. The attempt,"-and he Surprised at the Corporal's unwonted humour, for they had been led to believe, from the noise made by the falling ladder, and the excitement evidently prevailing among the Indians, that some new act of treachery was about to be tried by them, the men gathered underneath the opening, Green taking his musket from the hands of the Virginian, while in return he mounted one of the low chairs, and extending his arm far above, handed him the light. While the Indian, who evidently finding that the orifice in the roof was not yet large enough for his purpose, had dropped the incised portion of the hide, and was again using his knife, the Virginian, stooping slightly at the off side of the window, ascertained that the feet of the former were resting on one of the upper steps of the ladder. This was what he had desired, and all he now wanted was a hard flat substance to fasten on the point of his bayonet. After reflecting vainly for a few moments how this was to be obtained, he suddenly bethought him of his thick-soled ammunition boots. Re-key. moving one of these without noise, he pierced the inner leather by pressing it firmly upon the point of the bayonet, so as to secure it, without allowing it to pass through. Then cautiously protruding his musket from the opening, he slowly advanced it, until the sole of the boot touched the frame of the ladder, not two feet under the round on which the Indian stood. Here for a moment he allowed it to rest, the barrel concealed by the low depending eaves, and the butt against the jamb of the aperture. His anxiety was now worked up to the highest possible pitch, for he feared, notwithstanding his success so far, that something might yet occur to defeat his purpose, and thus peril, not only his own life, but that of the After a few minutes' search, the Corporal apwhole party below. Three minutes he remain-peared again at the mouth of the loft, not only ed in this trying position of uncertainty, which seemed to him as so many hours. Presently, however, the Indian on the roof, having evidently accomplished his task, and believing from the silence that had for some time prevailed around, that no one was near him, spoke in a low tone to his companions, who now cautiously crept towards the ladder. This was the moment for action. The Virginian, who, although expecting this, had watched their movements with aching intensity, now summoned his whole strength, and while the foot of the first savage below was upon the ladder, pushed his musket, which he grasped almost convulsively with both hands, with such violence against the side, that it carried it over the corner of the house before the Indian could find presence of mind to throw himself on the roof. A sudden backward jerk of the weapon liberated the bayonet, the extreme point of which only had entered the wood, and as the Virginian withdrew this, he could distinctly see the unfortunate and half-naked savage fall headlong from the top of the ladder, uttering, as both descended, a fearful cry of dismay, which was responded to by fierce yells from his companions, who hastened to his succour. "Well done that!" said the Corporal exultingly and half aloud to himself, as he slapped his thigh in a manner to denote his own selfapproval. "That's what I call doing business with a demijohn half filled with whiskey, but with a large loaf of brown bread, and part of a shoulder of dried venison, from which nearly one half had been cut out in slices. This indeed was a prize, and the whole of the party looked at the articles of necessary supply, as they were successively handed down, with an earnestness which denoted, that whatever might be their apprehension of danger from without, they by no means coveted fighting on an empty stomach. After having lowered the treasures he had been so fortunate as to secure, the Virginian swung himself down by his hands without difficulty upon the floor. The fire had been again revived, and having ordered Jackson up into the loft to keep watch at the small window and apprise him if any attempt should be made to replace the ladder, the Corporal for the first time lighting his pipe, sat down to ruminate on his position and consider the means by which the party were to be got back to the Fort. Further serious apprehension in regard to their safety, he did not now entertain, for baulked as the Indians had been in their attempts to get into the house, he felt persuaded that it was more with a view to dismay and alarm, than with any hope of eventual success, that they still lingered in the neighbourhood. Had they been in a situation to continue the siege longer than the morning, the case might have been different, but it was obvious that in order to secure their own safety,, and see if you can find anything in the shape of water. Make haste, now, for we shall have to tramp it to the Fort as soon as it's daylight, and it can't be much more than an hour to that." alarmed as they knew the garrison would be at the absence of the party, they would not remain longer than daylight, exposed to the chances of being themselves closely assailed from without. Such was the reasoning of the Virginian, whose greatest source of discomfort now was, the apprehension of serious reprimand, if not something worse, from the austere Captain Headly, whose displeasure he felt would be so much the greater on account of the loss of the unfortunate Collins. He looked at his watch, but to his great annoyance found it had stopped, the hour-hand pointing to one o'clock. How long it had been run down he could not tell, but from the time which had elapsed since their abandonment of the boat and arrival in the house, he did not think it could be less than three, if not four, in the morning. Desirous to satisfy himself by the appearance of the heavens he arose, and with the aid of Green, placed the table under the window commanding a view of the river. This being too low, a chair was placed upon it, thus affording the Corporal the advantage of even greater elevation than he had derived from the ladder itself. Everything was again quiet-not a sound broke the stillness, save the howling of a few wolves, who probably attracted by the scent of the human blood that had been spilt that day, and by the exposed corpse that was now strewed with blossoms from the tree beneath which it lay, were, by the increasing light, indistinctly seen on the opposite bank of the river. But not their savage cry of hunger alone was heard. Ever and anon in reply to their fierce howling was heard the snappish bark of Loup Garou, as leaping on the body of his unconscious master, he lashed his tail, and seemed to bid defiance to those whose errand he appeared so perfectly to divine. "Poor dog, you shall never want a master while I can keep you," half murmured the Corporal, as he now turned his gaze upon the water, anxious to see if any trace could be found of the skiff and its missing occupant. | Nothing, however, came within his view; but just as he was preparing to descend from the window, the outline of the boat (and he could, from its peculiar shape, fully distinguish it as their own), rivetted his attention as it passed slowly up the river, filled with seven or eight savages in their war-dress, and having at the bow what had the appearance of a pole, from the top of which dangled a human scalp. "Gone at last," he exclaimed, after a mo- | ment's pause, "but with poor Collins's scalp along with them. Cass," he added, as he sprang to the floor, "if that turkey is fit to grill, let's have it directly; and you, Weston, look about Not less anxious than himself to be once more on their way to the Fort, which some of them, on entering the house that night, had scarcely hoped to reach alive, the men, leaning their muskets against the side of the room, assisted in preparing the rude but grateful meal of which they stood so much in need, and which was to sustain them during the short approaching march. The table having been placed in the centre of the room, and on it the demijohn, venison, and bread, Green and Weston, the latter of whom had been unsuccessful in his search for water, seized each a leg and a wing of the ample turkey, which, now denuded and disembowelled, Cass had scientifically carved in its raw state, and held them on the blaze of the fire, waiting patiently until the blackness of the outside should give promise of corresponding warmth within. Its slayer held the body of the bird over the fire in a similar manner, the poker having been thrust into the abdomen. They all sat, or rather stooped in a squatting position, with their faces to the fire. "Well now, I reckon we shall make six considerable portions of this," drawled Cass, looking fondly at the carcass, which was slowly but temptingly sputtering before him at the fire. "Are you anyways particular, Green? What part do you like, Weston, a leg or a wing? For my part I always stick to the carcass." "Faith, and I like both, and a bit of the breast to boot. I'm just the fellow, now the varmints are gone, that could eat all of them." "Yes, but you know," returned the head cook pro tem., "it must be share and share alike. There's two legs-two wings, and the breast and the back-that just makes six portions, and we're six men in all. Perhaps we shall have to cast lots." "Cast lots! fiddlestick!" said Green. "What portion do you expect, Nutcrackers, unless it's the neck, and the scaly part of the leg the Injin had hold of, when you so bravely sent your bayonet through his feathers ?” "Well, only think how funny!" remarked Weston. "Who'd ever have thought the cunning devils would try that fashion to get in, cramming an old turkey before them to clear the way, and get in his craw the first bullet that might be sent?" "Yes, and the tight grip the fellow had of him by the leg. Just look, Green, the mark of the devil's hand may be on him yet. It was the right leg, and that's it you have." "Bosh! What do you expect me to find there but the marks of your dirty paws while pluckin' him. I'm too devilish hungry for such non- | kets, but all hope of securing them was gone. sense, Nutcrackers, and I should like to see the Injin that would venture near his legs now. If I wouldn't mark him, then my name's not Josh Green." Scarcely had the last words escaped his lips, when a dark, naked human hand was slowly protruded over his shoulder, seizing, not the leg of the turkey, which Green grasped with unconscious and convulsive energy, but a brand from the fire. In his terror at that strange and unexpected sight, Cass dropped the body of the bird in the glowing embers, and uttering a faint cry, turned half round and beheld what filled him with the deepest dismay. His companions, scarcely less terrified, sprang hurriedly to their feet, with the intention of rushing to their mus The savage who had snatched the fire was no longer near them, but half a dozen others in their war-paint, stood between them and their firelocks, not threateningly but sternly. It seemed as if they were sensible that their very silence inspired more awe and apprehension in the bosoms of their defenceless enemies, than could have done the most turbulent expression of their triumph. They had evidently entered by the back door, which was now quite open, and, grouped around the body of Mr. Heywood, were apparently more interested in the dead than in the living. Not a sign was there of the Corporal, and Philips stood as if paralysed, leaning, musket in hand, against the opposite entrance. (To be continued.) A YEAR AT AMBLESIDE. MARCH-APRIL. BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. Ir must be long before we could make the ground neat on and around my knoll: but we must not wait for that to institute a shrubbery and a garden. The horses' feet and cartwheels had torn up and cut my grass, round the base of the knoll, into a mass of brown mud, mixed here and there with lime;-a disagreeable sight. But our planting was finished before February was out; and much gardening must be done in March. January is the true planting month with us; but my ground could not be prepared before February; and yet my young trees have flourished, with scarcely an exception. Before the drive was finished, the laurels were set on either hand, -the range of evergreens which was to cheer the eye in winter, and bid defiance to the snow. At first these laurels were but a dotted row, with here and there a sapling of sycamore, chestnut, lime, ash, and oak interposed; but already they are a close and rising hedge, green all the year round, and showing off well the beauty of rose, lily, and dahlia in their seasons. The grandest effect at first was produced by the beeches, Mr. G. having offered me some, almost as tall as myself, from the thinnings of his wood. It was a mild, sunny day when the carts came with those young beeches, their red-budded branches swinging over the sides, and their cropped roots sticking out behind;roots so closely cropped that, in my ignorance, I could not help doubting whether the trees could ever grow. They were planted in the wet, level ground that drains the drive; and the holes dug for them were like little wells; but they, and the variety of young trees planted with them, soon drained that level. The long red buds of the beeches duly expanded; and the trees stood the great test of the second year; and now, that bit of ground yields some of the sweetest grass that my cows ever eat.— With a view to bees hereafter, we took care to have plenty of limes; and from a regard to the birds, plenty of thorns and hollies, to secure a good winter crop of haws and berries. The hollies ought to be planted abundantly; for no tree is so unwilling to strike. It is only recently, after three years of watching, that mine have thrown up a vigorous central shoot; and put out bright green tufts at the end of every twig. But I have been fortunate in losing only a few. Wherever they stand I make all meaner growths give way to them; and in a few years, they will brighten the whole place in winter, and make it busy with flitting birds.—Where we wanted to shut out the view of the backs of the neighbouring cottages, we planted a row of larches and willows-ugly enough at first, but less so than what they hid, and sure to be soon relieved by the spread of the shrubs in front of them. The rocky parts of the knoll were not forgotten; for the house must have wood behind; so, wherever there was soil enough, we put in firs and pines, and oak and mountain ash for a relief. We had already the blessing of a full-grown oak copse, sheltering the house on its north side, and another running down the slope on the southwest. It remained to plant the little orchard;-to put in the apple and pear trees on the grassy slope to the west, below the terrace wall. Whether apples will answer well on his ground is a question of great importance to every new settler. In some places by the roadside they seem to be endeavouring in vain to grow, while in others the trees are propped up under their load of fruit. The monks of old put a pavement between the upper soil and the gravel beneath, when they planted their apple trees in districts where there was known to be gravel beneath. In our region, Nature seems to have done this paving for us; but she has too often left a too shallow soil above. How it will be on this orchard slope, time must show. On this spot it was that the most important planting of all took place. I had asked Mr. Wordsworth whether he would plant a tree for me, and he had said he would. One fine, bright day we chanced to meet at my kind neighbour's, Mrs. D.'s, and we all agreed that there would never be a better opportunity. Mrs. D. sent to her gardener for a young oak; but Mr. Wordsworth objected that an oak was too common a tree for a commemorative occasion-it should be something more distinctive. So we selected a vigorous little stone pine, and off we went. Mr. Wordsworth struck in his spade on a spot under the terrace wall, just overhanging the little quarry from which the stone for that wall was taken. I thought it a dangerous place, sure to be run over by cats and dogs, and liable to be trodden by persons who might not see a shrub only a few inches high; but Mr. Wordsworth was decided, and in most workmanlike fashion he set the little tree, and gave it its first watering. Then he washed his hands in the watering-pot, took my hand in both his, and gave his blessing to me |