The best way would be to fill up the window holes with it first, then to put two or three bits of wood across, and a strong piece down behind it, and to keep that in its place by wedging one of the long beams against it.

If they came up and tried to pull the thatch out, we could fire through it with our pistols; and we will make a loophole below each when we have got the work done." It was not so difficult a business as they thought it would be.

The windows were little more than a foot across and two feet high.

It was but the work of a few minutes to fill these up with the masses of thatch.

When this was done, they picked out thick pieces of wood for crossbars.