Don't you fire, my lad; leave it to me." I nodded my head, and then our attention was taken up by the arrows that kept flying in, with such good aim that if we had exposed ourselves in the least the chances are that we should have been hit.
The doctor was on one side of me, Jack Penny on the other, and my tall young friend I noticed had been laying some cartridges very methodically close to his hand, ready for action it seemed to me; but he had not spoken much, only looked very solemn as he lay upon his chest, kicking his legs up and sawing them slowly to and fro.
"Are we going to have to fight, Joe Carstairs ?" he whispered.
"I'm afraid so," I replied.
"Oh!" That was all for a few minutes, during which time the arrows kept coming in and striking the roof as before, to fall there with a tinkling sound, and be collected carefully by Ti-hi and his companions, all of whom watched us with glowing eyes, waiting apparently for the order to be given when they might reply to the shots of the enemy.
"I say, Joe Carstairs," said Jack, giving me a touch with his long arm.
"Yes; what is it ?" I said peevishly, for his questions seemed to be a nuisance.
"I don't look horribly frightened, do I ?" "No," I said; "you look cool enough.

Why ?" "Because I feel in a horrid stew, just as I did when a lot of the black fellows carried me off.

I was a little one then." "Were you ever a little one, Jack!" I said wonderingly.
"Why, of course I was--a very little one.

You don't suppose I was born with long legs like a colt, do you?
The blacks came one day when father was away, and mother had gone to see after the cow, and after taking all the meal and bacon they went off, one of them tucking me under his arm, and I never made a sound, I was so frightened, for I was sure they were going to eat me.

I feel something like I did then; but I say, Joe Carstairs, you're sure I don't show it ?" "Sure! Yes," I said quickly.