" (They called the enclosure I have
before mentioned, the Fort, though it was not much of that.) "Then get
you to the Fort as quick as you can, rouse up every soul there, and
fasten the gate. I will bring in all those who are at the Signal Hill.
If we are surrounded before we can join you, you must make a sally and
cut us out if you can. The word among our men is, 'Women and children!'"
He burst away, like fire going before the wind over dry reeds. He roused
up the seven men who were off duty, and had them bursting away with him,
before they know they were not asleep. I reported orders to Charker, and
ran to the Fort, as I have never run at any other time in all my life:
no, not even in a dream.
The gate was not fast, and had no good fastening: only a double wooden
bar, a poor chain, and a bad lock. Those, I secured as well as they
could be secured in a few seconds by one pair of hands, and so ran to
that part of the building where Miss Maryon lived. I called to her
loudly by her name until she answered. I then called loudly all the
names I knew--Mrs. Macey (Miss Maryon's married sister), Mr. Macey, Mrs.
Venning, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, even Mr. and Mrs. Pordage. Then I called
out, "All you gentlemen here, get up and defend the place! We are caught
in a trap.
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