BESIEGING THE LIGHT-HOUSE. 289 



the blow that had killed their comrade had come from the occu- 

 pant of the light-house, and they watched for a chance to return it. 



Lou crept up to the edge of the lantern and peered down 

 through the crevices. She saw the dead warrior, and the council 

 of the survivors, and their revengeful glances at the tower. She 

 looked all around for the source of the rifle-shot, but could see no 

 living or moving thing. The same crash of waves on the one side, 

 and the same monotonous line of coast and bay on the other. The 

 little island stood off the shore, its palmetto bushes rustling and 

 waving in the wind. The cocoa-nut tree bent and twisted, and 

 far out at sea, past the Babel of noise and the tumbling waves, a 

 happy white-sailed ship stood immovably on the horizon, passing 

 from the north to some summer port of the West Indian islands. 



A movement among the Indians announced the termination of 

 the conference and another attempt on the tower. A young man 

 came out with his rifle hung over his back with a sling. Like his 

 predecessor, he was naked to the waist, only dressed in his leathern 

 breeches, and as he walked he drew off his moccasins. Another 

 Indian climbed up on the roof of the house, and with his rifle 

 resting on the chimney seemed to keep guard over the lantern. 

 The others scattered about with their guns in their hands, each 

 one in a different direction, thus commanding the tower from all 

 sides. The young man who had first advanced walked up to the 

 cocoa-tree, and, keeping on the side farthest from the tower, com- 

 menced to ascend it. 



The beleaguered girl saw at a glance the intent of the savage, 

 for the tufted head of the tree where hung the huge cocoa-nuts 

 was nearly on a level with the base of the lantern, and lying as 

 close as possible, she would not be able entirely to hide herself 

 from his shot. 



She saw him mount slowly up, only his arms and legs exposed 

 to her view, looking like a bronze serpent enlacing the tree. He 

 had reached the top of the trunk, the long spinous leaves waved 

 and tossed their bending fans above him and hid him from her 

 view. He unslung his rifle from his back. There came a lull in 

 the wind. The cocoa-tree resumed its upright position. Again 

 sounded the crack of a rifle — it came from the islet in the bay — 



T 



