“Would be perilling his life by taking part against them,” added Mr. Travilla.  “I think he has done the very best he could under the circumstances.”

He then went on with his communication to the old gentleman, who received it with a storm of wrath and indignation.

“It is time indeed to put them down when it has come to this!” he exclaimed, “The idea of their daring to attack a man of your standing, an old family like this,—­of the best blood in the country!  I say it’s downright insolence, and I’ll come over myself and help chastise them for their temerity.”

“Then you counsel resistance, sir?” queried his son.

“Counsel it? of course I do! nobody but a coward and poltroon would think of anything else.  But what are your plans, Travilla?”

“To barricade the verandas with bags of sand and bales of cotton, leaving loopholes here and there, post ourselves behind these defenses, and do what execution we can upon the assailants.”

“Good!  Who’s your captain?”

“Your son, sir.”

“Very good; he has had little or no experience in actual warfare, but I think his maiden effort will prove a success.”

“If on seeing our preparations they depart peaceably, well and good,” remarked Travilla.  “But if they insist on forcing an entrance, we shall feel no scruples about firing upon them.”

“Humph!  I should think not, indeed!” grunted the old gentleman; “‘Self-defense is the first law of nature.’”

“And we are told by our Lord, ’all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword,’” observed his son.

The arrangements completed, the Dinsmores returned to their homes for the rest of the day.

About dusk the work of barricading was begun, all the able-bodied men on the plantation, both house-servants and field-hands, being set to work at it.  The materials had been brought up to the near vicinity of the house during the day.  The men’s hearts were in the undertaking (not one of them but would have risked his own life freely in defense of their loved master and mistress), and many hands made light and speedy work.

While this was in progress, old Mr. Dinsmore and the whole family from the Oaks arrived; Rose and her daughter preferring to be there rather than left at home without their natural protectors.

Elsie welcomed them joyfully and at once engaged their assistance in loading for the gentlemen.

The little ones were already in bed and sleeping sweetly, secure in the love and protecting care of their earthly and their heavenly Father.  Little Elsie, now ten years old, was no longer required to retire quite so early, but when her regular hour came she went without a murmur.

She was quite ready for bed, had just risen from her knees, when her mother came softly in and clasped her in a tender embrace.