"I cannot make it out," one of the men said rather anxiously; "I can't think what their game can be. As a rule they strike a blow, have a big feast, and then are off at once, driving the sheep before them. It is quite contrary to their nature to loiter about like this. They must be up to some move or other, though what it is I cannot guess, for they must know well enough that they have not the ghost of a chance of taking this place. I feel sure they have got a white man with them. I caught a glimpse of a fellow who seemed to be dressed in white's clothes. He was well in among the trees, but I took a shot at him. It was not broad daylight and it was dark under the trees, so I could not swear to his being white; but if he wasn't he was some black who had rigged himself out in the clothes of some poor beggar they killed at the last station." In a few minutes they saw a number of blacks sally out from the wood. They planted themselves in small parties in a circle of half a mile round the farm, and presently all lay down and crept to within half that distance. "They are determined that we sha'n't get away," Mr. Roberts said grimly. "Happily we do not want to do so." As he spoke his wife's voice was heard. "Come down, William, come down!" There was no question that something was wrong. The settler ran below, and he saw by his wife's face that it was something very serious. "What is it, Jane?" he asked anxiously. "There is no water," she exclaimed. "I went to the tap to get some for the kettle; a quart or two trickled out and then it stopped." Her husband stood stupefied at the news. "I thought yesterday that it was not running as fast as usual, but I did not give it a second thought." "They must have done something to the spring. Some of the natives who have been here must have noticed you drawing water, and have told other blackfellows of the water running out from the side of a wall whenever you wanted it. If there is a white man among them he would, when he heard the story, be sure that water was obtained from a spring. He would hear about a barrel being sunk in the ground, and I have no doubt that, after their attack failed the night before last, he had the pipe stopped up. If you recollect, James thought he heard somebody up there and fired. I have no doubt it was then that they played this trick. There would be enough water in the pipe itself to supply us yesterday; now it has come to an end. This accounts for their stopping here. It is a terrible blow, and it may be a fatal one." He then went up to the men and explained what had happened. All saw how serious the position had at once become. "We must hold on till the last, sir," one of them said. "You may be sure that they would spare none of us after losing so many of their men the other night."