"No; after we got away from the ruffians, we talked the matter over," replied Colonel Cosgrove. "Buck Lagger demanded that the major and his cubs should be given up to them when they did not find you and the boys in the column. Then they swore that they would have you. I talked over the situation with our friends here, and we concluded that the ruffians would be over here before morning to capture their victims, and burn your mansion. We decided to come here for this reason,--to warn you of your danger, and help you beat them off if they came." "I am very much obliged to you; but you will find everything in readiness for their reception," replied Major Lyon, as they reached the fort. "You are lighted up here as though you were going to have a ball instead of a fight," suggested Colonel Belthorpe. "There are plenty of balls in the fort, but they are all twelve-pounders," returned the major as the party alighted. "Levi has been at work here while we were at the meeting, and he will explain everything to you better than I can." The trio of visitors entered the building, and were astonished at the nature and extent of the preparations to defend the mansion and its occupants from a hostile demonstration. Levi stated what he had done, and pointed out everything in detail. "You think the ruffians are coming over here to-night, do you, Colonel Cosgrove?" asked the planter. "I think they are on their way here now," replied the Kentuckian. "Is there any other way they can get to your house than over that bridge?" asked Colonel Belthorpe, who was the only military man in the party who had seen real service, though Levi had been in the militia. "There is no other way," replied Levi, when his employer nodded to him. "No mob could get through the swamp back of the mansion in the daytime, to say nothing of doing it in the night. The bridge is the only approach; and, if worse comes to worst, we can cut that away." "You are in a very strong position, and I don't believe it will be necessary to cut away the bridge," added the military gentleman. "They can only cross the creek in boats." "Our boats are all taken out of the water." "With those twelve-pounders you can beat off a regiment. You have everything for the defence except soldiers," added the authority of the party. "Perhaps we can find them when they are needed," said Major Lyon. The lawyer understood, but the planter did not. It was a delicate subject, and it could not be considered in that presence. The former realized this fact, and suggested that something ought to be done to give them notice of the coming of the hostile ruffians. "That's so," added Colonel Belthorpe. "I think you had better station the two boys, who have proved that they have pluck enough for any duty, where they can give us early notice of the approach of the enemy." "We shall want the boys here, and a couple of negroes will do for that duty just as well," replied Levi.