"We shall find a way to ascertain what they are doing," added Levi, as he led the way to obtain more armfuls of the broken boards; and they were the remains of the cases in which the arms and ammunition had been packed. The wood was piled up a couple of rods from the fort, though a little at one side, so as not to obstruct the view of the party. Only a portion of the fuel was used, and the rest saved to replenish the fire. The match was applied, and in a short time the blaze mounted above the pile, and lighted the surrounding region. "Now, boys, if you feel as though you might get a bullet through your heads, you can go into the fort, and you will be safe there," said Levi. "Are you not going in, Levi?" "I am when the occasion requires; but I want to see what they are about over there," replied the overseer. As he was in no haste to put the stone walls between himself and a possible shot, the pride of the boys would not permit them to do so, and it became a sort of contention to see who would be the first to seek shelter. "The Seceshers are firing at our people!" exclaimed Deck, quite excited as he realized that hostilities had actually begun. "The ruffians are firing, each on his own hook, for there is no order among them," added Levi, as he heard several shots. The plantation force could now be just seen, marching down the road, by the light of the enemy's torches. The random shots from the ruffians were continued, and it was evident that each man was his own commander. "Colonel Belthorpe will not stand that sort of thing for any great length of time," Levi remarked, as his eyes and ears gave him further information in regard to the situation on the other side. "They say chance shots sometimes do the most mischief, or I have read it in some story," said Deck. "I hope one of them will not hit father." "Of course any one of us is liable to be hit while this game is going on. Perhaps you had better go into the fort, for this fire will soon attract the enemy's attention," suggested the overseer. "When you get ready to go in we will go in with you," replied Artie. "There is no need of exposing all three of us to the changes of a shot." "Then one of us boys will stay out, for you are nearly twice as big as either one of us, and therefore twice as likely to get hit," laughed Deck. "There!" exclaimed Levi, without noticing the remark, "now there will be music in the air!" "What is it? I don't hear anything," added Deck. "Don't you see that the colonel has halted his force? Now they have formed a line across the road," continued the overseer, as he closely watched the movements on the other side of the creek.