While all this had been taking place, several men, some black, but mostly white, had been closing the windows and barricading them as well as they could; and as soon as I had drunk the wine which Mr. Byles had poured out for me, I made a little tour through the lower rooms to see that everything had been rendered as secure as possible. I then accompanied Dr. Blunt and the rest of the party to the floor above. CHAPTER XXVI. While the men were dispersing themselves, some going into one room, some into another, I turned directly into the right-hand room in front, which I judged to be that from the window of which the boy had challenged me as I came towards the house. He was still there, with a gun in his hand, and there was a candle burning on the table. "This is my son, Sir Richard," said the doctor, who accompanied me. Turning round from his post, the boy shook hands with me frankly. He was a fine-looking lad, with bright eyes, but he could not have been more than thirteen or fourteen years of age. Pointing with his hand, he said,-- "There they come, father; but they are mighty slow about it." "You had better put out the lights on this floor, Dr. Blunt," I said.--"they will only serve to direct the enemy's fire, and lose us the advantage which the position of the moon gives. We are in shadow here; but you perceive we can see almost every pebble of the ground out there." "To be sure! to be sure! Well thought of! Put out all the lights," said Doctor Blunt. "Now, will you go round, doctor," I continued, "and see that every man has his ammunition close at hand? I wonder if these bullets will fit my gun." "They are quite small," said the doctor, moving away; "you had better put two or three in."