Here the Lieutenant passed them, without seeming to see them, and she followed him with a guilty feeling in her heart. When she entered her own house, she found her mother there, scraping lint and making bandages, while a pot of strong coffee was already steaming on the hearth and piles of cut bread were stacked upon the table. "This is all we can do, dear," said Mrs. Mackenzie. "Let me help you, mother--I'll get some more old linen." Mrs. Franklin came in with her arms full of white cloth, which she tore into strips and wound tightly, ready for immediate use. They worked by the light of a single candle, and the three loaded pistols lay on the table in front of them. "If we sleep to-night," said the Captain's wife at length, without pausing in her task, "I'll take Miss Manning and Mrs. Burns, when the boys come back." "Mother and the children can stay here," said Katherine; "but I haven't room for any more." "That's all right," answered Mrs. Mackenzie. "The men can go to the barracks." More than an hour passed, but nothing was heard from the rescue party, and the fear of danger deepened. The Lieutenant came in, endeavouring to conceal his nervousness. "That's good," he said, indicating the piles of lint and bandages. Then he drank a cup of strong, black coffee, and paced back and forth uneasily. "Where are the boys?" asked Katherine. "Isn't it time for them to come back?" "No, I don't think so; we could hardly expect them yet." "Couldn't some of the others go after them?" "Heavens, no! We haven't fifty men here, and we need every one. Chan is missing, seven have gone after Mrs. Burns, and six are on a fishing trip--that's fourteen out of our small force. In their place we have Father John, Forsyth, and the man and boy from Lee's. The Indians are probably gathering in the woods and making ready to attack us. God!" he said, under his breath, "why can't we have troops!" Katherine warned him with a glance which almost imperceptibly indicated Mrs. Franklin, who was hard at work, seemingly absorbed in her task. "Where's Wallace?" she asked, without looking up. "Walking around the parade-ground. He's safe," he added bitterly; "don't worry about him." Mrs. Mackenzie and Katherine both frowned at the emphasis on the last word. "Don't worry about me, either," he continued; "I'm going now." Katherine went to the door with him. "Can I do anything more, dear?" she asked. "No," he said roughly, "unless you want to mind your own business for a while!" He laughed harshly, pushed her from him, and went out. "Ralph isn't well," she sighed, going back to the table; "and I'm afraid something has happened outside, too. I wonder where the boys are?" The whole garrison was asking the same question secretly; but no man would openly admit that there was ground for anxiety. Beatrice had tied Queen to the flag-pole, and was besieging the Doctor with inquiries.