about ten o'clock
Apparently they possessed little or no skill in the use of firearms , for , although a few shots struck the house , not one of them came anywhere near the loopholes , and every one of the garrison remained unscathed . Our foes were amply strong enough to have carried the building by assault had they but possessed the courage and resolution to charge across the open , right up to the house , and tear down but a single one of our barricades ; but they had already learned by experience that this meant certain death to some of them ; and while , if report did not belie them , they were all ready enough to take the lives of others with every accompaniment of the most atrocious cruelty , there was apparently none among them willing to contribute to the success of his party by sacrificing his own . This innocuous fusillade of the house continued for nearly two hours , during which we made no pretence of reply except when some individual , in a temporary access of courage , attempted to slip across from one piece of cover to another situated a few yards nearer the house , when he was immediately subjected to a volley that either laid him low , or sent him scuttling back , like a scared rabbit , to his former place of refuge . At length , about ten o'clock in the forenoon , the fire of the outlaws ceased , and for aught that we could tell to the contrary they might have abandoned the attack altogether and retired . But the situation was one of far too much peril to permit us to take anything for granted ; while , therefore , the main body of our party , so to speak , seized the opportunity thus afforded to snatch a hasty but much-needed meal , a watcher , with loaded weapon , was stationed at each door and window of the house , with instructions to maintain a sharp lookout , and immediately to report any movement that he might detect on the part of the enemy . But the minutes passed , the meal was concluded , and still everything remained tranquil ; so perfectly tranquil , indeed , that at length we could come to but one of two conclusions -- either the outlaws had withdrawn altogether , or they were elaborating some scheme for a renewed attack of a particularly deep and cunning character , of the nature of which it behoved us to secure some hint of information , by hook or by crook . I suggested that I should go forth alone , and , keeping well in the open in order that I might be effectively covered by the guns of the others in the event of anything in the nature of treachery being attempted , take a look round in the immediate neighbourhood of the house , and endeavour to ascertain what the outlaws were doing , or , if they had gone , what had become of them .