cr own readers

THE HEROINE OF CASTLE DANGEROUS. 51
and prepared for the defence of th e fort. Th e gate
was barred, and breaches in th e wall were hastily
repaired. Th en the brave girl hurried to th e blockhouse
for arms and ammunition. H ere she found
th e two oldiers hiding, terror-stricken, from th e foe.
One of th em was standing ncar th e powder with a
lighted match in his hand. " What are you going to
do with that match ?" cried Madeleine.
" Set fire to the powder and blow us all up , to
save us from th e torture of the Iroquois," was the
sullen reply .
" You miserable cowards !" she cried, dashin g the
match fro m his hand and sta mping out th e flame
.. Go and defe nd th e fort : " and the men obeyed.
6. lIadeleine sup plied herself with nmmunition,
an d tak ing a gun, said to her brothers, .. Let us
fight to the death ! We are fighting for our religion
and our country." \Vith th ese words the three ;yonng
warriors went to join in th e defence of th e fort. And
right gallantly they foug ht. The boys were born
soldiers. The only tales which had enlivened th eir
long winter evenings had been stories of heroic adventure,
and th ey had been longing for an occasion
lik e this. In spired by their daring sister, th ey now
mad e good use of their opportunity.
i. The Indian s did not know how weak was the
garrison of th e fort, so they determined not to attempt
an attack at once, but in th e meantime to search for
stragglers in th e woods. Whil e th ey were away, the
canoe with the Fontaine family arrived, and reached
the fort in safety.
8. It was most probable that the Indians would
attack th e fort /.l,t night. When it grew dark,