Ellen uttered a cry of
horror, and then sprang after her alarmed or wounded friend, she knew
not which, into the tent.
During this moment of dangerous by-play, the sounds of a serious
attack were very distinctly audible beneath. Paul had profited by the
commotion over his head to change his place so far, as to make room
for Middleton. The latter was followed by the naturalist, who, in a
state of mental aberration, produced by the report of the musket, had
instinctively rushed towards the rocks for cover. The trapper remained
where he was last seen, an unmoved but close observer of the several
proceedings. Though averse to enter into actual hostilities, the old
man was, however, far from being useless. Favoured by his position, he
was enabled to apprise his friends of the movements of those who
plotted their destruction above, and to advise and control their
advance accordingly.
In the mean time, the children of Esther were true to the spirit they
had inherited from their redoubtable mother. The instant they found
themselves delivered from the presence of Ellen and her unknown
companion, they bestowed an undivided attention on their more
masculine and certainly more dangerous assailants, who by this time
had made a complete lodgment among the crags of the citadel.
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