To Have & To Hold by Mary Johnson Chapter 38 Page 2

were neither so high nor so thick as they should have been. “I am new to this warfare, Captain Percy,” he said. “Do they think to use those logs that they carry as battering rams?”

“As scaling ladders, your Honor,” I replied. “It is on the cards that we may have some sword play, after all.”

“We’ll take your advice, the next time we build a palisade, Ralph Percy,” muttered West on my other side. Mounting the breastwork that we had thrown up to shelter the women who were to load the muskets, he coolly looked over the pales at the oncoming savages. “Wait until they pass the blasted pine, men!” he cried. “Then give them a hail of lead that will beat them back to the Pamunkey!”