I have said what I was obliged to say, I ask you all to give three cheers for our gallant young friends."
Three hearty cheers were given, and then the general hurried off to superintend the preparations for the defense of the quarter threatened by the attack from Johannes' house, if indeed that attack should not be postponed, owing to the discouragement which the blow just inflicted would naturally spread. Surrounded by their comrades, the Warreners re-entered the house.
"What was that terrible explosion?" "What has happened?" was asked by a score of female voices as they entered.
"Good news," Mr. Gubbins said; "you can sleep in peace. The guns of the battery which has annoyed us are all spiked, and their magazine blown up, and all this without the loss of a man, thanks to the Warreners, who went out alone and disabled all the guns by wetting the primings. All your thanks are due to them."
There was a general cry of grateful joy; for since the battery had begun to play upon the house no one had felt that his own life or the lives of those dearest to him were safe for a moment. All were dressed, for in these times of peril no one went regularly to bed; and they now crowded round the boys, shaking them by the hand, patting them on the shoulders, many crying for very joy and relief.
Mrs. Hargreaves was standing at the door and the boys went up to her. She drew back the curtain for them to enter; for, sure that the boys intended to carry out some desperate enterprise, none of her family had even lain down. Mr. Hargreaves and Mr. Righton followed them in.
"We were all praying for you," she said simply, "as if you had been my own sons; for you were doing as much for me and mine as my own could have done:" and ehe kissed both their foreheads.
