Nowthesefinenativescamealong，singing，fortheirverylives，asongthelikeofwhichsetdownherewouldoustmybookfrommodestpeople，andmakeeverybodysay，’thismannevercanhavelovedLorna。’
Therefore，thelessofthatthebetter；onlyIthought，’whatadifferencefromthegoodlypsalmsofthealehouse!’
Havingfinishedtheircanticle，whichcontainedmoremirththanmelody，theydrewthemselvesup，inasortofwaysupposedbythemtobemilitary，eachmanwithheelandelbowstruckintothoseofhisneighbour，andsalutedtheKing’sCommissioner。’Why，whereareyourofficers？’askedMasterStickles；’howisitthatyouhavenoofficers？’Uponthistherearoseageneralgrin，andaknowinglookpassedalongtheirfaces，evenuptothemanbythegatepost。’Areyougoingtotellme，ornot，’saidJeremy，’whatisbecomeofyourofficers？’
’Plaisezur，’saidonelittlefellowatlast，beingnoddedatbytheresttospeak，inrightofhisknowneloquence；’hustouldHarfizers，asawornonadeofun，nowKing’smanhiszellworcoom，apupposevortocommanduslaike。’
’Anddoyoumeantosay，youvillains，’criedJeremy，scarceknowingwhethertolaugh，ortoswear，orwhattodo；’thatyourofficerstooktheirdismissalthus，andletyoucomeonwithoutthem？’
’Whatcould’emdo？’askedthelittleman，withreasoncertainlyonhisside：’huszent’emabouttheirbusiness，andtheywasgladenoughtogoo。’
’Well!’saidpoorJeremy，turningtome；’aprettystateofthings，John!Threescorecobblers，andfarmingmen，plasterers，tailors，andkettles-to-mend；andnotamantokeeporderamongthem，exceptmyblessedself，John!AndItrowthereisnotoneamongthemcouldhitallin-doorflying。TheDooneswillmakeriddlesofallofus。’
However，hehadbetterhopeswhenthesonsofDevonappeared，astheydidinaboutanhour’stime；finefellows，andeagertoprovethemselves。Thesehadnotdiscardedtheirofficers，butmarchedingoodobediencetothem，andwerequitepreparedtofightthemenofSomersetifneedbeinadditiontotheDoones。Andtherewasscarcelyamanamongthembutcouldhavetrouncedthreeoftheyellowmen，andwouldhavedoneitgladlytoo，inhonouroftheredfacings。
’Doyoumeantosuppose，MasterJeremyStickles，’saidI，lookingonwithamazement，beholdingalsoallourmaidensattheupstairwindowswondering；’thatwe，mymotherawidowwoman，andIayoungmanofsmallestate，cankeepandsupportallthesepreciousfellows，bothyellowones，andredones，untiltheyhavetakentheDooneGlen？’
’Godforbidit，myson!’hereplied，layingafingeruponhislip：’Nay，nay，Iamnotoftheshabbyorder，whenIhavethestringsofgovernment。Killyoursheepatfamineprices，andkneadyourbreadatafigureexpressingtherigoursoflastwinter。LetAnniemakeoutthebilleveryday，andIatnightwilldoubleit。
Youmaytakemywordforit，MasterJohn，thisspring-harvestshallbringyouinthreetimesasmuchaslastautumn’sdid。Iftheycheatedyouintown，mylad，youshallhaveyourchangeinthecountry。Takethybill，andwritedownquickly。’
Howeverthisdidnotmeetmyviewsofwhatanhonestmanshoulddo；andIwenttoconsultmymotheraboutit，asalltheaccountswouldbemadeinhername。
DearmotherthoughtthatiftheKingpaidonlyhalfagainasmuchasotherpeoplewouldhavetopay，itwouldbeperhapstheproperthing；thehalfbeingdueforloyalty：andhereshequotedanancientsaying，——
TheKingandhisstaff。
Beamanandahalf：
which，accordingtoherjudgment，ruledbeyonddisputethelawofthepresentquestion。Toarguewithherafterthatwhichshebroughtupwithsuchtriumph
wouldhavebeenworsethanuseless。ThereforeIjusttoldAnnietomakethebillsatathirdbelowthecurrentmarketprices；sothattheupshotwouldbefair。Shepromisedmehonestlythatshewould；butwithatwinkleinherbrightblueeyes，whichshemusthavecaughtfromTomFaggus。Italwayshasappearedtomethatsternanddownrighthonestyuponmoneymattersisathingnotunderstoodofwomen；betheyasgoodasgoodcanbe。
Theyellowsandtheredstogethernumberedahundredandtwentymen，mostofwhomsleptinourbarnsandstacks；andbesidesthesewehadfifteentroopersoftheregulararmy。Youmaysupposethatallthecountrywasturnedupsidedownaboutit；andthefolkwhocametoseethemdrill——bynomeansaneedlessexercise——wereagreaterplaguethanthesoldiers。TheofficerstoooftheDevonshirehandweresuchatormenttous，thatwealmostwishedtheirmenhaddismissedthem，astheSomersettroophaddonewiththeirs。Forwecouldnotkeepthemoutofourhouse，beingallyoungmenofgoodfamily，andthereforenottobemetwithbars。AndhavingnowthreelovelymaidensforevenLizziemighthecalledso，whenshecaredtoplease，motherandIwereatwit’sends，onaccountofthoseblessedofficers。Inevergotawinkofsleep；
theycamewhistlingunderthewindowso；anddirectlyI
wentouttochasethem，therewasnothingbutacattosee。
ThereforeallofuswererightgladexceptperhapsFarmerSnowe，fromwhomwehadboughtsomevictualsatrareprice，whenJeremySticklesgaveorderstomarch，andwebegantotrytodoit。Agooddealofboastingwentoverhead，asourmendefiledalongthelane；andthethickbroadpatinsofpennywortjuttedoutbetweenthestones，readytohealtheirbruises。Theparishchoircamepartoftheway，andthesinging-loftfromCountisbury；andtheykeptoursoldiers’spiritsupwithsomeofthemostpugnaciousPsalms。ParsonBowdenmarchedahead，leadingallourvanandfile，asagainstthePapists；andpromisingtogowithus，tillwecametobulletdistance。Thereforewemarchedbravelyon，andchildrencametolookatus。AndIwonderedwhereUncleReubenwas，whooughttohaveledtheculverinswhereofwehadnolessthanthree，ifSticklescouldonlyhavefoundhim；andthenIthoughtoflittleRuth；
andwithoutanyfaultonmypart，myheartwentdownwithinme。
Theculverinswerelaidonbark；andallourhorsespullingthem，andlookingroundeverynowandthen，withtheirearscurveduplikeasquirrel’dnut，andtheirnosestossinganxiously，toknowwhatsortofploughitwasmanhadbeenpleasedtoputbehindthem——man，whoseendlesswhimsandwildnesstheycouldneverunderstand，anymorethantheycouldsatisfy。
However，theypulledtheirverybest——asallourhorsesalwaysdo——andtheculverinswentupthehill，withoutsmackofwhip，orswearing。Ithadbeenarranged，veryjustly，nodoubt，andquiteinkeepingwiththespiritoftheConstitution，butasitprovednottoowisely，thateitherbodyofmenshouldactinitsowncountyonly。Sowhenwereachedthetopofthehill，thesonsofDevonmarchedon，andacrossthetrackleadingintoDoone-gate，soastofetchroundthewesternside，andattackwiththeirculverinfromthecliffs，whencethesentryhadchallengedmeonthenightofmypassingtheentrance。Meanwhiletheyellowladsweretostayupontheeasternhighland，whenceUncleReubenandmyselfhadreconnoitredsolongago；
andwhenceIhadleapedintothevalleyatthetimeofthegreatsnow-drifts。Andheretheywerenottoshowthemselves；butkeeptheirculverininthewoods，untiltheircousinsofDevonappearedontheoppositeparapetoftheglen。
Thethirdculverinwasentrustedtothefifteentroopers；who，withtenpickedsoldiersfromeithertrainedhand，makinginallfive-and-thirtymen，weretoassaulttheDoone-gateitself，whiletheoutlawswereplacedbetweentwofiresfromtheeasterncliffandthewestern。AndwiththisforcewentJeremyStickles，andwithitwentmyself，asknowingmoreaboutthepassagethananyotherstrangerdid。
Therefore，ifIhaveputitclearly，asIstrivetodo，youwillseethattheDoonesmustrepulseatoncethreesimultaneousattacks，fromanarmynumberinginthewholeonehundredandthirty-fivemen，notincludingtheDevonshireofficers；fiftymenoneachside，I
mean，andthirty-fiveattheheadofthevalley。
Thetacticsofthisgrandcampaignappearedtomesoclever，andbeautifullyordered，thatIcommendedColonelStickles，aseverybodynowcalledhim，forhisgreatabilityandmasteryoftheartofwar。Headmittedthathedeservedhighpraise；butsaidthathewasnotbyanymeansequallycertainofsuccess，solargeaproportionofhisforcesbeingonlyarawmilitia，braveenoughnodoubtforanything，whentheysawtheirwaytoit；butknowinglittleofgunnery，andwhollyunusedtobeshotat。WhereasalltheDooneswerepractisedmarksmen，beingcompelledwhenladsliketheBalearicslingerstostrikedowntheirmealsbeforetastingthem。AndthenColonelSticklesaskedme，whetherImyselfcouldstandfire；heknewthatI
wasnotacoward，butthiswasadifferentquestion。I
toldhimthatIhadbeenshotat，onceortwicebefore；
butneverthelessdislikedit，asmuchasalmostanything。UponthathesaidthatIwoulddo；forthatwhenamangotoverthefirstblushofdiffidence，hesoonbegantolookuponitasapuffofdestiny。
IwishIcouldonlytellwhathappened，inthebattleofthatday，especiallyasnearlyallthepeopleroundtheseparts，whoneversawgun-fireinit，havegottenthetalesomuchamiss；andsomeofthemwillevenstandinfrontofmyownhearth，andcontradictmetotheteeth；althoughatthetimetheywerenotborn，northeirfathersputintobreeches。Butintruth，I
cannottell，exactly，eventhepartinwhichIhelped，howthencanIbeexpected，timebytime，tolaybeforeyou，allthelittleinsandoutsofplaces，whereI
myselfwasnot？OnlyIcancontradictthings，whichI
knowcouldnothavebeen；andwhatIplainlysawshouldnotbecontrovertedinmyownhouse。
Nowwefive-and-thirtymenlaybackalittlewayroundthecorner，inthehollowofthetrackwhichleadstothestrongDoone-gate。Ourculverinwasinamongstus，loadednowtothemuzzle，anditwasnotcomfortabletoknowthatitmightgooffatanytime。
Althoughtheyeomanrywerenotcomeaccordingtoarrangement，someofushadhorsesthere；besidesthehorseswhodraggedthecannon，andnowweresniffingatit。Andtherewereplentyofspectatorstomindthesehorsesforus，assoonasweshouldcharge；inasmuchasallourfriendsandneighbours，whohadsokeenlypreparedforthebattle，nowresolvedtotakenopart，butlookon，andpraisethewinners。
Atlastweheardtheloudbang-bang，whichprovedthatDevonandSomersetwerepouringtheirindignationhotintothedenofmalefactors，oratleastsowesupposed；thereforeatdoublequickmarchweadvancedroundthebendofthecliffwhichhadhiddenus，hopingtofindthegateundefended，andtoblowdownallbarrierswiththefireofourcannon。Andindeeditseemedlikelyatfirsttobeso，forthewildandmountainousgorgeofrockappearedtobeallinpureloneliness，exceptwherethecolouredcoatsofoursoldiers，andtheirmetaltrappings，shonewiththesunbehindthem。Thereforeweshoutedaloudhurrah，asforaneasyvictory。
Butwhilethesoundofourcheerrangbackamongthecragsaboveus，ashrillclearwhistleclefttheairforasinglemoment，andthenadozencarbinesbellowed，andallamongusflewmurderouslead。
Severalofourmenrolledover，buttherestrushedonlikeBritons，Jeremyandmyselfinfront，whileweheardthehorsesplungingattheloadedgunbehindus。
’Now，mylads，’criedJeremy，’onedash，andwearebeyondthem!’Forhesawthatthefoewasoverheadinthegalleryofbrushwood。
Ourmenwithabraveshoutansweredhim，forhiscouragewasfineexample；andweleapedinunderthefeetofthefoe，beforetheycouldloadtheirgunsagain。Buthere，whentheforemostamonguswerepast，anawfulcrashrangbehindus，withtheshrieksofmen，andthedinofmetal，andthehorriblescreamingofhorses。Thetrunkofthetreehadbeenlaunchedoverhead，andcrashedintotheverymidstofus。Ourcannonwasunderit，soweretwomen，andahorsewithhispoorbackbroken。Anotherhorsevainlystruggledtorise，withhisthigh-bonesmashedandprotruding。
NowIlostallpresenceofmindatthis，forIlovedboththosegoodhorses，andshoutingforanytofollowme，dashedheadlongintothecavern。Somefiveorsixmencameafterme，theforemostofwhomwasJeremy，whenastormofshotwhistledandpattedaroundme，withablazeoflightandathunderousroar。OnI
leaped，likeamadman，andpouncedononegunner，andhurledhimacrosshisculverin；buttheothershadfled，andaheavyoakdoorfelltowithabang，behindthem。Soutterlyweremysensesgone，andnaughtbutstrengthremaining，thatIcaughtupthecannonwithbothhands，anddashedit，breech-first，atthedoorway。Thesolidoakburstwiththeblow，andthegunstuckfast，likeabuilder’sputlog。
ButhereIlookedroundinvainforanyonetocomeandfollowupmysuccess。Thescantylightshowedmenofiguremovingthroughthelengthofthetunnelbehindme；onlyaheavygroanortwowenttomyheart，andchilledit。SoIhurriedbacktoseekJeremy，fearingthathemustbesmittendown。
AndsoindeedIfoundhim，aswellasthreeotherpoorfellows，struckbythechargeoftheculverin，whichhadpassedsoclosebesideme。Twoofthefourwereasdeadasstones，andgrowingcoldalready，butJeremyandtheothercouldmanagetogroan，justnowandthen。