"Alas, Janette!" said her brother, "I fear that is no echo;" and he put up
his hand to his ear, and listened in breathless suspense. The sound was
repeated.

"The Russian cannon replying to those on the hill!" said Mr with startling
energy. "God help us! it can no longer be an affair of posts; the heads
of the Allied columns must be in sight, for the French skirmishers are
unquestionably driven in."

A French officer at this moment rattled past us down the road at speed,
and vanished in the hollow, taking the direction of the town.

His hat fell off, as his horse swerved a little at the open gate as he
passed. He never stopped to pick it up. Presently a round shot, with a
loud ringing and hissing sound, pitched over the hill, and knocked one of
the fish--tubs close to us to pieces, scattering the poor fish all about
the lawn. With the recklessness of a mere boy I dashed out, and was busy
picking them up, when Mr-----called to me to come back.

"Let us go in and await what may befall; I dread what the ty"--here he
prudently checked himself, remembering, no doubt, "that a bird of the air
might carry the matter,"--"I dread what he may do, if they are really
investing the place. At any rate, here, in the very arena where the
struggle will doubtless be fiercest, we cannot abide. So go, my dear
sisters, and pack up whatever you may have most valuable, or most
necessary. Nay, no tears; and I will attend to our poor old father, and
get the carriage ready, if, God help me, I dare use it."

"But where, in the name of all that is fearful, shall we go?" said his
second sister. "Not back to Hamburgh--not to endure another season of such