r and Long Jim, who had ceased only long
enough to aim and pull the trigger resumed his terrific chant. This time
three of the warriors were slain and two wounded. Henry, a true general,
quickly changed the position of his army, Long Jim still shouting, and
no missile from the fire poured out now by the Indians, touching them. A
few of the bullets entered the portion of the thicket where they had
crouched, but the rest fell short. A great flight of arrows was sent
forth, but the distance was too great for them, and with most of the
bullets they fell splashing into the water.

"Now, boys," said Henry, "creep back and forth, and pick your warriors!
There's plenty for all of us, and nobody need be jealous! If you can get
any of the white gunners so much the better!"

And they responded with all the fire and skill and courage belonging to
such forest knights, knights as brave and true and unselfish as any that
ever trod the earth. Five against a thousand! Young forest runners
against an army! Rifles against cannon they yet held the ford and flung
terror into the hearts of their foes! Before that rain of death, and
that thundering chorus of mighty voices, coming from many points, the
warriors recoiled yet farther, and were stricken with superstitious
dread by the sudden and mortal attack from an invisible foe. Even the
face of Alloway, and he was brave enough, blanched. This was something
beyond his reckoning, something of which no man would have dreamed, he
was not used to the vast and sinister forest--sinister to him--and the
invisible stroke appalled him. His courage soon came back, but he cursed
fiercely under his breath, when he saw one of his gunners go down, shot
through the heart, and a moment later another fall with a bullet through
his head. Like the Indians, he saw a numerous and powerful foe on the
opposite bank, and the ford was narrow and steep.

"They're drawing back for a conference," said Henry. "I believe we've
made 'em think we're not a hundred only, but two hundred. Long Jim, your
title as king of yellers is yours without dispute as long as you live.
You've done magnificent work."

"I think I did shout a little," said Long Jim triumphantly, "but Henry,
I'm just plum' empty uv air. Every bit uv it hez been drawed up from my
lungs, an' even from the end uv ev'ry toe an' finger."

"Well, sit down there, Jim, and refill yourself, because we may have
need of your lungs again. There's no better air than tha