d
victory. How! He wondered, but he did not wonder long.

"They're goin' to use the cannon," said the shiftless one.

It seemed strange to Henry that he had not thought of this before, but
now that the danger was imminent his mind met it with ready resource.

"We must crawl into a hole, boys," he said, "and stay there while the
cannon balls pass over us."

"Here's a gully," said the shiftless one, "and it will hold us all."

"The rest of you go into it," said Henry. "I've changed my mind about
myself."

"What are you thinking of?" asked Paul.

"Do you see that big tree growing further down the slope, a little
closer to the river. It's hidden to the boughs, by the bushes growing
thick all around it, and above them the foliage of the tree is so heavy
that nobody twenty yards away could see into it. I mean to climb up
there and make it hot for those gunners. This rifle of mine will reach
pretty far."

Henry had a beautiful long-barreled weapon, and the others, although
knowing the danger, could say nothing in opposition.

"Suppose we let them fire two or three shots first," said Henry. "Then,
as we make no reply, they may bring the cannon up closer."

Again four heads nodded in approval, and Henry, creeping forward through
the bushes, climbed rapidly up the tree. Here, hidden as if by walls, he
nevertheless saw well. The gunners, helped by the Indians, were bringing
forward both of the cannon. They were fine bronze guns, glistening in
the sun, and their wide mouths looked threatening. Spongers, rammers
and the real gunners all stood by.

Henry saw a twelve pound ball hoisted into each bronze throat, and then,
as the gunners did their work, each mass of metal crashed through the
thickets, the savages yelling in delight at the thunderous reports that
came back, in echo after echo. There was no reply from the thickets, and
they began to reload for the second discharge. Then Henry marked the
gunner at the cannon on his right, and slowly the long muzzle of the
beautiful blue steel barrel rose until it bore directly upon the man.
Paul, from his position, could see Henry in the tree, and he was sorry
for the gunner who was about to die there in the forest, four thousand
miles from his native land, a good-natured soldier, perhaps, but sent by
his superiors on an errand, the full character of which he did not
understand.

The sponger and rammer did their work. The shot was fired and the gunner
leaned forward, looking