y could not be seen, their voices were heard
on three sides of the fort, showing that they had not altogether
abandoned the attempt.

"I wonder what they will do next?" said Hector to his brother. "Do you
think they have had enough of it?"

"If that fellow Mysticoose has escaped, I'm afraid he'll urge them to
come on again," answered Norman. "It still wants an hour to daylight,
and they are up to some trick or other, you may depend upon that.
Perhaps they are creeping round to try and get in at the rear of the
fort by climbing up on that side, thinking that we should not guard it
so carefully as the front. Come along, let us try and find out what
they are about."

They accordingly hurried up to the ramparts overlooking the river; but
when they peered down through the gloom, they could see nothing moving.
They urged the men on guard to keep a watchful look-out.

"No fear about our doing that," was the answer. "The Redskins have had
enough of climbing over for the present. They are more likely again to
try and beat down the gate."

Still the shouts and shrieks in the distance continued.

Hector and Norman returned to their posts in front. They had scarcely
got there when Hector's sharp eyes perceived some dark objects moving
along the ground. He would have taken them, under other circumstances,
for a herd of buffalo, so shapeless did they seem.

He immediately warned the rest of the garrison. The objects came nearer
and nearer. It was evident that they were men carrying loads on their
backs, who, bounding on before a fire could be opened on them, got close
up to the gates at the foot of the palisades. The next instant a number
of Indians were observed making off at full speed. They were fired at;
but so rapid were their movements, that most of them effected their
escape without being hit.

Scarcely had the firing ceased, than small flames were seen rising out
of the loads left close to the fort, which it was now discovered were
faggots, brought by the savages for the purpose of burning down the
palisades.

Loraine, on seeing this, volunteered to head a party to drag away the
faggots before the flames should have time to blaze up; but just as he
was about to set out, and the gates were being opened, some more
Indians, protected by a band of horsemen, were seen approaching, laden
with an additional supply of faggots, with which, using them as shields,
they endeavoured to protect themselves from the fir