e of the garrison.
But by this time many of the men, having only a round or two of
ammunition remaining, were unwilling to expend it, and the savages as
before escaped with slight loss.

"The faggots may blaze up, my boys," cried Captain Mackintosh; "but it
will take some time to burn down our palisades." His heart, however,
began to sink, as he thought that too probably the enemy would succeed
in their design.

Loraine, seeing the fearful danger to which the fort was exposed, again
offered to rush out at the head of a party of men, and endeavour to drag
away the burning branches. There was a risk, however, that while they
were so engaged, the enemy might make a rush for the gate. Already the
flames were ascending. As they burned brightly, their glare would
expose him and his followers to view. Still, the position of affairs
required that the risk, great as it was, should be run. Dense volumes
of smoke were coming through the interstices of the palisades, and the
circle of flame which rose up round the fort showed that no time must be
lost.

Captain Mackintosh sent those who had most ammunition to fire away at
the enemy, should they approach. The gates were opened, and Loraine,
with his followers, issued forth armed with pikes, to drag away the
burning mass. Those at the gate were soon hurled to a distance. They
then began to labour away at those spots where the greatest danger was
threatened to the palisades.

So rapid were their movements that it was some time before their object
was discovered by the Indians, who, however, at length perceived what
they were about, and, uttering a war whoop, came rushing towards them.

In vain the party from above endeavoured to keep the savages in check.
Loraine ran a fearful risk of being cut off.

Captain Mackintosh, seeing the danger to which he was exposed, shouted
to him to retire, while the men within stood ready to close the gates
the moment he and his companions had entered. Although warned that the
enemy were drawing near, he laboured on to the last, when, turning
round, he saw, by the light of the flames, the savages, with tomahawks
uplifted, scarcely a dozen paces from him.

His first impulse was to stop and encounter Mysticoose; but by so doing
he would delay, he knew, the closing of the gate, and the savages might
succeed in entering.

A tomahawk whirled by his head. In another moment he would have a dozen
enemies upon him. He sprang back after his