ll
acquainted with the navigation of the river, and would be more likely to
find their way across the country than I should."

"My boys and I must remain at our posts and defend the fort to the
last," said Captain Mackintosh. "You must go, my friend. We have but a
short time to prepare. Old Sandy shall accompany you. The boat will
hold no more. Go on, and let my wife and poor girls know what we have
decided, and I will make the required arrangements."

"I will do as you desire," answered Loraine.

In building the fort, the timbers had been so placed that an opening
could easily be formed on such an emergency as now occurred. Captain
Mackintosh, summoning Sandy, they together removed part of the
wood-work. Sandy was about to step through the opening, when he
hurriedly drew back, and replacing the timbers exclaimed--

"The Redskins have found us out. I saw half a score of them creeping
along the bank. Quick, quick, captain, and stop up the gap!"

All hope of enabling the ladies to escape as he proposed had to be
abandoned, and Captain Mackintosh, with a sad heart, leaving Sandy to
watch the spot, went back to tell them of the impossibility of carrying
out their projected plan.

Scarcely had he reached the building than the towers on either side of
the gate, which were blazing furiously, and a large portion of the
front, fell down outwards with a loud crash.

A fearful yell of exultation was uttered by the savages, but the
encircling flames and the burning timbers still kept them at bay. In a
short time, however, the flames would burn out, and they might spring
over the smouldering logs.

Disheartened by the desperate way in which their attacks had been met,
and not aware that the garrison were destitute of ammunition, they kept
at a distance, feeling confident that their prey could not escape them.

As the flames decreased, Captain Mackintosh ordered the men to retreat
into the two chief buildings, urging them to hold out bravely to the
last. He feared, however, with too much reason, that although they
might prolong their resistance, their ultimate destruction was
inevitable. Every moment the flames in front were decreasing, although
on either side they were creeping along the stockades, threatening
everything with speedy destruction.

The savages, hovering round, had been waiting for the moment when they
might force their way over the burning ruins. It came at last. Again
uttering their fearful