of our sentinels will be picked off. Robert, you and I must not
sleep until tomorrow. We must stay on watch here all the while."

As he predicted, the night came down black and grim. Vast banks of
darkness rolled up close to the palisade, and the forest showed but
dimly. Then the warriors proved to the most incredulous that they had
not gone far away. Scattered shots were fired from the woods, and one
sentinel who in spite of warnings thrust his head too high above the
palisade, received a bullet through it falling back dead. It was a
terrible lesson, but afterwards the others took no risks, although
they were anxious to fire on hostile figures that their fancy saw for
them among the trees. Willet, Robert and Colden compelled them to
withhold their fire until a real and tangible enemy appeared.

Later in the night burning arrows were discharged in showers and fell
within the palisade, some on the buildings. But they had pails, and an
unfailing spring, and they easily put out the flames, although one man
was struck and suffered both a burn and a bruise.

Toward midnight a terrific succession of war whoops came, and a great
number of warriors charged in the darkness against the palisade. The
garrison was ready, and, despite the darkness, poured forth such a
fierce fire that in a few minutes the horde vanished, leaving behind
several still forms which they stole away later. Another of the young
Philadelphians was killed, and before dawn he and his comrade who had
been slain earlier in the evening were buried behind the blockhouse.

At intervals in the remainder of the night the warriors fired either
arrows or bullets, doing no farther damage except the slight wounding
of one man, and when day came Willet and Robert, worn to the bone,
sought a little rest and sleep in the blockhouse. They knew that
Golden could not be surprised while the sun was shining, and that the
savages were not likely to attempt anything serious until the
following night So they felt they were not needed for the present.

Robert slept until nearly noon, when he ate heartily of the abundant
food one of the young cooks had prepared, and learned that beyond an
occasional arrow or bullet the forest had given forth no threat. His
own spirits rose high with the day, which was uncommonly brilliant,
with a great sun shining in the center of the heavens, and not a cloud
in the sky. Wilton was near the blockhouse and was confident about
the siege, but worri