e he had stuck
in his waist, and given the Indian quickly a sharp cut across the hands,
making him yell and loosen his hold.

The others were so near that we must have been captured had it not been
for the sharp stream which had caught the boat, and was bearing us away.

In the second boat another struggle had taken place, three of the
Indians, as I saw at my second glance, making for it; but they fared no
better than their companions. Hannibal had already pushed off, and was
standing up with one oar in his hand. This he swept round as if it were
a huge two-handed sword, and one Indian went down at once; the second
caught and clung to the oar, and he too struck at Hannibal with his axe;
but the great black caught the handle, gave it a wrench round, tore it
from the man's grasp, and I closed my eyes for a moment as I saw what
was about to follow. When I opened them again the Indian was floating
in the river, and a companion was drawing him to land, while another was
helping the Indian who had attacked Morgan, and was struck down by a
blow with the gun-barrel.

The boats were now moving fast, and as I saw the Indians all there
bending their bows, my father shouted "Fire!" Our three pieces went off
nearly simultaneously with a tremendous roar, and when the smoke rose I
saw three men on the ground by our landing-place, and the others in full
flight for the forest. I stared at these three in horror, when, to my
surprise, they leaped up and ran after their companions. But three
others lay where their comrades had dragged them half drowned, and
stunned by the blows they had received. Those who got up and ran were
no doubt knocked down by their companions in their flight and dismay,
for I do not think our fire did them any harm. But I was brought to
myself by a sharp command to reload.

"Quick! Crouch down!" said my father; and as he spoke a shower of
arrows whistled by, fortunately without doing hurt. "Morgan," continued
my father, "make a breastwork of that bundle; it will protect you.
Hannibal, row straight out, so as to get that bundle between you and the
enemy."

The great black's response was a pull or two with one oar, while, in
obedience to my father's instructions, Pomp did the same; and I now saw
the good of the box placed across the stern, behind which we two
sheltered, and kept up as rapid a fire as we could, doing but little
harm, for the Indians were well sheltered among the trees, and rarely
showe