, and to our misery we saw
that they were making for a wooded point a couple of hundred yards
ahead.

"Mean to take us between two fires," said my father, who was coolly
reloading, in spite of the arrows which kept on dropping down in and
about the boat as the Indians sent them right up in the air.

"Morgan!" shouted my father.

"Yes, sir."

"Turn your fire in the other direction, and drive those fellows out of
that clump of trees on the point."

"Yes, sir."

The next minute there was a sharp report, and then another.

"That's right, boy," said my father to Pomp, who was eagerly watching
him reloading, and handing the ammunition. "Why, George--Ah, that arrow
was near; did it hurt you?"

"Only scratched me, father," I said, as I winced a little, for one of
the Indians' missiles had fallen, ploughed my leg a little, and pinned
the fold of my breeches to the thwart on which I sat.

Pomp crept to my side and pulled out the arrow, examining the hole in
the thwart, and saying merrily--

"I no 'tink you want lil bit rag round you, sah."

"No, Pomp; go back and help to load."

_Bang_--_bang_! Was heard again from the foremost boat; but arrows came
now fast from the wooded point we were approaching.

"How does Morgan manage to load so quickly?" said my father, who kept on
talking calmly, as I believe now to encourage us.

"I think Morgan is--I mean I think Sarah is loading for him," I replied,
rather confusedly, as the trees and the wooded bank began to grow misty
and dim.

"Ah, very likely. Great--"

The one word came in a very different tone of voice, as a wild shriek
rang out from the foremost boat, followed by a momentary silence.

"What is it?" said my father, sternly.

His demand was almost accompanied by a couple more shots in close
succession.

"One down, sir," said Morgan, coolly; but his voice sounded to me
distant and strange.

"Pull hard, George, my lad--your right. We must give that point as wide
a berth as we can."

I obeyed as well as I could, and half wondered at the singing noise in
my ears.

_Bang_! Came from the foremost boat, and I seemed to know that Morgan
had no one to load for him now, and that poor Sarah had uttered that
shriek we had heard. Then I saw that my father was resting his gun on
the foremost part of the boat, and he too fired at the woody point, from
which arrow after arrow came in quick succession.

And still I rowed hard, with the perspiration streaming