that," I said. "Come, cheer up."

"Can't any more, my lad," said Morgan. "No one can't say, look you,
that I haven't cheered up through thick and thin. But, look here,
Master George, speaking fair now, what is the good of Injuns?"

"Injum no good," said Pomp, sharply.

"Right, boy; no good at all. Phew!" he whistled; "how them logs do
burn!"

"Ah! No duck, no fis', no turkey roace on 'tick!" said Pomp,
regretfully. "Shoot, shoot, shoot, lot time, an' no shoot nuffum to
eat. Pomp dreffle hungly."

"There's plenty of bread," I said, smiling at the boy's utter unconcern
about our position of peril.

"Yah, 'tuff! Nas' 'tuff. Pomp too dreffle hungly eat any more bread.
Why no go now and kill all Injum? Pomp fine de way."

The boy looked quite vexed at his proposition being declined, and
squatted down to gaze at the fire, till after a time he lay down to look
at it, and at last Morgan said to me--

"Don't trouble him much, lad. Fast asleep."

It was quite true. There lay Pomp enjoying a good rest, while we
watched the progress of the flames, which rose and fell and gleamed from
the pieces of the watchful men dotted round the great place, then left
them in shadow, while a terrible silence had now fallen upon the camp.
The fierce fire crackled and roared, and the flames fluttered as a great
storm of sparks kept floating far away, but no one spoke, and it was
only when an officer went round to the various posts that there seemed
to be the slightest motion in the camp.

"Takes a cleverer man than me to understand Injun," said Morgan at last,
just before daybreak, as I returned from the tent where my father was
sleeping peacefully, and Hannibal outside wrapped in a blanket quite
calmly taking his rest.

"What do you mean?" I said, wearily.

"I mean I can't make out the ways of Injuns. Here have we been watching
all night, expecting to have a big fight by way of finish up, and Pomp's
right after all. They seem to have gone."

"If I could only think so!" I replied, with a sigh.

"Well, lad, I think they are," said Morgan. "They might have had it all
their own way, and beaten us pretty easy a time back, but they've let
their chance go by; and I suppose they're satisfied with the mischief
they've done for one night, and have gone back to their camp to sing and
dance and brag to one another about what brave fellows they all are."

It soon proved to be as Morgan had said, for the day broke, and the sun