NDIANS.

"Did you fire the gun, Phil?" asked Mr. Gracewood, as we halted for a
moment at the Castle to inform him that his goods were at the landing.

"Yes, sir; Morgan fired one shot at the Indians in the dugout, who
would not let us alone. He used a solid shot, and smashed the boat so
that the redskins had to swim ashore. We left an Indian wounded in the
hip on your island."

"Is he badly wounded?"

"I don't know how badly, but I don't think he will be able to get away
from there very soon. He will not be likely to do any mischief at
present. We brought over a boat-load of your things, but we hadn't time
to bring them up here."

"I will go to the landing and attend to them."

"How is Ella, sir?"

"She is doing very well."

"Glad of it; but we must hurry on to the camp."

"I suppose you will not remain there long, Phil Farringford?"

"I shall have to come back to feed my horses before night."

"Better come back immediately. I want to talk with you, and arrange our
plans for the future."

"If there is a fight going on up in the woods, I shall want to know how
it is coming out."

"I can tell you that beforehand. The Indians will be defeated, utterly
routed, and perhaps annihilated. That is always the case when the
savages fight with the white man, unless they surprise him in the
night. I hope you will not expose yourself, Phil Farringford. Ella is
very much concerned about you, and afraid that some harm will befall
you."

"I will return as soon as I can, sir," I replied, pleased that Ella
should think of me at all, though I felt that I had earned a claim upon
her regard.

[Illustration: THE TWELVE-POUNDER ON THE RAFT. Page 212.]

I drove on, and we soon came in sight of the works of the soldiers.
They had nearly completed their breastworks, which consisted merely of
an embankment of logs and earth, which would shelter the men from the
fire of the Indians. It extended from the river across the path, and
some distance into the forest.

"You are just in time, Phil," said Lieutenant Jackson, as I stopped my
horses.

"Why? Have you seen the Indians?"

"No; but our scouts have just come in, and report a large body of
savages moving this way. We are all ready for them, or we shall be as
soon as we have planted this gun. You were gone longer than I expected
you would be."

"The gun was heavier than I thought it was, and we had to fight the
Indians before we could do anything."

While Morgan and a