ats
Robinson Crusoe!"

The scene was indeed ludicrous. The savages had come to carry off
their dead comrades, and, creeping cautiously along, had got so near
the house without being observed, that their suspicion that the cabin
was vacated became confirmed. The discharge of the rifles by the boys
was, therefore, a perfect surprise, the fact that they were permitted
to get so near before they were fired upon impressing them all the
more; for they well knew that, if few were in the dwelling to defend
it, every effort would have been put forth to keep them at a
distance. Moreover, the firing coming from all sides of the dwelling
at once, had also the appearance as if it was quite heavily manned.

It was a brilliant day, and the light puff of smoke from each rifle
rose at once into the air, giving Charlie a fine view of the field;
and the simultaneous springing up of so many astonished savages, their
queer grimaces, and the grotesque manner in which they scrambled out
of range, struck the lad as irresistibly comic, especially as he
considered that it was Bub's blunder that was at the bottom of the
rout.

Recovering himself, he proceeded to reload the rifles. But one thing
gave him uneasiness. The Indian, he was quite sure, was still in the
tree. What was he there for? "Perhaps," thought Charlie, "he will make
a hole through the tree, and watch his chance, and shoot me. At any
rate, he's a spy; and if he should find out that only Bub and I were
here, he might make us trouble."

He was puzzled to know what to do. He set himself to watch through the
port-hole to see if he would come out. Two long hours Charlie remained
at his post, till he grew weary with the duty. Then he bethought
himself of another plan. He had read in the old spelling book of the
boy who wouldn't descend from the farmer's apple tree for coaxing;
and the farmer said, "If you will not come down for words, I'll try
the effect of stones," which brought the trespasser quickly to the
ground. Now, the Indian was not _up_ a tree, but he was _in_ one, and
he would not come out for Charlie's watching; so Charlie thought he
would employ harder arguments, and, aiming at the point where he
supposed the savage must be in his hiding-place, he blazed away. He
had fired three times, when, suddenly, the tawny occupant slipped out,
and crouched behind the tree, from which he commenced making friendly
signs towards the corner of the cabin from which the bullets came.
Ch