rokee. The crashing of the trees, as the cannon on all sides
sent the heavy balls thundering beyond the open space into the forest,
seemed to indicate that the retreat of the assailants was cut off, or
that it must needs be made under the open fire of the artillery.

How the movement fared the defenders could ill judge, because of the
tumult of their own rapidly delivered volleys--all firing to the word,
the "fencibles" adopting the tactics of the garrison in which they had
been so well drilled--and the regular reverberations of the rapidly
served cannon. They only knew when the ineffectual fire of the
assailants slackened, then ceased; the crash of riving timber, and now
and again a hideous yell from the forest, told of the grim deed wrought
beyond the range of the firelock by the far-reaching great guns.

It was soon over, and although the garrison stood ready at their posts
for an hour or more afterward, till the night was wearing into dawn, no
further demonstration was made.

"Vastly fine! They will not return to the attack,--the fun's over,"
Captain Stuart cried hilariously;--his face and hands were as black with
powder "as if he had been rubbing noses with the cannon," Corporal
O'Flynn said, having crawled out of the hospital on his hands and knees
to participate in the fight in some wise, if only as spectator.

"They have had a lesson," said Demere, with grim triumph, "how severe,
we can't judge till we see the ground."

This satisfaction, however, was to be denied them, for the corporal of
the guard presently brought the report of a sentinel whose sharp eyes
had descried, in the first faint gray siftings of the dawn through the
black night, parties of Indians, chiefly women, carrying off the dead
and disabled, and now and then a wild, shuddering groan or a
half-smothered cry of the wounded attested their errand of mercy.

"They ought to show a white flag," said Demere, exactingly, like the
martinet he was.

"And they ought to wear top-boots on their feet, and Steinkirks around
their gullets, and say their prayers, but they don't," retorted Stuart
in high good humor, for his rigorous discipline and persistent formality
were exerted only on his own forces; he cared not to require such
punctiliousness of the enemy since it did not serve his interest. "Let
them take the carrion away. We don't want to play scavenger for
them--from an ambuscade they could make it mighty hot for us! And we
should be compelled to