across the clearing against the palisade. In a little hollow just beyond
the group of houses a cool, clear spring bubbled up, trickled away,
passed under the palisade, and flowed into the Ohio. It was an
invaluable spring inside the walls and Henry thought its presence,
together with the beauty and healthfulness of the site, had determined
the location of Fort Prescott.

On the side of the river, the bank dropped down rather steeply to the
Ohio, which was not more than a hundred yards away, and which was
contracted here to less than half its usual width. Cannon planted on
this height could easily sweep the river from shore to shore, and Henry
drew a sudden sharp breath. He believed that he had half defined the
plan of Timmendiquas, Girty, and their confederates--to seize Fort
Prescott, command the river, and shut off the fleet. But how? He could
not yet see where they would obtain the means.

The river was dusky, but Henry's eyes, used to the darkness, could
search its surface. He saw a number of moving black dots, three near the
center of the stream and others at the farther shore. He could not
discern the outlines because of the distance, but he was sure that they
were Indian canoes, always watching.

He went back to Major Braithwaite and he was conscious, on the way, that
many eyes were gazing at him with curiosity from the open doors of the
log houses. It was quickly known to all that a stranger, a most unusual
stranger, had come with a warning so quickly justified, and when they
saw him they found that the report was true. But Henry took no apparent
notice. He found Major Braithwaite standing near the southern side of
the palisade.

"Well, what do you think of us?" asked the Major, smiling rather wanly.

"It's a good fort," replied Henry, "and that spring will be a great
thing for you. We came near being taken once in our own fort of
Wareville because the wells failed and we had no spring. Have you put
any men in the top of the blockhouse?"

"Eight of our best riflemen are there."

"Tell them never to stop watching for a second and tell the men at the
palisades to do the same. In their fights with us the warriors always
rely on their belief that they have more patience than we have, and
usually they have."

The Major breathed hard.

"I would that this thing were well over," he said. "I have a wife and
two little children in one of those houses. Speaking for myself and all
the rest of us, too, I cannot t