ed
to a distance, while some, who had got too far to stop themselves, leapt
into the river beyond the ford where their small steeds were soon
carried off their legs and together with their riders swept down the
current.

"Now let us cross while we can, before those fellows charge again,"
cried my father, and urging our horses into the water we followed the
waggons, the rearmost of which were by this time more than half-way
over.

What I have described occupied scarcely a minute. Our chief object was
now to get the waggons across, and to place them in position, before the
Indians, recovering from the panic, should perceive the smallness of our
covering party and again swoop down upon us. To be prepared for them,
we reloaded as we crossed the stream, trusting to the sure-footedness of
our horses not to stumble.

The drivers exerted themselves to the utmost, encouraged by Dio, who
rushed again and again into the water to urge on the oxen, most of whom
tried to drink as they found their noses close to the refreshing liquid.

There was just time for the waggons to reach the bank, and to be placed
with their broadsides towards the ford, when we saw the enemy again
approaching.

"Let no one fire until they are half-way across, and then don't throw a
shot away," cried my father, as the rest of the men joined us.

The leading waggons formed in line along the bank. The savages,
unwilling to lose so rich a prize as they hoped to obtain by the capture
of our train, came galloping forward, shouting and shrieking as before.

"Let them whoop again as loud as they like, but they'll not frighten
us," cried Martin Prentis; "we'll give them a British cheer in return,"
and raising his voice, every person joining, a cheer was uttered which
must have astonished the redskins: their pace slackened, but still they
advanced, encouraged by a chief, who, waving a spear, rode on ahead. He
was not aware how far our bullets could reach.

Uncle Denis, raising his rifle, took a steady aim. The steed galloped
on a few yards, when the chief, waving his spear and shouting to the
last, fell dead to the ground. His followers, coming up, reined in
their horses, uttering loud wails, and then, wheeling round, bore him
away with them, nor stopped until they were out of sight. As they made
no further attempt to recover the bodies of those who had before fallen,
it was an acknowledgment of their complete defeat, and we had reason to
hope that we