back to his men, and
all moved forward. There was snow upon the ground, which broke the sound
of their footsteps. At a signal the guns flashed, and every Indian was
killed. It was a party who had just started to fall upon the English
settlements. They had new guns, ammunition, and blankets, which they had
obtained from the French in Canada.

It was a day of rejoicing in Dover when Captain Lovewell marched into
the village with the Indian scalps dangling from a pole.

"We will attack the Pigwackets in their home," said the men.

It was in April. The snow had disappeared, the trees were bursting into
leaf, when Captain Lovewell, with forty-six men, started up the valley
of the Merrimac once more. Three of the men, after marching about fifty
miles, became lame and returned home. The others turned eastward, passed
Lake Winnipiseogee, and came to Ossipee Lake--a beautiful sheet of
water.

One of the men was taken sick, and could not go on, and Captain Lovewell
built a little fort, and left there the surgeon and six men, with a
portion of the provisions. The rest of the party, thirty-four in all,
shouldered their packs and moved on in search of the Pigwackets. No one
knew exactly where their wigwams were located, and they moved cautiously
for fear of being surprised.

Captain Lovewell was a religious man, and every morning, before
starting, the soldiers kneeled or stood reverently with uncovered heads,
while the chaplain, Rev. Jonathan Frye, offered prayer.

The morning of May 19 came. They were on the shore of a pond, and the
chaplain was offering prayer, when they heard a gun, and looking across
the pond they saw an Indian on a rocky point on the other side of the
pond.

"We are discovered," said Lovewell. "Shall we go on, or return?"

"We have come to find the Indians," said the young chaplain. "We have
prayed God that we might find them. We had rather die for our country
than return without seeing them. If we go back, the people will call us
cowards." The company left their packs, and marched cautiously forward.

The Indians had discovered them--not the one who was shooting ducks; he
did not mistrust their presence; but a party had come upon their tracks,
and were following in their rear, and took possession of their packs.

Captain Lovewell moved toward the one Indian, who quickly fired upon the
white. His gun was loaded with shot, and Captain Lovewell and one of his
men were wounded. The Indian turned to run,