r, we knew, have greater effect
on our enemies than the loudest shouts we could have raised.

"I wish they would come on," exclaimed Martin; "the fellows, after all,
are but arrant cowards. They make noise enough when they fancy that
they are going to have things all their own way. I suspect they are far
enough off by this time."

"We must not depend too much upon that," I observed. "If they think
that they can surprise us they will try again. Perhaps they fancy that
we suppose we have driven them away, and will turn in and go to sleep,
and they are waiting till our eyes are fast closed."

"I wonder what o'clock it is," said Martin.

"Not many minutes to dawn," I answered. "We shall ere long see the
light breaking in the eastern sky."

Scarcely had I uttered the words when Martin, who had gone back to his
loophole, whispered, "There they are again, but coming on very
differently to the first time."

I looked out, and could see a dark line extending round the whole front
and side of the fort. I hurried down to Alick, warning the men in a low
voice to be on the alert. We went over to the opposite side. From this
also we saw the same dark line slowly approaching nearer and nearer.

It was very evident that the Indians had surrounded the fort, and
intended to attack us simultaneously on every side. Alick immediately
distributed the men in equal parties round the stockade, and directed
them as before to await his order to fire. The war-whoop the enemy had
before uttered was terrific enough. Suddenly the air was rent by the
loudest and most fearful shrieks rising from every side of us, and the
next instant showers of arrows, and a few bullets, came whistling above
our heads, and directly afterwards the Indians appeared emerging from
the gloom.

Alick waited till they were near enough for every bullet to take effect.
Most of our men were tolerable shots, but the Indians, instead of
rushing straight forward, kept leaping from side to side, and thus many
escaped. Though we had our second muskets in readiness, urged on by
their former failure, they sprang forward at so rapid a rate that before
we could fire a large number had reached the walls, against which they
placed long pieces of light timber, with notches in them to serve as
ladders. The most active of our people were engaged in throwing these
down as fast as they were placed against the palisades, while the rest
by Alick's orders kept firing rapidly a