ed inside by twos and threes, and closed and barred the
massive door. A respite for rest and breathing was badly needed, but we
did not dare to take it. Half of our men went to the front loopholes,
and as fast as they could load and fire they picked off the yelling
wretches who were now swarming thickly before the house. In their
frenzied rage they exposed themselves recklessly, sending volley after
volley of lead against the stout beams and even hurling tomahawks.

I took no part in this scrimmage myself. With Menzies and several others
I went over the lower floor of the house, and made sure that all was in
right condition for a protracted siege. We placed lighted candles in the
hall, and opened the doors communicating with it, so that some light
could shine into the various rooms.

Meanwhile the firing had dwindled and ceased, and when we returned to
the front we found that the Indians had abandoned the attack and melted
away; none were in sight from the loopholes, but we could hear them
making a great clamor in the direction of the trading house and other
outbuildings.

This relief gave us a chance to consult regarding our future plans, and
to count up our little force. Alas! but sixteen of us had entered the
house. That was our whole number; the rest of the forty odd had perished
during the fighting of the past two days; and not the least mourned
among that night's casualties was brave Father Cleary. Fortunately, none
of us were disabled, though Christopher Burley had been grazed by a
bullet, and Captain Rudstone and several others had been gashed slightly
by tomahawks. The wounded transferred from the hospital, who were in a
small room at the rear, were now reduced to five; two had died that
morning, as Dr. Knapp predicted.

But there was no time for useless grief or idleness. We had no sooner
served out rations, loaded all the guns and posted the men on the four
sides of the house than the Indians showed a determination to crown
their triumph by taking our stronghold. At first they kept to the
shelter of the surrounding outbuildings, and blazed steadily away at the
house, on the chance of sending a bullet through the loopholes or the
chinks of the logs. Twice a little squad of savages rushed forward
carrying a beam, with which they hoped to batter down the door. But we
poured a hot fire into them--it was light enough outside for us to take
aim--and each time they wavered and fell back, leaving the snow dotted