look so
precious ugly, I should believe in 'em a bit more. Looks to me as if
they were going to pretend to bite, and then run off."

A sudden yell rose from the attacking party just then, and three of the
enemy rushed forward to the front, armed with short-handled stone
tomahawks. They seemed to be chiefs, and were men of great height and
bulk, but none the less active; and as they advanced, a low murmur of
dismay was started by such of the women as could command a view of what
was going on outside. This seemed to be communicated to all the rest,
women and children taking up the murmur, which rose to a piteous wail.
This started the pigs and dogs which had been driven into the protection
of the _pah_, and the discord was terrible.

But meanwhile, partly to encourage their followers, partly to dismay
those they had come to attack, the three leaders rushed wildly to and
fro before the opening to the fort, brandishing their stone axes,
grimacing horribly, putting out their tongues, and turning up their
eyes, till only the whites were visible.

"It's that 'ere which makes me think they won't fight," said Jem, as he
and Don watched the scene intently.

"Don't talk, Jem. See what they are going to do. Are we to shoot if
they do attack?"

"If you don't they'll give it to us," replied Jem. "Oh, what a row!"

For at that moment there was a terrible and peculiar cry given from
somewhere behind the little army, and the three men gave place to one
who rushed from behind. The cry was given out three times as the man
indulged in a similar set of wild evolutions to those which had been
displayed by the three leaders, and with his eyes showing only the
whites, he too thrust out his tongue derisively.

"If I was only near enough to give you a chop under the chin!" grumbled
Jem.

Then he grasped and cocked the pistol he held, for the chief in front
suddenly began to stamp on the ground, and shouted forth the beginning
of his war-song.

Up leaped the whole of the enemy, to shake their spears as they yelled
out the chorus, leaping and stamping with regular movement, till the
earth seemed to quiver. The acts of the chief were imitated, every man
seeming to strive to outdo his fellows in the contortions of their
countenances, the protrusion of their tongues, and the way in which they
rolled and displayed the whites of their eyes.

There was quite a military precision in the stamping and bounding, while
the rhythm of the