--and have I only arrived in time to be
too late? Is all your ammunition then destroyed--all, all, all--none
left?" These questions were anxiously put as the stranger held the
hand of the commanding officer grasped in his own.

"It is even so," returned Captain Headley, impressed with deep
regret for the act, for in a moment he saw that this addition to
his little force would have enabled him to maintain his post until
the arrival of the British at least--"all that remains are twenty
rounds of cartridges for the pouches of the men, and a single keg
for use if necessary on the march--not six rounds of ammunition
remain for the guns."

"By G--, how unfortunate!" returned the stranger, striking his brow
with his palm; "had I been but eighteen hours sooner you were all
saved, for here are five-and-twenty as gallant and willing hearts
as ever wielded tomahawk or rifle. Hearing of your extremity I had
hastily collected them to afford you succor. Oh, I could eat my
heart up with disappointment!" he continued, "to think that all my
exertions, my speed, have been in vain. Headley, what could have
induced you to destroy the ammunition--your only hope of salvation?"

"What has been done," replied the commanding officer, with unfeigned
sorrow at his heart as he reflected on the subject, "cannot be
undone; but, ray dear Wells, it was impossible that we could divine
the generous interest which was sending you to our rescue; and had
not the powder and other ammunition been destroyed it must have
fallen into the hands of those who I grieve to say are but too
ready to use it against us. Moreover, purposing as I did, and do,
to march to-morrow morning, at all risks and under whatever
circumstance, I had given up this day all provisions not necessary
for our subsistence on the march. If then even the ammunition had
remained, we must have suffered from want of food."

"What, with those five-and-twenty horses, Headley?" returned the
other, pointing to the group that stood in the centre of the barrack
square. "Not so. They would have been sufficient when killed and
dried to have yielded us food for a month. No man knows better how
to make pimmecan than myself. Still," he continued, with greater
vivacity, "there is a hope. I have shown the manner in which the
provisions can be replaced, and I know you have a well within the
sally-port into which can be received the waters of Lake
Michigan--let search be made and instantly, and no doubt o