o look around and observe the havoc that had been done
along the slope of the sandhill and on the plain below. Nearly half
of their gallant comrades lay there scalped and tomahawked, and
with their bodies and limbs thrown into those strange contortions
which mark the last physical agony of the soldier struck down by
the bullet in the midst of life and health; but for every private
lay two Indians at least--a few of them who had been overtaken in
the furious charge down the hill, but most of them sufferers from
their fire while formed in their little but compact square. Capt.
Headley and his lieutenant looked anxiously, but silently, towards
the sand hill, where they had last seen their wives exposed to the
most imminent danger, yet gallantly defended by Captain Wells and
his Miami warriors, three of whose horses, shot under them, encumbered
the ground, but nothing was to be seen of either; and the bitterness
of sorrow was in their hearts, for they believed them to be dead,
and that their bodies were lying beyond the crest of the hill,
whence occasional shouts were heard. As for Ronayne, he kept his
eye fixed in the opposite direction, for they were not far from
the encampment of the Pottowatomies, and he felt satisfied that
his beloved Maria, who, after the great peril to which he had fears
Mrs. Headley and Mrs Elmsley were exposed, he deeply rejoiced to
know was in a place of safety, was then not far from him, and no
doubt forcibly detained from the field by the mother of Wau-nan-gee,
or by the youth himself.

"'Twere folly to remain here longer and thus inactive," remarked
Captain Headley. "The Indians are evidently waiting for night to
renew their attack, for they are sensible that, as few of them
are provided with rifles, our muskets have greatly the advantage
of range. Hark! do you hear the yells and shouting of the hell-hounds
in the fort? It is well for us that nearly half their force has
been attracted thither by the thirst of plunder and the hope of
obtaining rum. But let us resume our position on the hill. Now
that we shall be enabled to command every thing around us, if we
are to die let us fall together like men and soldiers in our little
serried square."

"Long live our brave captain!--huzza! We will light to the last
cartridge, and bayonet in hand," exclaimed Paul Degarmo, raising
his cap excitedly.

The cheer was taken up and prolonged until the forest that bounded
the places they were in sent back t