had greatly encouraged them
for the moment, but, during the inaction that succeeded to the
death and removal of the body of the fierce Chippewa, each had
leisure to reflect on the but too probable issue of the struggle.
As long as day remained to them, they felt that they could, while
possessed of the gun and a sufficient quantity of ammunition, defend
themselves; but when the darkness of night should come on, enabling
their enemies to approach and surround them from all quarters, it
must be vain to expect they could maintain the contest with the
same success that had hitherto attended their extraordinary efforts.
Inactivity, in a position of that kind, ever brings despondency,
and from one evil the mind is prone to revert to another. The
married men thought of their wives and children and the horrible
fate that awaited them, and from the men of strong nerve which they
had manifested themselves to be while in positive action, they now
were fast becoming timid, and irresolute, and anxious. The sight
of the many dead and scalped bodies of their comrades around them
was not much calculated to reassure them.

Meanwhile, Captain Headley had kept his glass almost constantly
directed towards that part of the common adjoining the fort, where
the great body of the Indians had now collected, and appeared to
be in earnest deliberation. Among the number of those assembled
he could distinctly make out Winnebeg, Waubansee, and Tee-pee-no-bee,
the former of whom seemed to be addressing the younger Pottowatomies
in energetic terms, while he frequently pointed to the blanket
which contained the body of the slain Chippewa. At length,
when he had been succeeded by the two other chiefs just named, who
seemed to deliver themselves in a similar spirit, a yell apparently
of assent and approval came from the dark mass, and in a few minutes
a party of about a hundred detached themselves from the group, and
preceded by the same flag that had been raised by the immediate
followers of Pee-to-tum, slowly advanced towards the little square.

"Courage, men," said Captain Headley, "we have not fought our steady
battle for nothing; but let us give the credit of success where
most it is due, We owe our preservation, if we are preserved, wholly
to the gallantry of Ensign Ronayne. Had he not removed the spike
from that gun, and fired it at the eventual sacrifice of his own
life--nay more, had he not slain Pee-to-tum, our most bitter and
relentless enem