r
to march was given again, and the whole army plunged into the stream.
The heavy wheels of the cannon grated on the bottom, but they were still
kept in the very center of the force. Clark never abated his resolve to
protect these guns at all hazards from capture. But the cannon passed
safely, and then came Logan with the rear guard. It, too, crossed and
the commander drew a mighty breath of relief.

"How far away is Piqua now?" he asked of a man who had once been a
prisoner there.

"Not more than a mile," he replied. "Soon you can see the smoke from it
rising above the trees."

"Ah, I see it now. Then they have not set their town on fire, and they
are not running away. We shall have a battle."

The news was quickly passed throughout the army, and eagerness began to
show. The men wanted to be led on at once. It was nearly noon, and grass
and foliage were dry again. There was not a cloud in the heavens, and
the sun was a golden circle in a solid blue dome.

"Finest day for a fight I ever saw," said Tom Ross.

Paul laughed but it was a nervous laugh, coming from high tension. He
was not afraid, but he knew they were going into battle. They passed
into the forest and beyond in an open space they saw the houses, wigwams
and tepees of Piqua scattered along Mad River. Just before them was a
sort of prairie covered with weeds as high as a man's head. Henry threw
himself flat upon the ground and peered in among the weeds.

"Back! back!" he cried in a tremendous voice. "The warriors are here!"

His sharp eyes had caught glimpses of hundreds of forms lying among the
weeds. The whole army recoiled, and then a sheet of flame burst from the
field, followed by the fierce war whoop of the Indians. The bullets sung
in swarms like bees over his head, but knowing that all would fire at
once after the Indian custom, he leaped to his feet, and ran to the
shelter of the forest before they could reload and deliver the second
volley.

"Here's a tree, Henry," said Shif'less Sol; "a lot of officers wanted
it, but I've saved it for you."

But it was good-natured banter. There was not a sign of panic in the
army. The men at once formed themselves into line of battle, according
to their instructions, and opened a terrible fire upon the weeds in
which the warriors lay concealed. Hundreds of bullets swept every part
of the cover, and then the cannon sent in round shot and grape, cutting
down weeds and warriors together, and driving the s