ruthless savages. Without waiting to hear the general's
response to his apology, the gallant partisan dashed on, and
in a minute or two more had joined the party of regulars,
who were holding their ground with difficulty.

"On them!" cried Putnam. "They will shoot us down here!
Forward! We must rout them out from their ambush!"

His words found a responsive echo in every heart. With loud
shouts the whole party charged impetuously into the morass,
and in a minute were face to face with the concealed
savages. This sudden onslaught threw the Indians into a
panic. They broke and fled in every direction, hotly pursued
by their revengeful foes, numbers of them being killed in
the flight. The chase was not given up until it had extended
miles into the forest.

Triumphantly then the victors returned to the fort, Putnam
alone among them expecting reprimand. He had never before
disobeyed the orders of his superior. He well knew the
rigidity of military discipline and its necessity. Possibly
General Lyman might not be content with a simple reprimand,
but might order a court-martial. Putnam entered the fort,
not fully at ease in his mind.

As it proved, he had no occasion for anxiety. The general
recognized that alarm had led him too far. He welcomed the
whole party with hearty commendation, and chose quite to
forget the fact that Major Putnam was guilty of a flagrant
disregard of orders, in view of the fact, of more immediate
importance to himself, that his daring subaltern had saved
him from public reprobation for exposing a brave party to
destruction.

It was not long after this scene that Putnam took the
leading part in another memorable affair, in which his
promptitude, energy, and decision have become historical.
The barracks within the fort took fire. Twelve feet from
them stood the magazine, containing three hundred barrels of
powder. The fort and its defenders were in imminent danger
of being blown to atoms. Putnam, who still occupied his
island outpost, saw the smoke and flames rising, and
hastened with all speed to the fort. When he reached there
the barracks appeared to be doomed, and the flames were
rapidly approaching the magazine. As for the garrison, it
was almost in a state of panic, and next to nothing was
being done to avert the danger.

A glance was sufficient for the prompt and energetic mind of
the daring ranger. In a minute's time he had organized a
line of soldiers, leading through a postern-ga