attempted that
night; and if, by any chance, they should attack again, Paul would be
sure to waken him in time. The rain grew harder on the roof, and its
steady patter was like the rocking of a cradle to a child. His nerves were
of steel, and the mechanism of his body and brain were not upset at all.
The half-dropped lids dropped down entirely, and he slept, breathing
peacefully.

Paul watched, his brief lethargy gone; but his accustomed eyes could see
little now through the loopholes, only the dim forest and the rain,
falling slowly but steadily. He and Henry seemed to be alone in the world.
Outside all the wilderness was in gloom, but in the little cabin it was
dry and warm. The few drops that came through the boards now and then, and
fell with a little pat on the floor, were nothing. He and Henry were dry
and safe, and it seemed to him that so far, at least, they had all the
better of the battle. The glow of triumph came again.

Paul watched until dawn, and saw the sun spring up over the eastern
forests. Then he awakened Henry, and the great youth, stretching himself,
uttered a long sigh.

"That was fine, Paul!" he said, "fine! Now, what are our friends outside
doing?"

"Nothing that I can see. There are only stumps in the clearing, and trees
and hushes in the forest. I see no warrior."

Henry laughed, and his laugh had a most cheerful tone.

"They are not far away," he said. "It is likely they'll try to starve us
out, or rather conquer us with thirst. They don't know anything about our
barrel of water."

"Blessed barrel!" ejaculated Paul.

It seemed that Henry was right in his prediction. As long hours passed,
the sun rose higher and higher, and it grew very close in the little
cabin. Paul thought the warriors must have gone away, disgusted with their
losses, but Henry cautioned him against savage patience. Toward noon they
ate a little more of their pigeon and dried venison, and Paul looked with
some dismay at the small portions that were left.

"Henry," he exclaimed, "there is enough for supper, and no more."

"Just so," said Henry, "and our enemies remain on guard. They'll wait for
us."

He thought it best to put the case plainly and in all its hideous phases
to Paul. While savages sometimes abandoned a siege very soon, they did not
show signs of ceasing now. Perhaps they relied on starving out the
besieged, and if they only knew the state of affairs within the cabin
theirs was a good reliance.

T