"They go to the spring every
morning. The Indians may not think we have any suspicion of what they
are planning to do. If the women and girls go to the spring for water
just as they usually do the Indians will not fire at them. They will
want to save all their bullets for their attack on this side when our
men have been drawn out to chase the savages who are yelling now on the
other side."

"It seems cowardly," said another man "to ask the women to go down to
the spring when we know it would be sure death for us to go."

"It will not be sure death for the women, and my opinion is that not one
of them will be harmed," said the first speaker positively. "At all
events we can ask them to go and let them say whether they will or not."

When the proposition was made to the women there were some who made
replies not unlike those which their male defenders had suggested in the
council. Some of them said: "If the men were afraid that they might be
shot, why should they ask the women to go in their place?" Then it was
explained just why the request was made. Immediately some of the bolder
women and girls, taking their buckets, opened the gates and started
toward the spring, which was only a short distance from the fort.

Frightened, the women undoubtedly were, and with good reason. But with
unbroken lines they continued on their way to the spring. One by one
they knelt and filled their buckets and then joined the line which was
returning to the fort.

When the matrons and maids had arrived within a few yards of the open
gate their terror became so overpowering that they all began to run for
the shelter. Many a dusky face had been seen on the borders of the
forest, but not a shot was fired at the bold girls and the women of
Bryant's Station when they brought the water from the spring to the
inmates of the fort.

"Now is our time," said one of the men, after the return of the women.
"We ought to do two things: First we must get some one out of the fort
to carry word to Boone of the trouble we are having."

"And second?" inquired one of the company.

"We must send out some of the younger men to attack that decoy party."

"That's right," suggested one of the young men eagerly. "We must go out
and make all the noise we can. Then all the other men here in the fort
can be ready for Girty when he comes, and I know he will come."

"I will carry the message to Boone," volunteered one of the younger men
named Bell. It was arran