ged that he should depart with the young men who
were to attack the decoy party, and then instead of returning to the
fort he should make a dash into the forest and try to make his way to
Boonesborough as speedily as possible.

The men in the fort were all serious when they saw thirteen of their
younger companions depart from the fort through the gate which opened
toward the place where the decoy party had been seen.

"Do not chase the varmints too far," charged one of the watching men.

No response was given to the warning, and as soon as the hardy, young
settlers had departed the gate was closed and the remaining men, cocking
their guns, took their positions to await the result of the expected
attack as soon as it should be unmasked.

It was not long before the report of rifles was heard from the distant
road, and gradually the sound indicated that the men were being decoyed
farther and farther from the fort.

"Girty will order an attack on us soon, now that the boys have made so
much noise," suggested one of the waiting defenders.

Scarcely had the man spoken when Simon Girty, springing from the forest
at the head of five hundred of his painted warriors, rushed upon the
western gate of the fort. It was plain that they were trying to force
their way over the undefended palisade.

The men of the Station had been carefully arranged in small divisions;
and at the word from their leaders they fired upon the approaching
warriors. The determination of the white men and their anxiety for their
wives and children served to steady the nerve of every man and make of
him a sharpshooter.

The consternation of Girty's army cannot be described. Startled by the
unexpected resistance and beholding their comrades falling on every side
of them, with wild cries of anger and dismay the painted braves
scattered, and in confusion all ran back into the sheltering forest.

Two minutes after the sally not an Indian was to be seen, and the party
of thirteen young settlers returned to the shelter of the fort.

Every defender of Bryant's Station, however, was aware that this was but
the beginning of the siege. The attack now was undertaken more in
accordance with the usual methods of Indian warfare. From behind trees
or protected by rocks the red men fired upon the defenders whenever any
one showed himself. And the men of Bryant's Station were replying to the
attack in kind. Not much time had elapsed before it was plain that this
meth