e
attack, and the simple remedies which were used apparently produced no
relief. At last the suffering man was covered with a blanket and placed
near the ashes of the fire. All the men except Peleg then lay down once
more upon the ground. A strenuous day was awaiting them, and whether
Master Hargrave was ill or not, they must get their necessary rest. They
were inclined to believe, too, after their long wait, that no Indians
were near them. The stream might have been muddied by any one of half a
dozen other means. Probably a 'coon had been the guilty party.

And yet all unknown to the little body of settlers a band of twelve
warriors had been furtively approaching them in the very manner Peleg
had suspected. Their noiseless footsteps had even brought them within a
few yards of the camp. Only the coming of the morning was required to
enable them to attack.

CHAPTER XXX

CONCLUSION

The light of the rising sun had appeared when the crouching Indians
together fired upon the silent little camp.

By some strange chance almost all the bullets took effect in the body of
the suffering schoolmaster. There was not even a cry from the stricken
man, and as the Indians sent forth a wild whoop every one in the camp
leaped to his feet and fled from the spot.

There had been no time for plans to be made, and consequently every man
fled by himself. They were followed by the shots and the cries of the
pursuing Indians, but no one knew what had befallen his comrade.

Peleg, who was fully dressed and better equipped than his friends for
flight, with Singing Susan in his hand, suddenly fell as he ran along
the border of a swamp which he had not noticed before.

The warriors swept past him, all believing that the young scout had been
shot, and that his scalp might be secured when they returned.

Waiting only until the howling band had passed him, Peleg made his
escape. He sped swiftly back in the direction of the camp, hoping to
secure one of the stolen horses. When he arrived, however, his
disappointment was keen when he found that not one of the horses was
still there.

Exerting himself to the utmost, and still gripping Singing Susan, Peleg
ran swiftly into the forest in the direction of the meeting-place which
Colonel Clark had selected.

Several hours elapsed before the young scout arrived at the rendezvous.
Before night fell three of his recent companions also appeared, but Sam
Oliver was not of their number, and i