ed out amongst
the drifting craft. His errand was easy to be guessed, to make fast to
the drifting canoes and tow them all in to shore.

At the sight of the wiping out of the last of his comrades, the young
Indian had sunk to a seat on a log and buried his face in his hands.
Now, Charley tapped him gently on the shoulder. "It is not a time for
the son of a chief to be grieving like a squaw," he said, "his
followers are gone, but they died like brave men. Paleface history
tells of no braver stand than they made to-day. It's not meet for the
son of a chief to sit repining. His thought should be of punishment
for the doers of the evil."

The young Indian sprang to his feet, his eyes gleaming fiercely.
"How?" he demanded. "They have slain the pack. Will they not soon
come for the leaders? Has the young white chieftain magic to work
against their many guns and canoes?"

"When the blood runs hot is not the time to reason coolly," said
Charley, calmly. "I go now to help my comrades. Go you into the
wigwam and watch by your father; when he awakens tell him all. As soon
as we may, we will all meet here in council, and the counsel of a chief
will shed a light in the dark around us."

Without a word the young Seminole whirled on his heels and disappeared
in the lean-to, while Charley hurried in to the barricade, where his
presence was now sorely needed.

CHAPTER XV.

A FLAG OF TRUCE.

From the woods beyond the barricade the convicts were pouring in a
rapid fire upon its defenders. Luckily the little band of hunters were
so placed that the shower of bullets pinged harmlessly against the
thick logs. Whenever a convict showed an arm or leg one of the
defenders' rifles cracked and a howl of pain from the forest sometimes
followed the report.

Charley crept to where Walter was crouching, his face flushed and eyes
shining as he peered eagerly through a crack between the logs watching
for a chance to shoot. "Gee, this is great sport," he exclaimed as he
caught sight of his chum. "They are afraid to cross that open space
and are hiding amongst the trees just wasting powder and lead on these
logs."

Charley looked up thoughtfully at the sun, which was now less than two
hours high. "You saw the killing of those innocent Indians," he said
gravely. "It was terrible."

"It was grand the way they stayed to the last man and died that their
chief might escape," declared Walter with boyish enthusiasm.

"Grand