that direction, they would in all probability be cut
off, and the fort fall into the possession of the enemy. This of course
was not to be thought of. But what was to be done? To be without water
in a protected siege, was a dangerous and painful alternative. In this
agitating dilemma, one of the council suddenly exclaimed:

"I have it!--I have it!" All looked at the speaker in breathless
expectation. "I have it!" continued he joyfully. "The women!--the
women!"

"The women!" echoed several voices at once.

"Ay! you know they're in the habit of going for water--and this the
savages know too--and ef they venture forth by themselves, as usual, the
wily scoundrels will be deceived for once--for they won't mistrust thar
hiding place is known; and as thar object is to carry the fort by
stratagem, they won't unmask till they hear firing on t'other side."

"Good!--good!" exclaimed several voices; and forthwith the council
proceeded to summon all the women of the station, and make known their
plan for procuring a supply of water.

Not a little consternation was expressed in the faces of the latter,
when informed of the perilous undertaking required of them.

"What! go right straight in among the Injen warmints--them male
critters?" cried an old maid, holding up her hands in horror.

"Do you think we're invisible, and they can't see us?" said a second.

"Or bullet proof?" added a third.

"Or that our scalps arn't worth as much as yourn?" rejoined a fourth.

"Or of so little account you arn't afeared to lose us?" put in a fifth.

"We don't think any thing o' the kind," returned the spokesman on the
part of the council; "but we do think, as I before explained, that you
can go and come in safety; and that ef we don't have a supply o' water,
we're likely to perish any how, and might as well throw open the gates
and be butchered at once."

This last brief speech produced the desired effect, and a few words from
Mrs. Younker completely carried the day.

"Is this here a time," she cried, with enthusiasm, her eyes flashing as
she spoke, "to be hanging back, till the all important moment's gone by,
and then choke to death for want o'water? What's our lives any more'n
the men's, that we should be so orful skeered about a few ripscallious,
painted varmints, as arn't o' no account, no how? Han't I bin amongst
'em once?--and didn't the Lord preserve me?--and shall I doubt His
protection now, when a hundred lives is at stake? No!