they deem us disorganized and
beaten down by the storm."

"And so do I," said Adam Colfax. "We have no time to waste."

"May God preserve you," said the priest. "I have no desire to witness
scenes of slaughter but I trust, for the sake of yourselves, for the sake
of Bernardo Galvez, the good Governor General of Louisiana, and for the
welfare of this region, that you may beat them off. But the contest will
be fierce and bloody."

A young man, at the order of Adam Colfax, sounded a trumpet, a low
thrilling call that aroused the men from their brief sleep, and the word
was quickly passed that they were blockaded in the bayou, and that the
hordes were advancing to a new attack. They grumbled less now than at the
storm. Here was a danger that they knew how to meet. Battle had been a
part of all their lives, and they did not fear it.

The moonlight increased, the forest was dripping, but there was a noise
now of bullet clinking against bullet, of the ramrod sent home in the
rifle barrel, and of men talking low.

Adam Colfax called a conference in his boat. His best lieutenants and the
five were present. Should they await the attack or advance to meet it? In
any event, the fleet must escape from the bayou, and the nearer they were
to the river when the battle occurred the better it would be for them.

"Ef we know thar's a danger," said Tom Ross, "the best thing fur us to do
is to go to it, an' lay hold uv it."

The vote on Tom's suggestion was unanimous in its favor, and the fleet
once more began to move. A small force of riflemen marched on either bank
in order to uncover possible skirmishers.

The advance was very slow and in silence save for the dip of the oars and
the paddles. The moonlight grew stronger and stronger, and they could now
see a good distance on the deep, still bayou.

The five had remained in the leading boats and they watched closely for
sight or sound of the hostile force, but as yet eye and ear told nothing.
The trees now grew close to the water's edge and, looped heavily with
trailing vines, they presented a black wall on either side. But they had
no fear of shots from such a source, as they knew that the trusty
riflemen going in advance would clear out any skirmishers who might have
hidden themselves there.

Paul was beside Henry. Near him was Long Jim and in the boat next to them
was Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross. At this moment, which they felt to be
heavy with import, it was good to be toget