early days of war, and if Adam
Colfax could add two such prizes to those he already had on the fleet he
would be repaid for much that they had suffered on their great voyage.

The hooks at last took hold. The gun was lifted two or three feet, but
it slipped from their grasp and buried itself deeper than ever in the
mud. A second trial was made with a like result, but the third was more
successful, and the gun was lifted from the water. It came, muzzle
first, presenting a grinning mouth like some sea monster, but the
suppressed little cry of triumph broke forth again as the cannon was
loaded, with toil and perspiration, upon one of the larger boats. Their
joy increased when they saw that it was practically unharmed, and that
it would be indeed a valuable addition to their armament.

Salvage was also made of the second gun, which was damaged somewhat, but
not so much that the armorers of the fleet could not put it in perfect
condition within a week. Fortunately they were not interrupted in their
task, and when Kenton and the scouts rejoined them, and they started
back to Fort Prescott, Adam Colfax and Major Braithwaite shook hands in
mutual congratulation.

"I never expected to pick up two good guns in this manner," said Adam
Colfax. "Suppose you mount them upon your own walls until we are ready
to go."

Henry, Ross, and Shif'less Sol, after sleeping through the morning
hours, were joined by Paul and Long Jim, and spent the afternoon in
scouting. They crossed the Ohio in a canoe some distance below the fort,
and once more entered the deep woods, bearing back in a northeasterly
direction toward the Indian camp. Here Henry and the shiftless one went
forward alone, leaving the others to wait for them.

They did not dare approach near enough to the camp to observe with
minuteness what was going on, but they saw that a great stir was in
progress. Fresh detachments of warriors from the Shawnees and Miamis had
arrived, but the Wyandots, the least numerous of them all, still held
the first place. The palm for courage, energy, and ability was yet
conceded to them and their great chief, Timmendiquas, by all the rest.

"I don't think they'll be ready to move against us again for about two
days," said the shiftless one.

"And we'll strike before then," said Henry. "They won't be suspecting
such a movement by us, for one reason, because a river is between."

"That's so," said Sol, "an' they've been doin' so much attackin'
th