ix had less important wounds. All,
however, were too much elated with their success to make anything but
light of their hurts.

'You seem fated to have your beauty spoilt, Charley,' Mr. Hardy said, as
he bandaged up his son's face. 'A few more fights, and you will be as
seasoned with scars as any Chelsea pensioner.'

Charley joined in the general laugh at his own expense.

'Yes, papa, if I go on like this, I shall certainly get rid of my
looking-glass.'

'You have not lost the rockets, I hope, Terence?' Mr. Hardy asked.

'Sure and I've not, your honour. I put them down behind a big rock
before the little shindy began.'

'We will fire them off,' Mr. Hardy said. 'They will heighten the
impression, and make the Indians more anxious to come to terms, when
they see that we can reach their village. We will not let them off all
at once; but as we have four of each sort, we will send off a pair every
half-hour or so, as they may think, if we fire them all at once and then
stop, that we have no more left. We may as well give them a few shots,
too, with our carbines and the rifles that remain serviceable. They will
carry as far as half a mile if we give them elevation enough, and it is
well to impress them as much as possible.'

Mr. Hardy's suggestion was carried out. The first signal rocket showed
the village crowded with Indians, over whose heads the cracked rocket
slowly whizzed. The light of the next rocket did not disclose a single
person, and it was apparent that the place was deserted. The third
rocket happened to strike one of the roofs, and exploding there, set the
thatch on fire.

'Good!' Mr. Percy said. 'We shall have them asking for terms to-morrow.'

Four of the unwounded men were now placed as a guard at the mouth of the
gorge, the others retiring further into it, so as to be beyond the dead
Indians, who lay there literally in piles.

The morning broke over the white men occupied in the burial of their
two fallen companions, and upon the Indians assembled at a short
distance beyond the village. The men sat upon the ground in sullen
despair; the women wailed and wrang their hands.

Now that it was day, they could see how terrible had been their loss.
Upwards of sixty of their number were missing. The Stag had fallen, as
had several of the most valiant braves of the tribe.

Presently the Raven rose from the midst of the warriors. His absence the
preceding evening had not been noticed; and although all kn