tened forward to give you due warning of what is likely to happen.
As they are very numerous, and have among them firearms and ammunition,
it may be a hard task, should they attack the house, to beat them off."

Such in substance was the information Winnemak brought us.

"To my mind, the fellows will never dare to come so far north as this;
or, if they do, they will think twice about it before they venture to
attack our farm," answered Uncle Jeff.

"A wise man is prepared for anything which can possibly happen," said
the Indian. "What is there to stop them? They are too numerous to be
successfully opposed by any force of white men in these parts; and my
braves are not willing to throw away their lives to no purpose."

Uncle Jeff thought the matter over. "I will send out a trusty scout to
ascertain who these people are, and what they are about," he said at
length. "If they are coming this way, we shall get ready to receive
them; and if not, we need not further trouble ourselves."

Lieutenant Broadstreet, who held the Indians cheap, was very much
inclined to doubt the truth of the account brought by Winnemak, but he
agreed that Uncle Jeff's plan was a prudent one.

Bartle Won immediately volunteered to start off to try and find the
whereabouts of the supposed marauding party. His offer was at once
accepted; and before many minutes were over he had left the farm, armed
with his trusty rifle, and his axe and hunting-knife in his belt.

"Take care they do not catch you," observed the lieutenant.

"If you knew Bartle, you would not give him such advice," said Uncle
Jeff. "He is not the boy to be caught napping by Redskins; he is more
likely to lay a dozen of them low than lose his own scalp."

The Indian seeing Bartle go, took his leave, saying that he would join
his own people, who were to encamp, according to his orders, near a wood
in the valley below. He too intended to keep a watch on the enemy; and
should he ascertain that they were approaching, he would, he said, give
us warning.

"We can trust to your assistance, should we be attacked," said Uncle
Jeff; "or, if you will come with your people inside the house, you may
help us in defending it."

Winnemak shook his head at the latter proposal.

"We will aid you as far as we can with our small party," he answered;
"but my people would never consent to shut themselves up within walls.
They do not understand that sort of fighting. Trust to Winnemak; he