nded.

I did so, and through a loophole knocked over a savage who had paused in
the open to brandish a war-ax thickly decorated with either feathers or
scalps.

"Good! We'll make a fine fight of it!" grimly said Cousin as he stepped
from a loophole at the back of the cabin. "It's too late for us to make
the ridge now. It's crawlin' with the vermin."

His bearing was exceedingly cheerful as he posted himself at the front of
the cabin, his double-barrel rifle ready for a snap-shot. He fired the two
barrels almost together, and laughed boisterously.

"Two tryin' to hide behind one small tree," he explained. "Got one dead
an' sp'iled t'other."

As yet not a shot had been fired from the other two cabins. A voice called
from the Granville cabin. I found a chink in the wall and beheld the face
of the Englishman peering from the small end window.

"Who's there?" he kept demanding in a shrill voice.

"Two white scouts. Get to shooting!"

He could not see me but he heard me, and vanished to help in the defense.
Cousin had reloaded and was watching the valley closely. Bullets were
plunking into the log walls, but I knew none of the savages were exposing
themselves, else my companion would be shooting. From the Granville cabin
several shots were fired without any effect so far as we could make out.
Then again the Englishman was calling us. I went forward.

"Hear what I say?" he cried.

I answered that we could.

"Ericus Dale says for us to stop shooting or he can't save us," he
informed us.

"He can't save himself!" I yelled back.

"He thinks he can save all of us."

"He couldn't save the man at the lick-block," I reminded.

"Aye. There's sorry truth in that."

"This valley's a trap. John Ward, the white Indian, led him and his
daughter into it," I shouted.

"God help and pity us!" he groaned. Then more calmly, "Ward came back from
the woods this morning and said there were no signs of Indians."

"He met them and talked with them, and planned how they should surprise
you people. The warrior at the lick-block knew Dicks would discover him,
so he showed himself and made his kill."

"Aye. That is reasonable thinking."

"What losses in there?" I asked. I thrust my knife-blade between the logs
so he might know where I was standing and cease rolling his eyes in his
efforts to locate me.

His old face screwed up in pain.

"Mistress Granville and the two children, shot dead. Perhaps it's best
that way. I'm woun