g to assist. He slipped the bolt out instead of in! The next rush
of the ladder drove the door against the engine, rolled it back a foot
and made a small opening through which Lieutenant Green forced his way.

The marines crowded in behind him. Green sprang on the engine with drawn
sword and looked for Brown. A shower of bullets greeted him. Yet the
miracle happened. Not one touched him. He recognized Colonel Washington,
leaped from the engine and rushed to his side.

On one knee, a few feet to his left, knelt a man with a carbine in his
hand pulling the lever to reload.

Colonel Washington waved his arm.

"That's Osawatomie."

The Lieutenant sprang twelve feet at him. He gave a quick underthrust
of his sword, struck him midway of the body and raised the old man
completely from the ground. He fell forward with his head between his
knees. Green clubbed his sword and rained blow after blow on his head.

The men who watched the scene supposed that he had split the skull. Yet
he survived. Green's first sword thrust had struck the heavy leather
belt and did not enter the body. The sword was bent double. The clubbed
blade was too light. It had made only superficial wounds.

As the marines pressed through the opening the first man was shot dead.
The second was wounded in the face. The men who followed made short
work of the fight. They bayoneted a raider under the engine and pinned
another to the wall.

The fight had lasted but three minutes.

Brown lay on the ground wounded. His son, Oliver, was dead. His son,
Watson, was mortally wounded. All the rest were dead or prisoners, save
seven who made good their escape with Cook and Owen Brown into the hills
of Pennsylvania.

Colonel Lee entered the Engine House and greeted Washington.

"You are all right, sir?"

"Sound as a dollar, Colonel Lee. The damned old fool's had me penned
up here for two days. I'm dry as a powder horn and hungry as a
wolf. Nothing to eat, and nothing to drink, but _water out of a
horse-bucket_!"

Green faced his Colonel and saluted. He glanced at the prostrate
prisoners.

"See that their wounds are dressed immediately. Give them good food, and
take them as quickly as possible to the jail at Charlestown under heavy
guard. See that they are not harmed or insulted by the people."

Lee turned sadly to his friend.

"Colonel Washington, the thing we have dreaded has come. The first blow
has been struck. The Blood Feud has been raised."