ne knows what our fate is to be. At any rate, we must keep
clear-headed, and not give way to our feelings. I am thinking of those
poor, unsuspecting men. If we could only warn them, they might be able
to defend themselves, and possibly help us afterwards. Don't you think
if we should both scream together that they would hear us?"

"Edith, child! are you crazy? We should be instantly killed. Not a
sound, as you value your life!"

"I must, aunty. I should be ashamed to live if I failed to do the one
thing of which I am capable."

With this the brave girl lifted her voice in a shrill cry for help,
that echoed far and wide through the dim aisles of the forest; but it
was too late, for at the same moment there came a crashing volley,
mingled with savage yells, that announced an attack on the devoted camp.

CHAPTER XVIII

SURPRISE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE BOAT BRIGADE

For many days had the scouts of Pontiac watched from the shore the boat
brigade as it made its slow way toward Detroit. Night after night had
they hovered about its camps, peering with greedy eyes from darkest
shadows at the coveted wealth which the redcoats, ignorant of the
presence of danger, so carelessly guarded. It was well to let the
white men have the toil of bringing it as near the Indian villages as
possible, and so an attack was not ordered until the very last night.
Then the two hundred Wyandot warriors, detailed for the purpose,
watched the boats until a landing was effected, silently surrounded the
camp while everything was in confusion, and at a signal poured in their
deadly fire.

To Cuyler's men this volley was as a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Never was a surprise more complete; never was overwhelming disaster
more sudden. They were paralyzed and unnerved. A score fell at the
first fire, and though Cuyler succeeded in forming the rest in an
irregular semicircle about the boats, their return shots were so wildly
scattering and ineffective that the enemy were emboldened to abandon
their usual tactics, break from cover in a body, and rush fiercely upon
the wavering line of panic-stricken soldiers. Most of these now saw
Indians for the first time. None waited for a second glance, but
flinging away their muskets, all ran madly for the boats.

Of these they succeeded in launching five, which were instantly filled
beyond their capacity. So ill-directed were their efforts to escape,
that the Indians, by setting two more boat