are making are not completed, do not worry about it, as I shall keep
them interested here for several days longer. I will not appear unless I
find they have taken up the march in your direction. Blakely."

The following day the scouts informed Blakely that the allies had broken
camp and were about to move to the east. Calling the warriors together,
he addressed them as follows: "My friends; we are about to meet your
enemies, not for the purpose of fighting them, but to prevent them from
attacking our friends at the white man's home. Our friends there are
preparing the fire guns for us, before they come to us, and we must now
stand together to prevent them from going there until we are ready to
meet them."

The warriors all crowded around, and showed by their attitude that they
could be depended upon.

"We have with us eleven fire guns, and I will now tell you how we must
fight them, if it is necessary. I will stand in the center of the front
line, with the guns, and on each side of us will be the ones I shall
select. All those in front will have bows and arrows, but you will not
need them, unless they come up too close. We must now march to the
right, as fast as we can, and get between them and our friends."

The column started out on its mission, and made its way with the utmost
speed to the east, and before noon turned to the north, being thus
placed directly in the path of the oncoming forces. The allies moved
along deliberately, entirely unaware of the existence of any force.

Before four o'clock the first signs of the advance were observed.
Blakely had selected a strong position on a slight elevation, on the
east side of one of the little streams which flowed into the Cataract
River, that commanded an open front. His entire force was placed between
two natural objects, the right resting behind a rocky projection and the
left to the rear of a heavy chaparral of wood.

Entirely unsuspecting, the allies marched along the stream, and crossed
not a hundred yards below. When they were within hailing distance, John
and Ralsea suddenly appeared in front of their concealed column, and the
latter, at the instigation of Blakely, addressed them as follows:

"The white men do not want war, but peace. They have come only to rescue
their own people. You must give them up, or there can be no peace. The
white chief tells me that if you injure or kill the white men you now
have he will hold you responsible, because he is power