will try that game again. And what was the result at the north
side, sir? I believe you had desperate fighting there at the same time."

"Not so bad as here," the factor replied; "but pretty nearly. The
Indians broke in, but our fellows were getting the best of it when I
left to help you. Menzies was in charge, and--ah! here he comes now."

The big Scotchman was loading his musket as he approached. He limped
badly--a gunstock had struck him on the thigh--and he had a flesh wound
in his left arm. He anxiously inquired how many we had lost, and when I
told him, he shook his head gravely.

"I have three dead over yonder," he replied, "and twice as many
disabled. The garrison is reduced by nearly a third, and the savages are
fighting recklessly! I greatly fear, Hawke, that if they rush the
stockade again--"

"We'll beat them off twice, thrice, four times if need be," the factor
interrupted. "At the worst, we are likely to have a long siege of it."

He spoke cheerfully and confidently, but none the less I saw a haggard,
strained look in his face, as he glanced toward the flickering light in
Flora's window.

By this time the firing was taking a brisker turn, and the three of us
separated, Hawke and Menzies striding across to the north side of the
inclosure. I went to my old place, and there I remained for a trying
half-hour.

Trying is a poor word for the sort of warfare the Indians carried on
during that interval. They were scattered about thickly to north and
east of the fort, and within close range, but each warrior was cunningly
concealed behind a stump or a snow hillock.

How they could see so well is a mystery, but certain it is that they
brought their muskets to bear on every loophole of the stockade and the
tower. The storm was raging bitterly, but in their furred garments their
hide moccasins and leggings, they defied the exposure.

At the first we lost a man killed, and had three wounded. Then we grew
more careful, and reconnoitered from what little crevices we could find
before we ventured on a shot. Those who had no loopholes kept loading
spare muskets and passing them to us, taking our own as soon as we
fired. I had several narrow escapes, but by watching for the spurts of
flame and smoke and for the limbs that now and then showed darkly
against the snow, I killed or disabled half a dozen of the enemy.
Baptiste was on my right, and just beyond him was Captain Rudstone.

There was one diversion during