as he laid his hand on his arm, arose and silently
moved out to the end of the wagon, and slipped to the ground. George
tried to restrain him, and immediately woke the Professor, to whom he
related the circumstance.

There was, indeed, a movement in their front, at the margin of the
clearing. Forms appeared here and there, but the utmost quiet was
observed. Suddenly the report of a gun rang out, and with a shriek, a
form was seen to bound upwardly and fall, just as a shower of arrows
fell against the wagon.

The shot came from John's gun, and he had fired from a position fully
fifty feet away from the wagon, and this is what disconcerted them. They
were expecting the defense to come from the wagon, and here was a shot,
away from it, and it undoubtedly appeared to them that there must be a
number of them defending it, to enable them to put watchers so far from
the wagon.

"That was a shrewd action on the part of John, although it was a
hazardous one, in case they had determined to rush us. But the die is
cast, and we must now fight it out."

John came back to the wagon, and took up the other gun mechanically. The
Professor patted him on the back, as he again stole out. This time he
boldly marched toward the fringe of the clearing, and the Professor
urged Harry to run after and detain him, but he did not heed.

He remained there a full hour before any sign was made by him, but at
the end of that time he came back, and by signs indicated that the
savages were back again.

"Which band do you think has attacked us?"

"It looks to me as though the fellows who were pursued are the ones;
what is that John has brought back?"

He held something in his hand. It was an arrow and a cap, the latter of
which had blood on it. This was determined when a light was struck in
the little compartment below the wagon top.

"Do you think it is possible they could have gotten these arrows since
we saw them to-day?"

"They undoubtedly manufacture them with great facility, and the lack of
them this afternoon would be no indication that they would be without
them to-night."

John's intimation was right. They were seen beyond question, and without
waiting for the initial shot, as before, they bounded across the open
space, and the command was given to fire. The result of the shots was
plainly seen. The rush ceased, and before the Professor could give the
command for the second shot they reached the brush, and the ammunition
was save