reeping into the Council House had secured an advantage.

But they succeeded in keeping themselves covered sufficiently to escape
any wounds, and, turning a thought over in his mind, Henry said:

"Sol, don't you think that this wind which has been blowing for hours
has dried things out a good deal?"

"It shorely has," answered Sol.

"And you have noticed, too, Sol, that we are now at a point where the
old village touches the forest? You can reach out your hand and put it
on that ruined wigwam, can't you?"

"I kin shorely do it, Henry."

"You have noticed also, Sol, that the wind, already pretty fair, is
rising, and that it is blowing directly from us against the old Council
House in which some of the savages are, and across to the forest at the
point where we are certain that the rest of the enemy lie."

"Sounds like good and true reasonin' to me, an eddicated man, Henry."

"Then you and I will get to work with our flint and steel and set this
old wigwam afire. It's still high enough to shelter ourselves behind it,
and I think we ought to do the task in two or three minutes. Tom, you
and Paul and Jim cover us with your rifles."

"Henry, you shorely hev a great head," said Sol, "an' this looks to me
like payin' back to a man what belongs to him. That harelipped scoundrel
and his fellows warmed by our fire in the Council House, and now we'll
jest give 'em notice that thar's another warmin'."

Lying almost flat upon their faces they worked hard with the flint and
steel, and in a minute or two a little spark of light leaped up. It laid
hold of the thin, dry bark at the edge of the old wigwam and blazed up
with extraordinary rapidity. Then the flames sprang to the next wigwam.
It, too, was quickly enveloped, and the bark cracked as they ate into
it. Not even the soaking given by the rain offered any effective
resistance.

Henry and Shif'less Sol put away their flint and steel and quickly
slipped into the bushes whence they looked with admiration at the work
of their hands. The lodges were burning far faster than they had
expected. All the old Indian village would soon go, and now they watched
attentively the Council House where the sharpshooters lay. Meanwhile
several shots were fired from the forest without effect and the five
merely lay close, biding their time.

The flames made a great leap and caught the Council House. It burned so
fast that it seemed to be enveloped all at once, and three men, two red
and