ed to him to
indicate repulsion, but Wyatt, Girty and the others greeted the Colonel
with great warmth. They were birds of a feather, and it pleased them to
flock together there in the great forest.

Timmendiquas and his chiefs walked toward the larger and central fire,
whither Bird and his men showed the way. Then pipes were lighted and
smoked by all who were high enough in rank to sit in the Council, while
the mass of the warriors gathered at a respectful distance. But the
fires were replenished, and they blazed up, filling all the camp with
ruddy light. Then Henry found the meaning of the metallic gleam that he
had seen from the forest. Near the center of the camp and standing in a
row were six cannon, fine, bronze guns of large caliber, their dark
muzzles, as if by some sinister chance, pointing toward the South. Then
full knowledge came in all its gloomy truth. This was an expedition
against Kentucky more formidable than any of the many that had yet gone.
It carried a battery of large cannon, and plenty of white gunners to man
them. The wooden palisades of the new settlements could not stand five
minutes before great guns.

In his eagerness to see more of these hateful cannon, Henry, for the
first time in years, forgot his customary caution. He made a bush rustle
and he did not notice it. A scouting Indian passed near, and he did not
hear him. But the scouting Indian, a Shawnee, alert and suspicious,
heard the rustling of the bush. He dropped down, crept near and saw the
long figure among the bushes. Then he crept away and signaled to his
comrades.

Henry was straining forward for a better view of the cannon, when there
was a sudden sound behind him. He drew his body quickly together like a
powerful animal about to spring, but before he could reach his feet a
half dozen warriors hurled themselves upon him.

He fell under the impact of so great a weight and the rifle which he
could not use at close quarters was torn from his hands. The warriors
uttered a triumphant shout which caused all those sitting by the fire to
spring to their feet.

Henry was at the very summit of his youthful strength. There was no one
in the forest who matched him in either height or muscular strength,
save, possibly Timmendiquas, and with a tremendous effort he rose to his
feet, the whole yelling pack clinging to him, one on each arm, one at
each leg, and two at his shoulders and waist. He hurled loose the one on
his right arm and sna