t it
was a white face, and, firing instantly at it, he uttered the long and
thrilling war whoop. It was the opening cry of the battle.

The five at once returned the fire and with deadly effect. Two of the
warriors fell, and the rest leaped back, still shouting their war cry,
which was taken up and repeated in volume at a hundred points. Far above
the forest it swelled, a terrible wolfish cry, fiercest of all on its
dying note. From river and deep woods came the echo, and the warriors in
multitudes rushed forward upon the camp.

Henry and his comrades when they discharged their rifles ran back toward
the main force, reloading as they ran. The air was filled with terrible
cries and behind them dark forms swarmed forward, running and bounding.
From trees and underbrush came a hail of rifle bullets that whistled
around the five, but which luckily did nothing save to clip their
clothing and to sing an unpleasant song in their ears. Yet they had
never run faster, not from fear, but because it was the proper thing to
do. They had uncovered the enemy and their work as scouts was over.

They were back on the camp and among the frontiersmen, in less than a
minute. Now they wheeled about, and, with rifles loaded freshly, faced
the foe who pressed forward in a great horde, yelling and firing. Well
it was for the white army that it was composed of veteran borderers. The
sight was appalling to the last degree. The defenders were ringed around
by flashes of fire, and hundreds of hideous forms leaped as if in the
war dance, brandishing their tomahawks. But Colonel Clark was everywhere
among his men, shouting to them to stand fast, not to be frightened by
the war whoop, and that now was the time to win a victory. Boone, Abe
Thomas and the five gave him great help.

The riflemen stood firm in their semicircle, each end of it resting upon
the river. Most of them threw themselves upon the ground, and, while the
bullets whistled over their heads, poured forth an answering fire that
sent many a warrior to explore the great hereafter. Yet the tribes
pressed in with uncommon courage, charging like white men, while their
great chiefs Timmendiquas, Red Eagle, Black Panther, Moluntha, Captain
Pipe and the others led them on. They rushed directly into the faces of
the borderers, leaping forward in hundreds, shouting the war whoop and
now and then cutting down a foe. The darkness was still heavy and close,
but it was lit up by the incessant fla