assuring Dexter that he
would submit his decision to his followers, he retired back upon the
anxious and indignant party, who had heard a portion, and now eagerly
and angrily listened to the rest of the detail.

Having gone over the matter, he proceeded to his arrangements for the
attack with all the coolness, and certainly much of the conduct of a
veteran. In many respects he truly deserved the character of one; his
courage was unquestionable, and aroused; though he still preserved his
coolness, even when coupled with the vindictive ferocity of the savage.
His experience in all the modes of warfare, commonly known to the white
man and Indian alike, in the woods, was complete; everything, indeed,
eminently fitted and prepared him for the duties which, by common
consent, had been devolved upon him. He now called them around him,
under a clump of trees and brushwood which concealed them from sight,
and thus addressed them, in a style and language graduated to their
pursuits and understandings:--

"And now, my fine fellows, you see it is just as I told you all along.
You will have to fight for it, and with no half spirit. You must just
use all your strength and skill in it, and a little cunning besides. We
have to deal with a man who would just as lief fight as eat; indeed, he
prefers it. As he says himself, there's no two ways about him. He will
come to the scratch himself, and make everybody else do so. So, then,
you see what's before you. It's no child's play. They count more men
than we--not to speak of their entrenchments and shelter. We must
dislodge them if we can; and to begin, I have a small contrivance in my
head which may do some good. I want two from among you to go upon a nice
business. I must have men quick of foot, keen of sight, and cunning as a
black-snake; and they mustn't be afraid of a knock on the head either.
Shall I have my men?"

There was no difficulty in this, and the leader was soon provided. He
selected two from among the applicants for this distinction, upon whose
capacities he thought he could best rely, and led them away from the
party into the recess of the wood, where he gave them their directions,
and then returned to the main body. He now proceeded to the division,
into small parties, of his whole force--placing them under guides rather
than leaders, and reserving to himself the instruction and command of
the whole. There was still something to be done, and conceiving this to
be a good