e. The foremost warriors plunged
headlong, dead. The bullets tore on through the crowded ranks. The
rifles, quickly handed by the women, spoke again--and again. The van
of the charge melted; the rear recoiled; warriors ran right and left,
scudding for shelter. "In two minutes not an Indian was to be seen."

At the same time the thirteen scouts pelted in, laughing gaily. The
scheme had been a great success.

"Beaten at their own game! Hooray!"

But Captain Caldwell was by no means whipped. His warriors were
screeching for revenge. He remembered that the two Bryant couriers had
broken through; he knew that they were galloping, galloping to
Lexington or Boonesborough for reinforcements. Aid would be coming.
So he posted three hundred of his men in ambush where the Lexington
road passed between a thick belt of timber and a large field of green
corn.

With the others he kept up a hot fire upon the fort. Some of his
warriors dashed in near enough to set the roofs of the cabins aflame.
There was plenty of water, but before the blaze had been put out
several houses had been half burned. Then a change in the wind saved
the rest.

Meanwhile Rangers Bell and Tomlinson had raced into Lexington. To
their dismay they found the town almost deserted; only women and aged
men were there; the able-bodied fighters had left, called to Hoy's
Station also. On raced the two couriers, and caught the column at
Boonesborough across the Kentucky.

"What's wrong?"

"Bryant's is attacked. The Injuns are there by the hundreds. We're
seeking help."

"We'll do the best we can for you."

Sixteen horsemen and thirty men on foot were ordered back with Rangers
Bell and Tomlinson. They made a fast march of twenty-three miles, and
at two o'clock in the afternoon sighted Bryant's.

The firing had ceased. Captain Caldwell had laid another trap. Every
Indian had sunk into forest or weeds or brush, to wait for the expected
reinforcements. The garrison saw nothing at which to shoot, and half
believed, themselves, that the siege was done.

With a cheer the horsemen galloped up the dusty road, and into the lane
between the trees and the cornfield. The men on foot took a short cut
through the corn itself, to flank the cavalry and rout out any skulking
reds. There was a shot from the timber; another, a score, two score.
The horsemen had gone too far to wheel.

"To the fort! To the fort, boys! We're ambushed!"

Every man hamme