at his post, picking off his enemies as they drew near, while John
Pipestick did no dishonour to his father's land or the men of Kent, I
did my best to reduce the number of our foes, but it was of little
avail, and in another instant we were engaged, with overwhelming
numbers, in a desperate hand-to-hand conflict. I looked round; not a
ray of hope appeared, and thus like brave men we resolved to make our
foes pay a heavy price for our lives.

CHAPTER SIX.

OUR POWDER EXPENDED--I BELIEVE THAT MY LAST MOMENT HAS ARRIVED--
UNEXPECTED SUCCOUR--A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT--OBED'S GALLANTRY--OUR
ENEMIES TAKE TO FLIGHT--WE RECOMMENCE OUR JOURNEY--GENEROSITY OF THE OLD
CHIEF--OFFERS ME TWO WIVES INSTEAD OF ONE--OBED'S NARRATIVE--HOW HE
ESCAPED FROM THE BEAR--A FRESH ALARM--THE APPROACH OF A STRANGER.

The infuriated Dacotahs thronged thickly around us, uttering the most
horrible yells and shrieks, those in the distance plying us incessantly
with their arrows and darts, while those in the front ranks kept
whirling their tomahawks above our heads, watching for an opportunity to
send them crashing down upon our skulls. Not a shot was heard; our
rifles were useless; all our powder was expended. We fought as men
driven to desperation generally will fight for none of us had, I am
sure, the faintest hope of escaping with our lives; for my part, I fully
believed that the next moment would be my last. Old Waggum-winne-beg
had received a desperate wound on his shoulder, and had been beaten to
the ground; the gallant Pipestick had been brought on his knee, and I
found myself without support on either side just as a gigantic chief
with uplifted battle-axe made a desperate rush at me. I raised the
butt-end of my rifle, which had hitherto done me such good service, to
parry the blow, but I felt conscious that it would not avail me. I was
in the power of my vindictive enemy. I saw the keen-edged weapon
glittering in the first beams of the rising sun, as the glorious
luminary of day appeared above the snow-covered plain; I felt as if in
another instant it would come crushing through my brain, when the sharp
crack of a distant rifle sounded in my ear, and I saw my enemy leap up
in the air and fall dead at my side, his axe missing my head and just
grazing my arm.

I eagerly looked forth in the direction whence the shot had come, to
discover, if I could, by whom I had been preserved. I could as yet see
no one, but I observed that our