hither amongst the
flowers, or shot straight as a bullet for a distant hive. But presently
a rifle cracked, and we raised our heads.

"Hist!" said Terence, "the bhoys on watch is that warlike! Whin there's
no redskins to kill they must be wastin' good powdher on a three."

I leaped upon a stump and scanned the line of sentries between us and the
woods; only their heads and shoulders appeared above the rank growth. I
saw them looking from one to another questioningly, some shouting words I
could not hear. Then I saw some running; and next, as I stood there
wondering, came another crack, and then a volley like the noise of a
great fire licking into dry wood, and things that were not bees humming
round about. A distant man in a yellow hunting shirt stumbled, and was
drowned in the tangle as in water. Around me men dropped plough-handles
and women baskets, and as we ran our legs grew numb and our bodies cold
at a sound which had haunted us in dreams by night--the war-whoop. The
deep and guttural song of it rose and fell with a horrid fierceness. An
agonized voice was in my ears, and I halted, ashamed. It was Polly
Ann's.

"Davy!" she cried, "Davy, have ye seen Tom?"

Two men dashed by. I seized one by the fringe of his shirt, and he flung
me from my feet. The other leaped me as I knelt.

"Run, ye fools!" he shouted. But we stood still, with yearning eyes
staring back through the frantic forms for a sight of Tom's.

"I'll go back!" I cried, "I'll go back for him. Do you run to the fort."
For suddenly I seemed to forget my fear, nor did even the hideous notes
of the scalp halloo disturb me. Before Polly Ann could catch me I had
turned and started, stumbled,--I thought on a stump,--and fallen headlong
among the nettles with a stinging pain in my leg. Staggering to my feet,
I tried to run on, fell again, and putting down my hand found it smeared
with blood. A man came by, paused an instant while his eye caught me,
and ran on again. I shall remember his face and name to my dying day;
but there is no reason to put it down here. In a few seconds' space as I
lay I suffered all the pains of captivity and of death by torture, that
cry of savage man an hundred times more frightful than savage beast
sounding in my ears, and plainly nearer now by half the first distance.
Nearer, and nearer yet--and then I heard my name called. I was lifted
from the ground, and found myself in the lithe arms of Polly Ann.

"Set me down!" I screame