but terrible," his chum agreed. "But we must look out for
ourselves, now. They are not going to let us get back to town, now,
with our tale of their crime and whereabouts. We can keep them off
from this barricade until night, but what then? They have boats now,
and can attack by land and water at the same time. We are too few in
numbers to defend both ends of the point."

"What can we do, then?" demanded the other.

Charley smiled grimly. "I am not going to trust my own judgment alone
this time, after the terrible mistake I've made. We must scare those
fellows off for a bit and then hold a council to decide on the wisest
course. Thank goodness we have cartridges to burn. Fill your magazine
full, and when you see me raise my hand pour all sixteen shots into the
wood. I'll have the captain do the same at the same time. Chris and I
will fire while you two are reloading. If we keep that up for a few
minutes, I think we will drive them off long enough to talk over the
situation."

Walter nodded comprehension and began stuffing shells into the magazine
of his Winchester.

From him, Charley passed on to the captain and Chris, to whom he gave
the same explanations and instructions. As he took his own place
behind the barricade, the young Indian crawled quietly up beside him.

"Why did you not stay with your father?" said Charley, impatiently.
The little Indian drew himself up proudly and recklessly to his full
height, inviting a storm of bullets, all of which happily missed their
mark. Before the volley could be repeated, Charley pulled him down on
the turf beside him out of danger.

"The chief has awakened from his sleep," said the young Seminole with
dignity. "Of the things you had told me and I had seen, I told him all
and he believed. Then he bade me come forth, saying, 'Where the
bullets sing is the place for the son of a chief.'"

"Then keep close to me and shoot when I do," Charley ordered. He
raised his right hand in the air and the captain's and Chris' rifles
sent thirty-two bullets zipping and singing in amongst the trees.
Before the convicts recovered from their surprise, forty-eight more
leaden messengers whined through the air above them. The effect was
magical, the convicts ceased their fire, and puzzled and alarmed by the
sudden leaden hail, sought shelter behind the largest trees they could
find.

For ten minutes the hunters poured volley after volley of lead into the
forest. Sudden