ious moment, when the discharge of a gun was heard, so
loud, so crashing, and so alarming, that it seemed like the sudden
rattling of thunder in a storm.

Luckily, perhaps for all parties, while the shot fell through the poplar
trees like the first big drops of rain in summer, the only damage which
was done was in clipping off the feather which was worn by Manteo as a
badge of his position. When we say this, however, we mean to refer only
to the effect of the _charge_, not of the _discharge_ of the gun, for
the breech rebounding violently against old Giles shoulder, the poor
fellow lost his balance and came tumbling to the ground. The cabin was
fortunately not more than ten feet high, and our African hero escaped
into the kitchen with a few bruises--a happy compromise for the fate
which would have inevitably been his had he remained in his former
position. The smoke of his fusil mingling with the smoke from the
chimney, averted suspicion, and with the simple-minded creatures who
heard the report and witnessed its effects the whole matter remained a
mystery.

"Tunder," said one, looking round in vain for the source from which an
attack could be made.

"Call dat tunder," growled Manteo, pointing significantly to his moulted
plume that lay on the ground.

"Okees[8] mad. Shoot Pawcussacks[9] from osies,"[10] said one of the
older and more experienced of the party, endeavouring to give some
rational explanation of so inexplicable a mystery.

A violent dispute here arose between the different warriors as to the
cause of this sudden anger of the gods; some contending that it was
because they were attacking a Netoppew or friend, and others with equal
zeal contending that it was to reprove the slowness of their vengeance.

From their position above, all these proceedings could be seen, and
these contentions heard by the besieged party. The mixed language in
which the men spoke, for they had even thus early appropriated many
English words to supply the deficiencies in their own barren tongue, was
explained by Mamalis, where it was unintelligible to the whites. This
young girl felt a divided interest in the fate of the besieging and
besieged parties; for all of her devotion to Virginia Temple could not
make her entirely forget the fortunes of her brave brother.

In a few moments, she saw that it was necessary to take some decisive
step, for the faction which was of harsher mood, and urged immediate
vengeance, was seen to p