that there was to be no surprise for them. Their battle cry swelled in
volume, fierce with anger, but Henry, Shif'less Sol, and Tom Ross were
already running back upon the camp, sounding the alarm, and the men,
roused from sleep, were springing to arms.




CHAPTER XIX

THE BATTLE OF THE BANK


"What is it? what is it?" cried Adam Colfax, as the three sentinels, who
were worth all the others combined, dashed into the camp.

"An Indian army!" replied Henry Ware. "We do not yet know how strong, but
we have seen their scouts! hark to them!"

The fierce war whoop rose and swelled through all the forest, died away,
then swelled and died again. From the dark wall of the trees came the
crackling fire of rifles. No one could be in doubt now.

"Out with the fires! Scatter them, trample them down!" exclaimed Henry.

He set the example, kicking the wood and embers in every direction. Adam
Colfax was not one to resent such a sudden assumption of authority, when
he saw that it meant the saving of human lives. He repeated the order and
joined in the work himself. Fortunately the fires had burned low and the
task was soon done, but not before two or three men had been hit by