our barrels of powder, so no fire or hot bullets can reach it. Those
barrels of powder are as precious as gold."

This task was begun at once and everybody reembarked, a joyful little army
that had won a triumph and that felt able to win more if need be. The
wounded made light of their wounds and all felt new strength and courage
with the daylight. The five returned with the others to their boats.

"Well, Jim," said Paul to Long Jim Hart, "there's trouble to be found away
from New Orleans as well as in it. Last night was not so very peaceful,
and the woods did contain danger."

Long Jim heaved a satisfied sigh.

"Yes, Paul," he replied, "thar wuz shorely a heap uv danger stirrin' 'bout
last night, an' thar wuz lots uv chances that some uv it would come
knockin' up ag'inst me, but, Paul, I knowed it wuz thar, I knowed it wuz
in the woods in front uv us; it wuzn't settin' by my side, talkin' soft
things to me, an' sayin' it wuz my friend. No, Paul, ef I had got killed
last night I would hev knowed, ef I knowed anythin' at all, that it wuz an
honest Injun bullet that done it, one that meant to do it, an' no
foolin'."

The fleet resumed its passage up the river in its usual arrow formation,
with the five near the tip of the barb, but the bright promise of the
morning was deceitful. Toward noon the clouds of the night before that had
not retreated far, came back again, filing solemnly across the sky in a
long, somber procession. No air stirred. The wide, yellow river stretched
before them, a smooth, molten surface.