powder-horn, proceeded to enlighten us at some length.

"Mighty cur'is, ez I was a-saying. Them Injuns fixed up an ambush_ment_,
blazed in a volley at the clostest sort o' range, and followed it up
with a tomahawk and knife rush,--lessen that there Afrikin was too plumb
daddled to tell any truth, whatsomedever. And, spite of all this here
rampaging, they never drawed a single drop o' blood in the whole
enduring scrimmage! Mighty cur'is, that; ain't it, now? And that ain't
all: some o' them same Injuns, or leastwise one of 'em, was a-wearing
boots with spurs onto 'em. What say, Chief?"

Uncanoola held up all the fingers of one hand and two of the other.
"Sebben Injun; one pale-face," he said, in confirmation.

I looked at Richard, and he gave me back the eyeshot, with a hearty
curse to speed it.

"Falconnet!" said he, by way of tail-piece to the oath; and I nodded.

"'Twas that there same hoss-captain, sure enough, ez I reckon," drawled
Yeates. "Maybe one o' you two can tell what-all he mought be a-driving
at."

Jennifer shook his head, and I, too, was silent. 'Twas out of all reason
to suppose that the baronet would resort to sheer violence and make a
terrified captive of the woman he wanted to marry. It was a curious
mystery, and the hunter's next word involved it still more.

"And yit that ain't all. Whilst some o' the Injuns was a-whooping it up
acrost the creek, a-chasing the folks that was making tracks for their