face of the rampart, it was evident his object was to
embrace the numerical strength collected there. It was
moreover observed, when he passed the groups of squaws
on his way to the gate, he addressed some words in a
strange tongue to the elder matrons of each.

Once more the dark warriors were received at the gate by
Major Blackwater; and, as with firm but elastic tread,
they moved across the square, each threw his fierce eyes
rapidly and anxiously around, and with less of concealment
in his manner than had been manifested on the former
occasion. On every hand the same air of nakedness and
desertion met their gaze. Not even a soldier of the
guard was to be seen; and when they cast their eyes
upwards to the windows of the blockhouses, they were
found to be tenantless as the area through which they
passed. A gleam of fierce satisfaction pervaded the
swarthy countenances of the Indians; and the features of
Ponteac, in particular, expressed the deepest exultation.
Instead of leading his party, he now brought up the rear;
and when arrived in the centre of the fort, he, without
any visible cause for the accident, stumbled, and fell
to the earth. The other chiefs for a moment lost sight
of their ordinary gravity, and marked their sense of the
circumstance by a prolonged sound, partaking of the
mingled character of a laugh and a yell. Startled at
the cry, Major Blackwater, who was in front, turned to
ascertain the cause. At that moment Ponteac sprang lightly
again to his feet, responding to the yell of his
confederates by another even more startling, fierce, and