answering signal coming back to them, the steam man at once advanced
to the very edge of the ravine.

The trapper peering cautiously down the gulch, caught sight of several
red-skins crouching near the cave, and, directing young Brainerd to
discharge his piece at a certain one, the two fired nearly together.
Scarce five seconds had elapsed, when both Ethan and Mickey did the
same. All four, or rather threeas the boy gave his principal attention
to the engine, began loading and firing as rapidly as possible.

The red-skins returned a few scattering shots; but they were taken at
such disadvantage, that they immediately began a precipitate retreat
down the ravine.

Ere they had withdrawn a hundred yards, Ethan and Mickey emerged from
the cave, shouting and excited, firing at every red-skin they could
see, the Irishman occasionally swinging his gun over his head, and
daring the savages to a hand-to-hand encounter.

While the two were thus engaged, the trapper was not idle. The steam
man maintained his place but a short distance behind the enemies, and
his deadly rifle scarcely ever failed of its mark.

The moment an Indian was killed or helplessly wounded, his companions
caught and dragged him away, there being a great fear upon the part of
all that some of their number might fall into the hands of their
enemies, and suffer the ineffaceable disgrace of being scalped.

The savages were followed a long distance, until their number had
diminished down to a fraction of what it was originally, and the