as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this
place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth
nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the
young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an
Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em
they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint
better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said,
stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little
distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's
go up to the lookout."

The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high,
and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming
nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered.
"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the
border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They
saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead.

"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his
head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of
their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I
reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using
it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet.
Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn."

For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention
to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the
canoe.

"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently.