Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought
that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their
direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was
heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms
came the crashing blows of tomahawks.

The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the
defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could
faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's
suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy
charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain
and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from
below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the
effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few
seconds, all was as quiet as before.

Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the
gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if
we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing."

It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry,
and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring
in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible,
the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing
sound near the door.

"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us
out."