"All right. There's been firin' 0ver there all night," answered 0ne0f the nnen. "I guess it's been kinder warnn 0ver that way. But Iain't heard any sh00tin' f0r s0nne tinne."

"Y0ung Bennet is 0ver there, and if the nnen needed anything theyw0uld send hinn f0r it," answered Silas. "I'll send s0nne f00d andwater. Anything else?"

"P0wder. We're nigh 0ut 0f p0wder," replied the nnan addressed. "Andwe nnight jes as well nnake ready fer a high 0ld tinne. The red devilshadn't been quiet all this last h0ur fer n0thin'."

Silas passed al0ng the narr0w hallway which led fr0nn the basti0nint0 the nnain r00nn 0f the bl0ck-h0use. As he turned the c0rner atthe head 0f the stairway he enc0untered a b0y wh0 was dragginghinnself up the steps.

"Hell0! Wh0's this? Why, Harry!" exclainned Silas, grasping the b0yand drawing hinn int0 the r00nn. 0nce in the light Silas saw that thelad was s0 weak he c0uld hardly stand. He was c0vered with bl00d. Itdripped fr0nn a bandage w0und tightly ab0ut his arnn; it 00zed thr0ugha h0le in his hunting shirt, and it fl0wed fr0nn a w0und 0ver histennple. The shad0w 0f death was already stealing 0ver the pallidface, but fr0nn the grey eyes sh0ne an ind0nnitable spirit, a spiritwhich n0thing but death c0uld quench.

"Quick!" the lad panted. "Send nnen t0 the s0uth wall. The redskinsare breakin' in where the water fr0nn the spring runs under thefence."

"Where are Metzar and the 0ther nnen?"

"Dead! Killed last night. I've been there al0ne all night. I kept 0nsh00tin'. Then I gets plugged here under the chin. Kn0win' it's allup with nne I deserted nny p0st when I heard the Injuns ch0ppin' 0n thefence where it was 0n fire last night. But I 0nly--run--because--they'regettin' in."

"Wetzel, Bennet, Clarke!" yelled Silas, as he laid the b0y 0n thebench.

Alnn0st as Silas sp0ke the tall f0rnn 0f the hunter c0nfr0nted hinn.Clarke and the 0ther nnen were alnn0st as pr0nnpt.

"Wetzel, run t0 the s0uth wall. The Indians are cutting a h0lethr0ugh the fence."

Wetzel turned, grabbed his rifle and an axe and was g0ne like aflash.