Marching on Niagara Part 29

Once again they moved forward, until they felt the barricade of pork barrels could not be more than a hundred yards distant. Then a fresh firing broke out on their left, and soon fifty or more French soldiers hove into sight as they were making a detour from one side of Haldimand's defense to the other.

"Come, we must get out of here!" shouted Barringford, and as the enemy came closer, he fired at the leading soldier. Henry and Gangley also emptied their pieces and three of the enemy went down, all badly wounded.

Running with all possible swiftness, our friends soon reached a point where they could see some of the pork barrels. Barringford held up his hands and was recognized.

"Come in!" was the cry. "Don't stay out there!" And then the three went forward again. But the French had also noticed them and half a score of rifles were turned in that direction. Henry felt a bullet sing unpleasantly close to his head and then saw Barringford, who was close beside him, stagger and go down in a heap.

"Oh, Sam!" he cried, in deep horror, "are you hit?"

There was no reply to this, and Henry saw the blood beginning to show itself around the old hunter's neck. In desperation he caught up Barringford's body and commenced to drag it to the entrance between the pork barrels. Gangley a.s.sisted him and soon they were behind the temporary shelter with their burden.

"I hope he isn't dead?" said Henry, as he surveyed the motionless form.

"Isn't there a surgeon handy?"

A medical officer soon appeared, and Barringford was carried to an improvised hospital but a short distance away, and here the medical man made a hasty examination.

"He isn't dead, but he's pretty hard hit," was the surgeon's conclusion.

"I'll do what I can for him. No, you can't help me. Better go to the front and do your duty. There is no telling how strong the French are, and if they defeat us, you know what we can all expect--a dreary life in a Canadian prison--or worse."

There was no time to say more, for the shooting had now started up once more. It came from three sides. The enemy remained hidden behind the trees and it was only occasionally that the English could get a shot in return.

"Will they make a general attack, do you think?" asked Henry, of Gangley.

"That depends on how strong they are," was the reply.

It was a fearfully hot day and those behind the improvised fortification suffered much both from heat and thirst. It was only occasionally that a French soldier or an Indian showed himself and often he was picked off before he could again find shelter.

Presently, about two in the afternoon, came a fierce yelling of Indians to the west of the fort, and the redskins could be seen moving through the forest, although they took care not to expose themselves too much to an attack.

"They are coming!" was the cry.

But Haldimand was not to be caught by any trick, and he divided his force, one half to meet the expected attack of the redmen and the others to guard the side upon which the French were still located.

But the attack did not come off. Not over a score of redmen ran out into the open, and when three of these were stretched lifeless by the rangers, or the Royal Americans, as they were officially designated, the remainder ran back with all possible speed.

After this came another lull, and Henry ran to where Barringford had been placed. He found the old frontiersman propped up against some brushwood, over which a pair of blankets had been spread. He tried to smile at the youth.

"Got it putty bad," said Barringford, in a low voice.

"In--the--neck--can't talk."

"Then don't say another word, Sam," returned Henry tenderly. "I am glad to learn it's no worse. You keep quiet. I reckon we are safe, so far;"

and that was all that was said between them.

"He'll be all right in a few days," said the surgeon. "But he had a narrow escape. Had the bullet cut in half an inch deeper it would have gone through his windpipe."

Slowly the hours dragged by after this, with only an occasional shot.

But now Haldimand was laying his plans for moving on the enemy. Some guns were brought into play on a certain bit of forest before the pork barrel fort and when these were discharged the cries that followed told that the French had been taken by surprise.

"They are running for their boats!" was the announcement, a little while later. "They are on the retreat!"

A cheer went up at this announcement, and regardless of orders some of the rangers leaped out over the barrels and brushwood and made after the French, who seemed to have suddenly become panic-stricken.

It was seen that La Corne was indeed retreating. The French soldiers and the Indians were running in all directions, and in the excitement a dozen or more were sent sprawling on the sh.o.r.e.

"After 'em! After 'em!" was the cry. "Don't let 'em escape!" And then came the rapid crack-cracking of guns and rifles and long pistols and thirty of the enemy were killed and wounded. La Corne was struck among the number, but not seriously wounded.

With the rangers who left the fort was Henry, and soon he and Gangley and four other pioneers were hurrying after a number of Indians who were fleeing up the lake sh.o.r.e. These were the redmen who had made Henry a prisoner and he was anxious to "square accounts" with them.

The Indians had three canoes secreted in the bushes and they were anxious to gain possession of the craft. After a swift run of ten minutes they came in sight of the spot where the canoes were located.

But now the rangers opened fire on them and two of the Indians went down, both wounded. The Indians returned the fire with a rifle shot and several arrows, but n.o.body was struck.

"They shan't git away so easy!" cried Gangley, and as the redmen leaped into their canoes, he opened fire again. The others reloaded with all speed, and a volley was delivered as the light craft shot out into the lake. One more redman was brought low and fell into the water with a loud splash, and then the canoes drew out of range with all possible speed.

The Indian who had fallen into the water was a stranger to Henry. He was not seriously wounded and not wis.h.i.+ng to drown, came ash.o.r.e, although evidently in terror of the whites.

"Don't shoot him!" cried Henry, as two of the others leveled their guns.

"Why not?" drawled one of the rangers. "Reckon as how he desarves it, don't he?"

"I want to question him."

In a few minutes more the Indian was a prisoner, and then the rangers turned their attention to the pair that lay wounded some distance back.

One was dying, but the other suffered only from a slight wound in the leg. The dying redman was left where he had fallen and the others were taken back to the fort.

It was not until some time later that Henry got a chance to question the captured Indians. One could speak fairly good English but it was only with difficulty that the young soldier could make him tell anything concerning the Indians in general and the prisoners they were holding.

But after Henry had taken the trouble to dress the wounded one's hurt and had supplied him with water and food, the redman's tongue became loosened, and he listened to what Henry had to say with increased interest.

"Yes, Missapaw has seen the little girls," he said. "Two are of the same birth, and the other is called 'Nell.'"

"And where are they now?" demanded Henry, eagerly.

"They are with some Indians and some French traders, in the west--at the mighty fall of waters."

"You mean Niagara Falls?"

The Indian nodded.

"And who are the French traders?"

"Missapaw knows but one of them--a trader of the Kinotah."

"What, you don't mean Jean Bevoir?" cried the young soldier.

"Yes, that is his name."

"And they are helping the Indians to hold the little girls captive. What is their object?"

"To make the little girls' fathers pay well for the return of the little ones," was the answer.