"You may go down there and see if you think the coast is clear," said James Morris to his nephew, and Henry hurried off at once, rifle in hand, and with a pistol and a hunting knife in his belt.
The snow was now coming down more thickly than ever, and at first the youth could see next to nothing. Then of a sudden he made out the forms of two Indians coming forward slowly and cautiously.
Henry did not hesitate about action. In those days it was considered good policy to "shoot first and ask questions afterwards," and Henry acted on that policy. Up came his rifle, and as the firearm rang out one of the red men pitched forward in the snow badly wounded. The other leaped up and discharged his gun toward the post, but the shot did no damage.
Hearing Henry shoot, James Morris rushed to the spot, to find his nephew reloading.
"Brought down one Indian, a second got away," said the youth.
He was about to say more, but a fierce war-whoop rang out, drowning every other sound. On all sides of the trading-post the Indians sprang up as if by magic. It was plainly to be seen that there had been heavy reinforcements, and that the post was doomed.
"We must fly," said James Morris, sadly. "There is nothing else to do."
Even Tony Jadwin saw the force of this argument, and in a few minutes all in the post were making their way through the frozen ditch to the brushwood lining the brook. As they moved along the gates of the post went down with a mighty crash, and a score of red men entered the inclosure, and behind them came Jean Bevoir and the other Frenchmen.
"Spare zem not, zey deserve death!" came in the voice of the rascally trader. "Fight zem to a feenish!" And he discharged a pistol at the nearest man.
James Morris pointed his own weapon at Jean Bevoir. But as the hammer fell a red man leaped between unintentionally and received the bullet in the side. Then the trader had to flee and went along the ditch by his nephew's side. Shots were being fired in all directions, and several whites and Indians fell, either killed or wounded. One English trapper was scalped almost in front of Henry's eyes, who could do nothing to stop the deed, as his firearms were empty. A red man leaped upon James Morris, but Tony Jadwin sent him back by a blow from a gunstock.