“What is it?” came quickly from Harry.
“A stone hit me. Oh!” And Joe dropped his gun and rubbed the hurt. Fortunately no bones were broken, and he soon picked up his weapon and went to his loophole again.
The temper of the settlers was now thoroughly aroused, and they met the second onslaught of the Indians with vigor. There was a constant rattle of musketry, and soon the red men grew disheartened and retreated once more. Then the pioneers opened the gates and made after their foe, and the Indians ran helter-skelter in all directions, taking their dead and dying with them.
It is a most remarkable fact that in this battle but one pioneer lost his life, and only two or three were seriously wounded. How many the Indians lost will never be known, for, as stated before, they took all their dead and dying with them. A fair estimate, however, places their dead at not less than twenty.
As night was coming on, it was not deemed advisable to let the settlers return to their homes, so the families remained in the fort until the next day. During the night a rainstorm came up, and in the morning the downpour was heavy. But by noon the clouds drifted westward and soon the sun shone as brightly as ever.
The storm was a blessing to many a settler, for it prevented his cabin from being burnt down by the Indians, who ran around from place to place, with big torches, doing all the damage they could.
After the contest was over, Joe uncovered his shoulder and found it considerably bruised. Mrs. Parsons dressed it, and though it hurt for several days afterward, no serious results followed.
“I reckon I can be thankful that I wasn’t touched,” said Harry. “An arrow passed right alongside of my left ear—but a miss is as good as a mile.”
“I’ll wager a pound that the redskins come back before long,” said Joe. “They are bound to wipe this settlement out if they possibly can.”
It was decided that Joe and Harry should return home first, leaving Mrs. Parsons and the girls at the fort until the morning following.