They were seen now in the bright moonlight scrambling up-hill in scores, with knives in their mouths and spears on their backs.
"Fire straight and steadily, men," cried the young chief, Roland. "Fire independently, and every man at the enemy in front of him."
A well-aimed and rattling volley, followed by another and another, made the Indians pause. The number of dead and wounded was great, and impeded the progress of those who would have rushed up and on.
Volley after volley was now poured into the savage ranks, but they came pressing up from behind as black and fierce and numerous as a colony of mountain-ants.
Their yelling and war-cries were terrible to hear.
But the continuous volley-firing still kept them at bay.
"The rockets, Dick, are they ready?"
"Yes, captain, all ready."
"Try the effect of these."
It was a fearful sight to witness those dread weapons of warfare tear through the ranks of these shrieking demons.