Five days this little army marched through the wilderness; then camp was made upon the banks of Emuckfan Creek at a place only three miles from the Indian fort against which they were moving. Preparations were made for a sharp blow to be delivered next day; guards were placed about the camp in the charge of alert young woodsmen, among whom were Jack and Frank.
Quiet reigned in the forest; the water of the stream went rippling over the stones in its bed, the wind stirred in the tops of the trees, the stars looked down peacefully. But even in the midst of the quiet, Jack was not at rest.
“I don’t know just why it is,” said he, “but I’ve got the feeling that something is going to happen.”
“It’s the same with me,” replied Frank, in the same whispering tone which his friend had used. There was a short pause, then he added: “I suppose I’m foolish for thinking so, but somehow I’ve got the notion that the Creeks are on the move to-night.”
“What makes you feel that?” asked Jack, and there was a note in his voice which Frank knew as mingled eagerness and alarm.
“I fancied I heard and saw something several times off there to the south and west,” said the young Virginian.
“That settles it,” breathed Jack. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. And the fact that we both saw and heard it shows that it is true.”
Quickly, but with caution, the word was passed to the guard; at once it began to pass from man to man on watch about the camp. Then the lads stole back to the line of tents, and in a few minutes the men were aroused and stood under arms awaiting the word from their officers.
And it was well that they were prepared, for suddenly the forest seemed alive with savages; the night was filled with the war-whoop of the border-land. But to the amazement of the exultant savages, instead of a sleeping camp, they found lines of riflemen. A sleet of lead swept among them, and with yells of rage they fell back into the cover of the woods. Once more, after dawn, the Creeks attacked the white men, but again they were beaten off, and retired to their fort.
Jackson now managed to get sight of this, and also had an opportunity of estimating the number of savages facing him.