The British officers, the renegades and the chiefs walked down from the mound. Among the savages arose a low hum which quickly swelled into a chant, and Henry interpreted it as a sign that they now expected victory. How! He wondered, but he did not wonder long.
"They're goin' to use the cannon," said the shiftless one.
It seemed strange to Henry that he had not thought of this before, but now that the danger was imminent his mind met it with ready resource.
"We must crawl into a hole, boys," he said, "and stay there while the cannon balls pass over us."
"Here's a gully," said the shiftless one, "and it will hold us all."
"The rest of you go into it," said Henry. "I've changed my mind about myself."
"What are you thinking of?" asked Paul.
"Do you see that big tree growing further down the slope, a little closer to the river. It's hidden to the boughs, by the bushes growing thick all around it, and above them the foliage of the tree is so heavy that nobody twenty yards away could see into it. I mean to climb up there and make it hot for those gunners. This rifle of mine will reach pretty far."
Henry had a beautiful long-barreled weapon, and the others, although knowing the danger, could say nothing in opposition.
"Suppose we let them fire two or three shots first," said Henry. "Then, as we make no reply, they may bring the cannon up closer."