“It is,” assented Loo meekly, “but you will marry us to-morrow. My father will return too late to have it done to-night, I fear.”
“However late he comes we must get the ceremony over to-night, Loo, for I positively cannot delay my journey another day. Indeed, even as it is, I shall be late for the conference of my brethren. Hark! What sound was that?”
“I heard nothing but the hoot of an owl,” said Loo.
As she spoke an arrow, entering between the palisades, whizzed past her. At the same moment a volley was fired from the other side of the Fort.
“Keep closer to the gate, Loo,” said Mr Tucker, grasping his club with a feeling that the girl’s safety depended on the use he made of that unclerical weapon.
“Come round to the east angle, all of you,” shouted the blacksmith.
All the men in the Fort obeyed the summons in time to repel a vigorous assault made on that point by what seemed to be the whole band of the enemy, but the bride and one of her maids remained at the front gate to keep watch there. Just as the victory was gained and the enemy were driven off at the east angle, a loud scream was given by the women. Mr Tucker heard it and was first to run to the rescue. He found that three of the Blackfeet, during the assault on the other side, had crept round to the front gate. One of these had placed his head against the stockade, a second had mounted on his shoulders, and a third had thus gained the top of the pickets.
Seeing at a glance how matters stood, Mr Tucker ran forward and thrust his bludgeon with a straight point between the posts, right into the painted face of the lower savage, who fell back at once, carrying the second savage along with him: but the third had already laid his hands on the top, and, vaulting over with monkey-like agility, came down on the pastor’s shoulders with such violence that both rolled together on the ground. But the savage was no match for the athletic pastor, who compressed his throat with a grip that soon caused him to relax his hold.
“Here, give me your kerchief, Loo,” gasped the pastor; “I’ll tie his hands.”
“Why don’t you stick him?” asked one of Loo’s bridesmaids with great simplicity.