At the important trading post of Michilimackinac hundreds of his Indians, mostly Sacs and Chippewas, had been loitering around the fort for days. On the king's birthday they had proceeded to celebrate by a great game of ball.
The sport had been carried on with all the customary noise and confusion; and the unsuspicious garrison allowed the players to rush within the stockade when the ball, seemingly by accident, was knocked over the high palisade.
Under their blankets many of the Indians carried muskets, with the barrels sawed off short; while all had their tomahawks and knives. At a given signal they fell upon the garrison, and, although a terrible fight ensued, the surprise was complete, so that a massacre had followed.
Nine other trading posts had fallen in much the same way, and the most important of all, Detroit, had a close call, when the sachem Pontiac laid siege with his allied tribes.
Although time had passed since these exciting days, the wily chieftain still lived to plot new schemes for the destruction of the encroaching whites. And never was his dreaded name mentioned in a weak border settlement without a shudder.
This was why the older men had warned the more hotheaded to be careful lest they run into an ambuscade; for it was a favorite trick among the Indians to lure rash settlers away from the shelter of their stockade by some such stratagem, and then fall upon them in overpowering numbers.
Clouds hid the moon from sight, but, only for dense foliage of the forest trees, the night would hardly be called dark. There were just seven in the band that pushed through the woods, following that trail. Old Reuben, at the head, held his blazing and smoking pine torch low, so that his eagle eyes might keep track of the imprint of those moccasins that toed-in. Behind him came the others, with guns ready for immediate use, and eyes trying to pierce the gloom that loomed up ahead like a black wall.
No doubt after a time, when they had cooled down somewhat, a more sensible view of the situation would come over these eager trailers. Finding that the Indian had headed straight away from the settlement, they must realize the folly of trying to follow him further in the perilous night time, and retrace their steps back home.
Once they heard a crash, as some frightened wild animal floundered through the bushes ahead. It must have been a prowling bear, for no other creature would make so great a noise. Again their alert ears, that could pick up the faintest sounds, caught the snort of a deer that may have been viewing the advance of these strange fireflies through the woods until they came too near for comfort, and then fled swiftly with tremendous bounds.