The third brave received reinforcements from the corridor which led to the river!
The Snake Queen had penetrated the willows with seven braves, four of whom she had left to guard the entrance, as she feared the return of the trader, Doc Bell, or the avenging lover, Swamp Oak.
Now a peculiar shriek from the third savage who followed Coleola to the cave caused the guards to leave their posts; and all at once, like a quartette of devils, they rushed into the cavern, just as victory was declaring for our friends.
Then the conflict was renewed again with tenfold fury.
Despite his arm which hung shattered at his side, Nehonesto caught a warrior, and hurled him against the wall of the cave, at the foot of which he sunk with a crushed skull.
Kate Blount, too, performed prodigies of valor. She stood with clubbed rifle before the Snake Queen, beating back the savages who tried to free the mad-woman.
Suddenly a brave kicked the fire hither and thither, and then the fight continued in the semi-gloom.
At length, tripping over a dead Delaware, Bob fell to the earth, and before he could rise, a tomahawk, hurled from a red-skin’s hand, stretched him senseless and bleeding upon the stones again.
A moment later, as a firebrand caused brave Kate Blount to reel, three dusky forms darted from the corridor, and she heard yells of despair well from the throats of the now almost victorious savages. New and unexpected antagonists had appeared upon the scene of action, and when Kate had collected her scattered senses, she found herself in the arms of Doc Bell, the Indian-fighter!
“Well, now, we got hyar jist in time!” cried the giant, looking down into Kate’s colorless face. “It ar’ a good thing thet we heard ye fightin’, fur ef ye hedn’t made sech a racket, I guess we’d be a good piece from hyar now. This is the Bloodhound’s kennel, eh, girl?”