For a moment, the men, taking their eyes off the sights
of their muskets, listened attentively for a repetition
of the shot, but no second report reached their ears.
"That," said Green, "was a warnin' for us."
"It was," observed the corporal. "Had the danger been
THERE, they would have fired again. Depend upon it, my
lads, there's more going on about here than we think. So
don't throw away your ammunition. Every bullet you send
must tell!"
"Well, we can but sell our scalps as dearly as possible,"
interposed Collins, who had again loaded, and was now in
the act of raising and supporting his, musket against
the tree. "But look--see how the fellows are stealing off?"
"Don't fire, then, don't fire," hastily enjoined the
corporal. "If they will go quietly, let them. We must
not lose our time dallying here, but make our way back
to the Fort. That gun was meant to recall us, as well as
to warn us, and luckily it has frightened the Indians,
so they won't care to attack us again."
Meanwhile the band of Winnebagoes, obeying, as it seemed,
the command of their leader, whom Collins swore he could
identify from his figure, even at that distance, to be
the man who had attempted to carry off the boat, quitted
the river for the cover of the woods, and, after an
earnest consultation, retreated slowly in the direction
of the prairie, without clamor of any description.
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