Upon this Israel Blanchard said to Mr. Seth, who looked pale and anxious,-- "Brother, you had better go with the women." "You mean, Israel, that I am good for nothing else." "I did not say that; for, if He who made you has denied courage, he has given you grace. You're a better man than I am, Seth,--better fitted either to live or die. Go with them; for we need divine aid now, if we ever did since we broke ground here." The settlers had now reached their positions, where they were concealed not merely by trees and underbrush, but by large quantities of drift-wood brought down by the floods, and left on the banks by the falling of the water. Having set their watch, the rest lay down and slept as coolly as though their own lives and the lives of those they held most dear were not at stake. "Ned," said Holdness to Honeywood, "they pay us a fine compliment, coming a hundred and ten against twenty, for these Delawares know about what our number is." "True: they have a pretty thorough knowledge of what they may expect at our hands." CHAPTER V. THE STORM BURSTS. It was little past midnight when Holdness, who held the watch, espied two persons coming from the garrison, who, to his astonishment, proved to be Tony Stewart and Sam Sumerford. "Who sent you here?" he exclaimed. "Where's my father?" inquired Tony, instead of answering the question. "On the other side of the river, with Mr. Honeywood." "Where's our Harry?" said Sam. "He's over there with 'em." "You won't tell Tony's father nor our Harry that we are here, will you, Mr. Holdness? 'cause we've both of us got rifles, and we want to kill Indians. You know Tony killed an Indian; and I want to kill one, and he wants to kill another. We ain't no good in the fort, the Indians won't come there: we want to be where the Indians come." "Well, now, do you start right back just as quick as you kin go, or I'll take my ramrod to you. Why, your mothers'll be worried to death about you. How did you get out of the fort?" "We came out when all the rest did." "Where have you been all this time?" "We went into Mr. Armstrong's barn, and went to sleep on the hay." "Well, go right back: you're no use; you'll only get killed, and won't do any good, but in the fort you will. Don't go up ter the gate till daylight, for Blanchard'll shoot you. Go back to the barn, and sleep till sunrise." Slowly and sulkily the boys started off in the direction indicated by Holdness. "What little tykes they are! if that ain't grit, I'd like ter know what is." Honeywood, perceiving by the moon that it was not far from daybreak, roused his men. Scarcely had he done so, when Harry and Ned Armstrong, who had been sent in advance, returned to report that the Indians were coming along the ordinary path, but at some distance.