And yet every person in the fort knew he was doomed unless help arrived. The arrows tipped with burning tow, which circled over in the air and struck the roof with a thud, plainly heard within, did not hold at first, but by and by some of them clung, and little twists of smoke appeared. These were put out by the watchful garrison, but the time was sure to come when their enemies must succeed. The one thing necessary was for a swift runner to steal out of the building and gain a start upon the hostiles. The first one who made the attempt was captured, and a few minutes later the shouting savages were seen kicking his head to and fro as if it were a football. After a time, another man managed to get outside, but he was seen, and had barely time to scramble back through the door held open a few inches against such a failure. A third effort ended the same way, and then for the time the plan was given up, though plenty of volunteers were ready to make the dash whenever their friends thought there was the slightest chance of success. With the coming of darkness, the peril of the settlers increased. Each side had grown more cautious. Knowing that every attempt to reach the fort would be met with death, the Indians refrained from the venture. Burning arrows curved through the air, but the roof was kept safe. At a late hour, the full moon rose above the tree tops and showed a startling danger. During the darkness, the Nipmucks had gathered a large mass of leaves, twigs, and dry branches and silently heaped them against one end of the building. When the defenders first saw the mass, smoke was rising from it, showing that the torch had done its work. Unless the fire was quickly put out, nothing could save the whites from the most frightful of deaths. Suddenly a half-dozen men dashed through the door drawn softly inward, and leaping upon the burning stuff, kicked and flung it in all directions. The Nipmucks ran up to tomahawk them, but their friends were watching and picked them off with thrilling skill. Those who did not fall, fled, and they and their companions opened fire on the daring life-savers. But the work was over in a few minutes, and they leaped back into the building without one having received so much as a scratch. The incident was repeated soon after with exactly the same results, the brave band scattering the burning mass and getting safely back under the unerring rifles of their comrades. But, best of all, in the confusion, one of the fleetest runners among the whites succeeded in dodging into the woods unnoticed, and sped like a deer for Boston, thirty miles away.