The Captain, with his shoulder leant against the palisade, was attentively examining the deserted plain, when he fancied he perceived an unusual motion in a rather large field of Indian corn, about two rifle shots from the colony. "Look out!" he said, "the enemy is approaching." Every one put his finger on his trigger. All at once a great noise was heard, and the furthest pile of wood fell in, emitting myriads of sparks. "By heaven!" the Captain shouted, "There is some Indian devilry behind that, for it is impossible for that enormous pile to be consumed." At the same instant another fell in, followed immediately by a third, and then by a fourth. There could no longer be a doubt as to the cause of these successive falls. The Indians, whose movements were neutralized by the light these monster beacons shed, had taken the very simple method of extinguishing them, which they were enabled to do in perfect safety, for they were out of rifle range. No sooner was the wood down than it was scattered in every direction, and easily put out. This expedient enabled the Indians to get very near to the palisades unnoticed. Still, all the piles were not overthrown, and those that remained were near enough to the fort to be defended by its fire. For all that, the Pawnees attempted to put them out. But the firing then recommenced, and the bullets fell in a hailstorm on the besiegers, who, after holding out for some minutes, were at last compelled to take to flight, for we cannot give the name of a retreat to the precipitation with which they withdrew. The Americans began laughing and hooting at the fugitives. "I think," Bothrel said facetiously, "that those fine fellows find our soup too hot, and regret having put their fingers in it." "In truth," the Captain remarked, "they do not appear inclined to return this time." He was mistaken; for, at the same instant, the Indians came back at a gallop. Nothing could check them, and, in spite of the fusillade, to which they disdained to reply, they reached the very brink of the ditch. It is true, that once there, they turned back, and retired as rapidly as they had come, though not without leaving on the way a great number of their comrades, whom the American bullets pitilessly laid low. But the plan of the Pawnees had been successful, and the Whites soon perceived, to their great disappointment, that they had been too hasty in congratulating themselves on their facile victory. Each Pawnee horseman carried on his croup a warrior, who, on reaching the ditch, dismounted, and profiting by the disorder and smoke, which prevented their being seen, sheltered themselves behind the trunks of trees and elevations of the soil so cleverly, that when the Americans leaned over the palisade to discover the results of the evening's charge, they were in their turn greeted by a discharge of bullets and long barbed arrows, which stretched fifteen on the ground.