He, knowing much of the condition of affairs, and understanding that this must be the advance of Butler’s force, realized the necessity of immediate flight, and, taking with them such goods and provisions as could be carried through the wilderness, the party set out the night before, travelling in the darkness, all unsuspicious of the fact that Fort Jenkins had been besieged. Save for the fact of the attack upon us, they would have been made prisoners at the very moment when they believed themselves near a place of safety, and, except for the number of mouths to be fed, I could have rejoiced at their coming. As it was, however, I might not complain, because they were fleeing for their lives, and had brought with them, as we afterward learned, a sufficiency of provisions for three or four days’ consumption. It was a welcome addition to our number, for in those days, and in our valley, the women could and did fight as valiantly as the men. The only phase of the matter which troubled me was that we might be hemmed in so long that starvation would finally stare us in the face, and, with those children crying for bread, one could not hold out as long as he otherwise might. Master Morley could give us little information concerning the strength of the party which had driven him and his neighbors from their homes. It seems that the savages were yet several miles from the settlement when their whereabouts were discovered, and Morley had advised immediate flight, because of the rumors regarding Butler’s intentions, not making an effort to learn any particulars concerning the enemy. Among the other things which these guests of ours brought was a quantity of powder equal to all we had in the fort, and this, as may be imagined, was very welcome to us, for I had been looking forward with cowardly fear to that time when we would be reduced to the last round of ammunition. As a matter of course the women and children were given quarters in the blockhouse. My company and the male refugees could gain all the repose which might be allowed us by the enemy on the ground outside, while the weather was so warm. With Stephen Morley, who had served in the American army nearly a year, and Master Bartlett, we Minute Boys had good advisers, and I felt as if I might well shift the heaviest of the responsibility on to their shoulders. As a matter of course, we took Master Morley into our confidence, and Master Bartlett, Giles, and I held a council of war, as it were, as soon as matters were settled down inside the stockade. Then it was decided, in view of the success which had attended the visit to Wintermoot’s, that we make some attempt to get game before night should come. It was believed there would be no danger in venturing out, at least until sunset, for it was not probable that those who had driven the settlers from the burnt district would arrive before dark, or, even if they did, their course would be far to the westward of the river.