“Hang it all, I don’t believe I’m much hurt!” exclaimed Joe, jumping up suddenly.  “Get from before the hole!” he continued, ramming down a cartridge hastily, and thrusting out the muzzle of his gun.

“Why don’t you blaze away?” asked Sneak, laughing, observing that he hesitated.

“Why, they’re, all gone!” cried Joe, joyfully, “and it was my old cannon that swept them off, too.”

Once more silence pervaded the scene.  Boone, after the repeated solicitations of Mary, partook of another bountiful repast, and the others in turn likewise refreshed themselves, and then resumed the watch.

Nor was it long before the Osages were once more heard to howl like fiends, and the sound had hardly ceased to vibrate through the air before a singular and unexpected assault terrified the besieged party for a moment.  This was a shower of blazing arrows coming from below, (where all the savages now seemed to be collected,) which ignited the palisade in many places where the snow had fallen off.  But the fire was easily extinguished, and all, with the exception of Boone, were disposed to attach but little importance to any further device of the enemy.  Boone, on the contrary, was unusually grave, and requested his companions to be on the alert, or they would yet be the victims of the savages.

“I like these kind of arrows the best,” said Joe, “for I can see how to dodge them.”

“But the wooden slabs can’t dodge—­dod! they’re afire on the outside now!” cried Sneak, truly discovering a flame reaching above the inclosure from without.

“Watch well from the loopholes!” cried Boone, throwing open the gate and rushing out, and running round to where the fire was crackling.  “Come, Sneak!—­I want your assistance—­quick!” he exclaimed, finding the flames making rapid progress.

“Keep your eye skinned now!” said Sneak, as he left Joe alone to watch for the Indians, and ran out to aid in subduing the fire.

The savages could evidently see what was transacting, although unseen themselves, for most of their arrows now seemed to be directed at those without.

“Look sharp!” said Boone to Joe, through the loophole.

“Let me assist!” cried Glenn, imprudently leaving his post in his eagerness to share the danger, and coming out with a spade.

“Go in, my friend—­we are sufficient here,” said Boone, addressing Glenn.

“Come in! come in! come in!” cried Joe.

“I see no Indians,” remarked Boone.

“The house is on fire!  Fire! fire! fire!” screamed Joe, falling into his old habit when in the city.

Glenn ran back in this emergency, but when he arrived within the inclosure, he found that this service had been anticipated by Mary, who had quietly thrust her hands into the snow, and with balls thus made, easily extinguished the fire on the roof.