Adam Colfax had coffee made on several of the boats provided with a cooking apparatus, and it was served in the darkness to those who fought on shore.  One man had the tin cup shot from his hand as he was raising it to his lips, but he calmly called for another, and when he had drunk it, went on with his part of the battle.

The hot coffee heartened them wonderfully, and the ten minute cannon shots were good company.  They grew to look for them, and so strong is habit, that they knew almost to the second when the shot was due.  It was like a slow, steady chorus, cheering them and telling them to hold on.

Far toward morning there was a tremendous burst of fire from the thickets, the fierce, high-pitched war shout was repeated three times, and after that, silence.  Then the darkness sank away, and the day came in a burst of red and gold, gilding river and forest.

“They are gone,” said Henry, “you’ll find now that the woods are empty.”

Many of the voyagers rushed into the forest to discover that he spoke the truth.  Nowhere was there a sign of an enemy.  No tree sheltered a warrior, the thickets were harmless.  The peaceful morning breeze had no note of warning in its song.  But when they looked more closely they saw that many dark stains had soaked into the earth, and they knew that not all the bullets and cannon balls had gone amiss.

“Well, we drove them off that time,” said Adam Colfax cheerfully.  “They found that they couldn’t surprise us, and I guess they’ve concluded that they couldn’t rush us either.  I fancy it’s the last we’ll see of ’em.”

Henry shook his head, and Shif’less Sol and Tom Ross, who were standing by, also shook theirs.

“We’re pretty’ sure that a big league of the southern tribes has been formed,” Henry said, “and there are also many white men with them, white men who are driven by hate and revenge.  They’ll stick.”

“Then we’ve got to defend this fleet to the last,” said Adam Colfax.  “It’s bound to get through; and the first thing I’ll have done is to cover up our barrels of powder, so no fire or hot bullets can reach it.  Those barrels of powder are as precious as gold.”

This task was begun at once and everybody reembarked, a joyful little army that had won a triumph and that felt able to win more if need be.  The wounded made light of their wounds and all felt new strength and courage with the daylight.  The five returned with the others to their boats.

“Well, Jim,” said Paul to Long Jim Hart, “there’s trouble to be found away from New Orleans as well as in it.  Last night was not so very peaceful, and the woods did contain danger.”

Long Jim heaved a satisfied sigh.

“Yes, Paul,” he replied, “thar wuz shorely a heap uv danger stirrin’ ’bout last night, an’ thar wuz lots uv chances that some uv it would come knockin’ up ag’inst me, but, Paul, I knowed it wuz thar, I knowed it wuz in the woods in front uv us; it wuzn’t settin’ by my side, talkin’ soft things to me, an’ sayin’ it wuz my friend.  No, Paul, ef I had got killed last night I would hev knowed, ef I knowed anythin’ at all, that it wuz an honest Injun bullet that done it, one that meant to do it, an’ no foolin’.”