“Thockmorton told me,” I explained, “that Atkinson is preparing to send in more troops; he expects to bring a load north with him on his next trip.”

“From Jefferson?”

“Yes; they are concentrating there.”

“How many regulars are there?”

“About four hundred from the First and Sixth regiments.”

He laughed scornfully.

“I thought so.  That means that Atkinson may send two or three hundred men, half of them recruits, to be scattered between Madison, Armstrong and Crawford.  Say we are lucky enough to get a hundred or a hundred and fifty of them stationed here.  Why, man, there are five hundred warriors in Black Hawk’s camp at this minute, and that is only fifteen miles away.  Within ten days he could rally to him Kickapoos, Potawatamies and Winnebagoes in sufficient force to crush us like an eggshell.  Why, Gaines ought to be here himself, with a thousand regulars behind him.”

“Surely we can defend Armstrong,” broke in a confident voice.  “The savages would have to attack in canoes.”

Hartley turned, and confronted the speaker.

“In canoes!” he exclaimed.  “Why, may I ask?  With three hundred men here in garrison, how many could we spare to patrol the island?  Not a corporal’s guard, if we retained enough to prevent an open assault on the fort.  On any dark night they could land every warrior unknown to us.  The Hawk knows that.”

His voice had scarcely ceased when the boat whistle sounded hoarse from the landing below.  Grasping my kit I shook hands all around, and left them, hastening across the parade to the office.  Ten minutes later I crossed the gangplank, and put foot for the first time on the deck of the Warrior.  Evidently the crew had been awaiting my arrival to push off, for instantly the whistle shrieked again, and immediately after the boat began to churn its way out into the river current, with bow pointing down stream.  Little groups of officers and enlisted men gathered high up on the rocky headland to watch us getting under way, and I lingered beside the rail, waving to them, as the struggling boat swept down, constantly increasing its speed.  Even when the last of those black spots had vanished in the far distance, the flag on the high staff remained clearly outlined against the sky, a symbol of civilization in the midst of that vast savage wilderness.  Thockmorton leaned out from the open window of the pilot house and hailed me.

“Put your dunnage in the third cabin, Knox—­here, you, Sam, lay hold and help.”

It was nothing to boast of, that third cabin, being a mere hole, measuring possibly about four feet by seven, but sufficient for sleeping quarters, and was reasonably clean.  It failed, however, in attractiveness sufficient to keep me below, and as soon as I had deposited my bag and indulged in a somewhat captious scrutiny of the bedding, I very willingly returned to the outside and clambered up a steep ladder to the upper deck.