A laugh of scorn and derision escaped the lips of the warrior.  “Is there a man—­are there any ten men, even with Governor de Haldimar at their head, who will be bold enough to attempt it?” he asked.  “Nay!” he pursued, stepping boldly a pace or two in front of the wondering savages,—­“here I stand singly, and defy your whole garrison!”

A sudden movement among the soldiers in the guard-room announced they were preparing to execute the order of their chief.  The eye of the black warrior sparkled with ferocious pleasure; and he made a gesture to his followers, which was replied to by the sudden tension of their hitherto relaxed forms into attitudes of expectance and preparation.

“Stay, men; quit not your cover for your lives!” commanded the governor, in a loud deep voice:—­“keep the barricades fast, and move not.”

A cloud of anger and disappointment passed over the features of the black warrior.  It was evident the object of his bravado was to draw the troops from their defences, that they might be so mingled with their enemies as to render the cannon useless, unless friends and foes (which was by no means probable) should alike be sacrificed.  The governor had penetrated the design in time to prevent the mischief.

In a moment of uncontrollable rage, the savage warrior aimed his tomahawk at the head of the governor.  The latter stepped lightly aside, and the steel sank with such force into one of the posts supporting the piazza, that the quivering handle snapped close off at its head.  At that moment, a single shot, fired from the guard-house, was drowned in the yell of approbation which burst from the lips of the dark crowd.  The turban of the warrior was, however, seen flying through the air, carried away by the force of the bullet which had torn it from his head.  He himself was unharmed.

“A narrow escape for us both, Colonel de Haldimar,” he observed, as soon as the yell had subsided, and with an air of the most perfect unconcern.  “Had my tomahawk obeyed the first impulse of my heart, I should have cursed myself and died:  as it is, I have reason to avoid all useless exposure of my own life, at present.  A second bullet may be better directed; and to die, robbed of my revenge, would ill answer the purpose of a life devoted to its attainment.  Remember my pledge!”

At the hasty command of the governor, a hundred muskets were raised to the shoulders of his men; but, before a single eye could glance along the barrel, the formidable and active warrior had bounded over the heads of the nearest Indians into a small space that was left unoccupied; when, stooping suddenly to the earth, he disappeared altogether from the view of his enemies.  A slight movement in the centre of the numerous band crowding the gateway, and extending even beyond the bridge, was now discernible:  it was like the waving of a field of standing corn, through which some animal rapidly winds its tortuous course, bending aside as the object advances, and closing again when it has passed.  After the lapse of a minute, the terrible warrior was seen to spring again to his feet, far in the rear of the band; and then, uttering a fierce shout of exultation, to make good his retreat towards the forest.