Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/291

Rh hour the Indians had been quieter and it was believed that they were preparing a new attempt to set fire to the house. Many times they had tried it, since they had found that  bullets and arrows profited them little. Last night they had dipped bundles of rags in oil  and tied them to long poles and with those  attempted to creep near enough to attain  their fiendish object. But each time the fire from the garrison had defeated them. They had likewise tried fire-arrows, but with even  poorer success. What new device they were considering remained to be seen.

It now seemed that the enemy was angered by the arrival of the relief, or, perhaps, at  their own outwitting, for they fell to the attack with redoubled fury, firing from all sides. Seldom were the besiegers visible to those within the garrison, or, if visible, they were  seen so uncertainly that accurate shooting  was difficult. Yet muskets were discharged whenever opportunity afforded and quickly  loaded again. The stench of powder became well-nigh intolerable within the house.

While the firing was heaviest an exclamation from his father caused David to blink his smarting eyes and peer more closely into  the outer gloom. From around a corner of