The War in the Northwest 33 



of danger. Yet their peril was imminent. An In 

 dian war band was lurking near by, and was on the 

 point of making an effort to carry Freeland's Sta 

 tion by an attack in the darkness. In the dead of 

 the night the attempt was made. One by one the 

 warriors left the protection of the tangled wood- 

 growth, slipped silently across the open space, and 

 crouched under the heavy timber pickets of the 

 palisades, until all had gathered together. Though 

 the gate was fastened with a strong bar and chain, 

 the dexterous" savages finally contrived to open it. 

 In so doing they made a slight noise, which 

 caught Robertson's quick ear, as he lay on his 

 buffalo-hide pallet. Jumping up he saw the gate 

 open, and dusky figures gliding into the yard with 

 stealthy swiftness. At his cry of "Indians," and 

 the report of his piece, the settlers sprang up, every 

 man grasping the loaded arm by which he slept. 

 From each log cabin the rifles cracked and flashed; 

 and though the Indians were actually in the yard 

 they had no cover, and the sudden and unexpected 

 resistance caused them to hurry out much faster 

 than they had come in. Robertson shot one of their 

 number, and they in return killed a white man who 

 sprang out-of-doors at the first alarm. When they 

 were driven out the gate was closed after them; 

 but they fired through the loopholes; especially into 

 one of the block-houses, where the chinks had not 

 been filled with mud, as in the others. They thus 

 killed a negro, and wounded one or two other men : 

 yet they were soon driven off. Robertson's return 



