The War in the Northwest 35 



in the night, lying hid in the bushes, divided into 

 two parties. In the morning three of them came 

 near, fired at the fort, and ran off toward where the 

 smaller party lay ambushed, in a thicket through 

 which ran a little "branch." Instantly twenty men 

 mounted their horses and galloped after the decoys. 

 As they overtook the fugitives they saw the Indians 

 hid in the creek-bottom, and dismounted to fight, 

 turning their horses loose. A smart interchange of 

 shots followed, the whites having, if anything, rather 

 the best of it, when the other and larger body of 

 Indians rose from their hiding-place, in a clump of 

 cedars, and, running down, formed between the 

 combatants and the fort, intending to run into the 

 latter, mixed with the fleeing riflemen. The only 

 chance of the hemmed-in whites was to turn and 

 try to force their way back through their far more 

 numerous foes. This was a desperate venture, for 

 their pieces were all discharged, and there was no 

 time to reload them; but they were helped by two 

 unexpected circumstances. Their horses had taken 

 flight at the firing, and ran off toward the fort, pass 

 ing to one side of the intervening line of Indians; 

 and many of the latter, eager for such booty, ran off 

 to catch them. Meanwhile, the remaining men in 

 the fort saw what had happened, and made ready for 

 defence, while all the women likewise snatched up 

 guns or axes, and stood by loopholes and gate. The 

 dogs in the fort were also taking a keen interest in 

 what was going on. They were stout, powerful 

 animals, some being hounds and others watch-dogs, 



