196 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



guns, and then rode away. We all laughed at 

 their bragging and cowardice, except Asa, who looked 

 thoughtful 



" ' I fear some harm will come of this,' said he. 

 ' Those fellows will go talking about us in their 

 own country ; and if it gets to the ears of the 

 governors or commanding officers that we have settled 

 down on their territory, they will be sending troops 

 to dislodge us.' 



" Asa's words made us reflect, and we held counsel 

 together as to what was best to be done. I proposed 

 that we should build a blockhouse on the Indian 

 mound to defend ourselves in if we were attacked. 



" ' Yes,' said Asa ; ' but we are only six, and they 

 may send hundreds against us.' 



" ' Very true,' said I ; ' but if we have a strong 

 blockhouse on the top of the mound, that is as good 

 as sixty, and we could hold out against a hundred 

 Spanish musketeers. And it's my notion, that if we 

 give up such a handsome bit of ground as we have 

 cleared here without firing a shot, we deserve to have 

 our rifles broken before our faces.' 



"Asa, however, did not seem altogether satisfied. 

 It was easy to see he was thinking of the women and 

 children. Then said Asa's wife, Eachel, 'I calculate,' 

 said she, 'that Nathan, although he is my brother, 

 and I oughtn't to say it, has spoke like the son of his 

 father, who would have let himself be scalped ten 

 times over before he would have given up such an 



