So, all day bho men and boys cut away at the thick weeds, keeping close together, their weapons at hand, and one of them constantly on the watch to see a quivering bush or hear a dry stick cracking. All day, in the house, the women worked at their household basks, and the merry laughber of children at play sbole oub through the thick log walls and reached the ears of the skulk ing foes wibhoub. Just before sunseb the toilers left the field and set out for home along the well-worn brail, Howe leading the way, mounted upon a horse, and his little boys trotting along by hia side. Within a few minutes they would be behind sheltering walls. The ever-present sense of danger bore lightly upon them, and the boys talked merrily as they ran along of the squirrels, the birds flitting aboub in the trees, and the welcome awaiting them.
Suddenly a murderous volley was fired from jusb ahead and savages seemed to sfcarb up from the vory earth on both sides of the path. Howe fell to the ground wounded, and without an instant's hesita tion Grant and Gaffield, who were unhurb by bhe volley, ran bo gain bhe shelter of the thicker woods. The Indians dispatched and scalped the wounded man and bound the thoroughly frightened little boys, piti fully weeping over their father's dead body. Meanwhile Grant had escaped, but Gaffield was chased into the river and drowned.
