me to quarrel with, so I let him go on, while I slipped back to my men. I then ordered them to advance one by one to the bend of the hill, where they would come in sight of the ford, and to creep cautiously from thence to trees commanding the bank. This was hardly accomplished before one whole party had crossed. Just as the rear disappeared I heard a shot, another, another, and then a general firing. At this moment half a dozen Indians were seen to steal from behind that rock, and crawling to trees on the bank, to await the return of our party. Seeing nothing of us, they were quite exposed, and their backs were to us. My party were all near together, and I gave the word in a low voice, 'Take time; every man his man, and all together.' We all fired; but, several firing at the same man, one escaped. He sprung immediately behind the rock, and, as it seems, chose a position secure from us, but commanding the spot where we now are. I saw Keizer immediately run to the foot of the cliff, and tipping lightly along towards the corner which the Indian had turned, he set down his rifle, felt for his knife, and drew his tomahawk. In the next moment the head of one of our men appeared above the bank; and, by the time his whole body was in view, the crack of a rifle was heard from behind the rock, and down he went into the water. As quick as lightning John sprung over the low point which just separated him from the Indian, and was upon him with his tomahawk.

"It is hard to take any advantage of these fellows. If any man can do it, Keizer is the man. But he was not so quick but that the Indian met him, tomahawk in hand. John is resolute and active as a wildcat, but you see he is a little fellow. I feared he might want help, and hastened to his assistance. It was well I did; the Indian was slightly wounded, and John had lost his tomahawk in the scuffle. He caught at his knife with his right hand, but the Indian seized the wrist with his left, and with the other lifted his tomahawk to strike. John returned the compliment by catching his arm, and when I came up they were then holding each other; the Indian making awkward half blows, and John holding his life by no better tenure than his hold on the Indian's arm. The odds were against him, for the savage was a powerful man; but, entangled as he was, he was at my mercy, and I had none to spare just then. I have very kind feelings towards these poor devils: I admire their sagacity, courage, and fortitude, and lament their wrongs and sufferings; but when the matter is to kill or be killed, we have no time to think of these things. Besides, the bodies of that poor woman and her children were still before my

eyes.

"In the mean time, my little party had manned the bank, and a shot or two fired by them into the thicket disclosed to the enemy the failure of that part of their plan. They immediately drew off, and gave our party leave to bring off their dead

and wounded. The captain had fallen at the first fire, with two or three more. Those who, according to his order, had pressed on to the front, were driven back with the loss of two men. In the rear, the bodies of the five Indians, each lying at his tree, and that of one poor fellow, who lay weltering at the bottom of the bank, told what might have happened had we all crossed. The captain, who was brought over still alive, saw it, and with his voice gurgling with the blood that rose in his mouth, tried to apologize for his rudeness to me. Poor fellow he lived but a few minutes. How he was avenged we had no means of knowing, for the enemy had carried off all their dead but those which lay on this side of the creek."

We now rode on, and I could not help admiring the judgment with which the savages had chosen their position. But for Balcombe's stratagem, the whites could have had no alternative but to fight as well as they could an unseen enemy.

CHAPTER XIV.

Prospero. Come with a thought.
Ariel. Thy thoughts I cleave to.

What's thy pleasure ?
SHAKSPEARE.

In a mile or two more we recovered the road, rejoined the carriage, and soon arrived at Colonel Robinson's. I found him a fine old gentleman, whose frank cordiality of manner told me at once that he was my countryman, bred up in that school of genuine hospitality and manly courtesy which has so long flourished in the tide-waters of Virginia.

He met us at the gate, and Balcombe introduced me by the name of "Draper." His wife stared, but he gave her his arm, and as he led her to the house, spoke a few words in an under tone. As soon as we entered he said to Colonel Robinson, "My young friend may have reason to wish that his presence in this neighbourhood may not be known for a day or two. It is of my own head that I have introduced him by a name not his own. I would tell you the true one, but that you might inadvertently utter it in the presence of the servants. I will do so, as soon as your tongue is familiarized to the name of Dra

per. For my part, I have never known him but by his Christian name, and give him no other. I have cautioned Bet, and her habitual silence will secure her from any blunder. So, Master William, you must learn to answer to your alias as soon as you can; and you, colonel, must take my voucher for my friend by such name as I choose to give him.

He shall be known to all

the world for what he is in a day or two." "He is welcome by any name," said the old "and the more so because I infer that his affairs are critical, and that you take great interest in them."

man;

"You are right," said Balcombe; "and I would be the most ungrateful of human beings if I did not make his wrongs my own."

The evening passed off pleasantly, and I found myself in the midst of every comfort and every luxury. The next day was spent in hunting, and a fine buck was the prize of our toil. Returning to dinner, a note was handed to the old gentleman, which he read and gave to Balcombe.

"A note from Montague," said he, "requesting an interview on business. Answer it for me, Balcombe, and ask him to dine with me to-morrow."

"Has he ever visited you?"

"Never."

"Then don't invite him now. He is not a desirable acquaintance."

"How so? He stands fair, he is in good cir