the answer might not be as she wished。 She had thought
it extraordinary that June should be of the party； and； im…
probable as it seemed； she had fancied that the woman
had covertly followed the Iroquois in her own canoe； and
had got in their advance； merely to give her the notice
which had probably saved her life。 But in all this she
was mistaken； as June； in her imperfect manner； now
found means to let her know。
Arrowhead； though a chief； was in disgrace with his own
people； and was acting with the Iroquois temporarily；
though with a perfect understanding。 He had a wigwam；
it is true； but was seldom in it； feigning friendship for
the English； he had passed the summer ostensibly in their
service； while he was； in truth； acting for the French； and
his wife journeyed with him in his many migrations； most
of the distances being passed over in canoes。 In a word；
her presence was no secret； her husband seldom moving
without her。 Enough of this to embolden Mabel to wish
that her friend might go out； to ascertain the fate of her
uncle； did June succeed in letting the other know； and
it was soon settled between them that the Indian woman
should quit the blockhouse with that object the moment a
favorable opportunity offered。
They first examined the island； as thoroughly as their
position would allow； from the different loops； and found
that its conquerors were preparing for a feast； having seized
upon the provisions of the English and rifled the huts。
Most of the stores were in the blockhouse； but enough
were found outside to reward the Indians for an attack
that had been attended by so little risk。 A party had
already removed the dead bodies； and Mabel saw that their
arms were collected in a pile near the spot chosen for the
banquet。 June suggested that； by some signs which she
understood； the dead themselves were carried into a thicket
and either buried or concealed from view。 None of the
more prominent objects on the island； however； were dis…
turbed； it being the desire of the conquerors to lure the
party of the Sergeant into an ambush on its return。 June
made her companion observe a man in a tree； a look…out；
as she said； to give timely notice of the approach of any
boat； although； the departure of the expedition being so
recent； nothing but some unexpected event would be likely
to bring it back so soon。 There did not appear to be any
intention to attack the blockhouse immediately； but every
indication； as understood by June； rather showed that it
was the intention of the Indians to keep it besieged until
the return of the Sergeant's party； lest； the signs of an as…
sault should give a warning to eyes as practised as those
of Pathfinder。 The boat； however； had been secured； and
was removed to the spot where the canoes of the Indians
were hid in the bushes。
June now announced her intention to join her friends；
the moment being particularly favorable for her to quit
the blockhouse。 Mabel felt some distrust as they de…
scended the ladder； but at the next instant she was
ashamed of the feeling； as unjust to her companion and
unworthy of herself； and by the time they both stood on
the ground her confidence was restored。 The process of
unbarring the door was conducted with the utmost cau…
tion； and when the last bar was ready to be turned June
took her station near the spot where the opening must
necessarily be。 The bar was just turned free of the
brackets； the door was opened merely wide enongh to allow
her body to pass； and June glided through the space。
Mabel closed the door again； with a convulsive movement；
and as the bar turned into its place； her heart beat audibly。
She then felt secure； and the two other bars were turned
down in a more deliberate manner。 When all was fast
again； she ascended to the first floor； where alone she could
get a glimpse of what was going on without。
Long and painfully melancholy hours passed； during
which Mabel had no intelligence from June。 She heard
the yells of the savages； for liquor had carried them be…
yond the bounds of precaution； and occasionally caught
glimpses of their mad orgies through the loops； and at all
times was conscious of their fearful presence by sounds
and sights that would have chilled the blood of one who
had not so lately witnessed scenes so much more terrible。
Toward the middle of the day； she fancied she saw a white
man on the island； though his dress and wild appearance
at first made her take him for a newly…arrived savage。 A
view of his face； although it was swarthy naturally； and
much darkened by exposure； left no doubt that her con…
jecture was true； and she felt as if there was now one of
a species more like her own present； and one to whom she
might appeal for succor in the last emergency。 Mabel lit…
tle knew； alas！ how ；small was the influence exercised by
the whites over their savage allies； when the latter had
begun to taste of blood； or how slight； indeed； was the
disposition to divert them from their cruelties。
The day seemed a month by Mabel's computation； and
the only part of it that did not drag were the minutes
spent in prayer。 She had recourse to this relief from time
to time； and at each effort she found her spirit firmer； her
mind more tranquil； and her resignation more confirmed。
She understood the reasoning of June； and believed it
highly probable that the blockhouse would be left unmo…
lested until the return of her father； in order to entice him
into an ambuscade； and she felt much less apprehension of
immediate danger in consequence； but the future offered
little ground of hope； and her thoughts had already begun
to calculate the chances of her captivity。 At such mo…
ments； Arrowhead and his offensive admiration filled a
prominent place in the background： for our heroine well
knew that the Indians usually carried off to their villages；
for the purposes of adoption； such captives as they did not
slay； and that many instances had occurred in which in…
dividuals of her sex had passed the remainder of their
lives in the wigwams of their conquerors。 Such thoughts
as these invariably drove her to her knees and to her
prayers。
While the light lasted the situation of our heroine was
sufficiently alarming； but as the shades of evening grad…
ually gathered over the island； it became fearfully appal…
ling。 By this time the savages had wrought themselves
up to the point of fury； for they had possessed themselves
of all the liquor of the English； and their outcries and
gesticulations were those of men truly possessed by evil
spirits。 All the efforts of their French leader to restrain
them were entirely fruitless； and he had wisely withdrawn
to an adjacent island； where he had a sort of bivouac； that
he might keep at a safe distance from friends so apt to
run into excesses。 Before quitting the spot； however； this
officer； at great risk to his own life； had succeeded in ex…
tinguishing the fire； and in securing the ordinary means
to relight it。 This precaution he took lest the Indians
should burn the blockhouse； the preservation of which was
necessary to the success of his future plans。 He would
gladly have removed all the arms also； but this he found
impracticable； the warriors clinging to their knives and
tomahawks with the tenacity of men who regarded a point
of honor as long as a faculty was left； and to carry off the
rifles； and leave behind him the very weapons that were
generally used on such occasions； would have been an idle
expedient。 The extinguishing of the fire proved to be the
most prudent measure； for no sooner was the officer's back
turned than one of the warriors in fact proposed to fire
the blockhouse。 Arrowhead had also withdrawn from the
group of drunkards as soon as he found that they were
losing their senses； and had taken possession of a hut；
where he had thrown himself on the straw； and sought the
rest that two wakeful and watchful nights had rendered
necessary。 It followed that no one was left among the
Indians to care for Mabel； if； indeed； any knew of her ex…
istence at all； and the proposal of the drunkard was re…
ceived with yells of delight by eight or ten more as much
intoxicated and habitually as brutal as himself。
This was the fearful moment for Mabel。 The Indians；
in their present condition； were reckless of any rifles that
the blockhouse might hold； though they did retain dim
recollections of its containing living beings； an additional
incentive to their enterprise； and they approached its
base whooping and leaping like demons。 As yet they
were excited； not overcome by the liquor they had drunk。
The first attempt was made at the door； against which
they ran in a body； but the solid structure； which was
built entirely of logs； defied their efforts。 The rush of a
hundred men with the same object would have been use…
less。 This Mabel； however； did not know； and her heart
seemed to leap into her mouth as she heard the heavy shock
at each renewed effort。 At length when； she found that
the door resisted these assaults as if it were of stone；
neither trembling nor yielding； and only betraying its not
being a part of the wall by rattling a litt