CHAPTER XXIV. HOW SIMON KEPT HIS OATH.

Summed up our situation was this. We had a few more than four score men with which to stand against an attack of ten times that number of Indians. And, as we would need to detail some men to put out fires, started by blazing arrows, it would reduce our fighting force to about eighty men.

Fortunately we had plenty of arms, powder was in abundance, and we had lead enough to make all the balls we could fire. There were a number of women, Captain Carteret said, who could mould bullets, and some who were able to load muskets.

The block house was a strong and well built place consisting of an upper and lower story, well pierced with loops, and comfortable quarters for men and women. All about the place was a stout palisade of tough green timber. We did not fear that the block nor the palisade could be set on fire from the ground, but, as the roof slabs were dry from the sun, there was some danger that an arrow, carrying a flaming bunch of tow, might start a blaze over our heads.

However, there was a little place, like a watch tower, on the southeast angle of the fort, and we reckoned that if 268we placed two men there they could quench any fire which started on the roof.

These matters having been talked of, Captain Carteret tallied the men. He gave me charge of two squads to look after the north and west sides of the block, while he took care of the others. Ammunition was dealt out, instructions given and a watch set, for though we did not expect a night attack it was as well to be prepared. Then I went to the room where the men not on duty were to sleep, and lay down on a rude couch.

It seemed that I had been slumbering but a little while, during which I thought I was back in Salem gaol, ere there came a thundering summons at the door, and I leaped up to find it almost dawn. Once more came the knock, then the warning:

“The Indians! The Indians! Hurry!”

I needed no second telling. It was the message I had been waiting for, and it meant there was sharp work ahead.

I drew on my boots, buttoned my coat about me, and, wondering how Lucille had fared, grabbed up my sword and gun, to hasten where I might find Captain Carteret.

I met him in the main room, where all was confusion. Men were getting in each other’s way, some were looking for their garments, and many for their weapons, so that little speed in preparation resulted. Had the enemy been more alert they would have had us at a disadvantage. But the red men were wary about rushing the palisades when they knew, as they must, what force was behind them.

269Captain Carteret was busy answering a dozen questions at once. His lieutenants were issuing guns to those who had neglected to secure them the night before. Powder horns were being filled from casks of the black mixture, bullet moulds were gotten ready, and some women were melting lead, while a number were dishing up the breakfast. It was a cold gray dawn, hardly light enough to see by.

“Hot work,” was the Captain’s greeting to me, as he waved half a dozen men with inquiries aside, to drain a mug of ale. “The scouts came in an hour ago with the news that the skulking devils were moving about in all their war paint, getting ready for an attack. The most of them are well armed too, having as good muskets as we have. Well, ’tis as I often remark, those in authority will never seem to learn that they are putting weapons into the hands of devils, when they supply guns and ammunition to the Indians.”

“How many are there?” I asked.

“About four hundred out there now as near as could be made out. There are some of the Assumpinks, a few Roanokes, plenty of Mingoes, a score of Andastakas and the rest Nashaimes and Shackamaxons. They will not be here for an hour yet, since an Indian loves not to fight on an empty stomach, when he can sound his war whoop on a full one.”

“The devils know they have us cooped up here where we cannot get away,” I remarked.

270“Aye, that they do, Captain,” agreed the acting Governor. “And, if we do not stand them off until help arrives from Newark, it will go hard with us who are alive after the place is taken.”

Something like order now began to make itself felt. Breakfasts were hastily eaten, and the men sent to which ever side of the palisade they were to defend. The muskets were all loaded, pails of water set handy and boys were appointed to carry the discharged guns from the men to the women, bringing back loaded ones in their place. Oh, how I wished for a cannon or two on top of the block. Captain Carteret and I were about to leave the main room, and go to our stations, when there came a knock at the door. Simon entered as the Captain called out “come in.”

The sailor looked at the commander, but did not appear to see me. He seemed to be excited about something, and was fumbling in his jacket pocket.

“I have business with you, Captain Carteret,” he said.

I started to leave.

“It concerns you also, Captain Amherst,” went on the sailor, so I remained wondering what was to come. Doubtless a request concerning his position in the block.

But Simon pulled from his inner pocket a folded parchment, which, by certain stains of sea water on it, I knew must have been on board the Eagle, probably a document that Sir George Keith carried, and had desired Simon to deliver for him, when he found himself unable.

“When I have told what I have to tell,” began Simon, 271“and so fulfilled my oath, I pray that there may be holden no enmity against me. For I only do what I am bound to do.”

“Say on,” came from Captain Carteret. “If you are in no fault none will bear you ill will. Be brief, for time presses.”

I stood there, wondering how Simon’s oath could have aught to do with me.

“Well, then,” went on Simon, “I am, or was a servant to Sir George Keith, who lately died.”

“What, Sir George Keith, of Lincolnshire?” interrupted Captain Carteret, “was he in these parts?”

“He--he was,” said Simon, with such a hesitation over the words that the commander cried out:

“Do you mean that he is dead?”

Simon nodded.

“Dead,” the sailor continued, “and lying beneath the sands, unless, as is no doubt the case, the waves have ere this washed his body out to sea.”

The Captain looked at Simon curiously and then at me.

“Before my lord died,” resumed Simon, “he called to me, and with almost his last words swore me that I would do as he bade me, so that he might be revenged on the man who had slain him.”

I started at this, for I began to see which way the wind blew.

“Having given my oath,” went on Simon, “I left my master, after he had been foully slain----”

272“’Tis a lie!” I cried, white with anger. “Sir George was killed in a fair combat, and he would have made an end of me had not his sword broke.”

In great wonder Captain Carteret held up his hand to end our dispute, and Simon resumed.

“He gave me a message,” he said, like a child who repeats a lesson well learned, “and it was of this import. ‘Say to Sir George Carteret, or to his representative, that a traitor walks abroad in the land. I pray you to see to it that he is taken and sent to England to answer for the crime against His Majesty. As you are my friend fail not.’ And I took an oath that I would do this, which I have done. Before he died Sir George Keith gave me a parchment to give to the Governor, when I should find him, as I have now, or one who stands for him. Therefore I have kept my oath.”

“And the document, the parchment,” said Carteret hastily, “where is it, man? What is it all about, now that you have done talking?”

“This is the document,” said the sailor, and he gave a water stained parchment to the commander.

Now there was silence in the apartment, while a man might have counted a score.

“Warrant, royal warrant,” read the Captain, bringing his eyes close to the writing, while I listened, my heart almost ceasing to beat. Had I fought so hard only to lose all at the end?

“Hum, what is this? ‘Warrant from His Majesty----’”

273The reading was not finished, for it was interrupted by such a chorus of savage yells sounding hideously from without, that it seemed the Indians must be at the very door. At the same time we heard our men shout a defiant reply, and then began shooting apparently on all sides at once.

“Quick!” cried the Captain, “to your men, Amherst. The imps have begun the attack. This matter can wait,” and he thrust the warrant into his pocket. “Join the defense,” to Simon. “I will see you again. Hurry now.”

Out ran Carteret, while I followed at his heels. There were many emotions in my heart. As I passed the women’s quarters I saw Lucille standing in the doorway. I blew a kiss to her from my finger tips as I had no time to stop.

“Keep up a good spirit,” I shouted.

She waved her hand in reply, and I went to the fight with a happier mind. A minute later I was among my men at the palisade, cautioning them not to waste powder and ball.

That there was need of all our defenders I saw as soon as I peered through a loop. For though not a foe was in sight save now and then when one stepped from behind a tree or stone to deliver a shot, yet the puffs of smoke all about us told me the scouts had not correctly rated the strength of the enemy. They numbered nearer to twenty score than to eight. The war party must have been joined by another band in the night.

Never had I heard such a din before. It seemed like 274one long endless screech that rose and fell as might a weird song of death.

The savages would remain concealed while loading their guns. Then they would peer out unexpectedly from behind some tree stump or stone, fire, and drop back again before our men had time to take aim. It was like shooting at quail.

This kind of firing kept up for some time with little advantage to our side. We had four men badly hurt by bullets that came in the loops, or by splinters knocked from the logs. And, as far as I could see, we had not killed a single Indian. I ordered my men to cease firing, as it was but a waste of good powder and ball, and the women were weary reloading the guns. I noted that Carteret’s men had likewise held their fire.

“We will try an old trick and see how it works,” I remarked to my squad. “It may be we can teach these red men something of the arts of war.”

I told off twenty of the best shots, and stationed them at the farther ends of the sides of the palisade where I was in charge, leaving the middle undefended. I gave four men two long sticks each, and had them place hats and caps on the ends. These men I bade lie down on the ground, about the centre of the palisade.

The score with the guns I had stationed at the upper loops, where they stood on a little ledge of wood, built there for that purpose. Each man had two loaded guns with him. The rest of my defenders I grouped near the 275loops where the men with the caps on the sticks were. I told them, when I gave the word, to fire as quickly as they could, but not to be particular whether they aimed or not, as long as they kept up a steady fusillade. All was now arranged to my satisfaction.

“Ready!” I called.

Up went the long sticks with the hats on the ends, and, at the same time the guns of the men near them rattled out with flame and smoke. To the Indians it must have looked just as I intended it should, as if we were desperate and were attempting a sally under the protection of the fire of a few of the men. The sight of the dozen caps at the top of the palisade must have looked like the heads of men trying to climb over.

As there was no firing from the two ends of the stockade where I had stationed the score of men, the Indians were deceived into believing that part deserted. Those savages opposite the loops there at once leaped out from behind their cover to take part in the fight they looked for in front of the middle of the palisade, as soon as our soldiers should have climbed over.

They uttered yells and whoops, and half the caps were riddled with bullets. But half a hundred red skins were in the open now in front of my marksmen.

“Let them have it all together!” I cried. “In the name of the King and Elizabeth! Fire!”

There was a burst of fire and a hail of lead into the half naked ranks, and the screeches that followed told us 276we had done some scath. Ere they had time to recover from their surprise my men let them have the contents of the second guns right in their midst.

When the smoke blew away we counted twenty-three dead bodies, while several more were desperately wounded. We had struck them a hard blow with no loss to ourselves, and they retreated to cover again.

“Ha, that was well done; most excellently done,” I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned about.

“Traitor, or no traitor, that was as prettily planned and executed as I could do myself,” and Carteret stood beside me.

“I am no traitor,” I said sternly, but, when I would have said more he stopped me.

“They have learned a lesson that will serve them for some time,” the Captain went on. “But, Amherst, grave matters press on the two sides I command. I have lost three men killed, and the rest seem afraid to fight, saying there is some mischief in the air. I think the devils are massing to rush the place. At least there is something afoot, for they have not fired a shot for the last five minutes. That is why I came here.”

I went with the Captain to the south side and looked from a loop. There was not an Indian in sight, nor were there any of the wicked puffs of smoke to tell where they hid. It was puzzling.

“Have you noticed any suspicious movement?” I asked.

277“None,” he said, “save that one of my men remarked not long since that he never knew before how many stumps there were in the open space between the block and the forest.”

“Stumps?” I said, and then I looked out again.

“Aye, stumps,” said Carteret. “For myself I cannot call to mind when there were so many there, but, perchance I never noticed it closely.”

I saw what it meant now.

“They are stumps that have put forth green shoots since morn,” I said. “And, mark you how those same stumps seem to have legs?”

“Green sprouts? Legs?” repeated the Captain, like a man sorely puzzled.

“Yes,” I said, “look.” Then I showed him that, though the body of the stump was black and dead, yet on the top were bright green little twigs.

Carteret rubbed his eyes to see better.

“Note,” I went on, “that large stump with knobs on it, which give it the appearance of a man’s face.”

“I see it,” he replied.

“There was a stone beside it three minutes ago,” I proceeded, “but it is gone now.”

“Did the stone move?” he asked.

“Or the stump,” I suggested, and then he knew what I meant.

Every stump, and there were three score, hid an Indian. As the red men slowly wiggled along after the manner 278of snakes, they pushed the dead wood ahead of them to deceive us and protect themselves. It was a clever ruse, but we must consider how to beat it. We could not hope to hit the savages while they were so well protected. I said so, and the Captain agreed with me. Then I called to mind his remark about traitors.

“It is perhaps ill for one accused of treason to advise what to do,” I said stiffly.

“Tut, tut, man, I have not judged you yet,” he spoke quickly. “Every man is innocent until he is proved guilty. To me you are what you seem, a brave soldier. That is enough for us now.”

I liked him better after that, and told him a plan I had formed. It would need to be put into operation quickly, as the stumps were approaching nearer.

It was the plan of the Indians to get as near to the stockade as possible under cover of the stumps, and then to make a rush. Then the block would be turned to a shambles, for we could not cope with the overwhelming numbers that would clamber in, once all our force was engaged on one side. The only way I saw to defeat the enemy was to fire as many volleys as we could just as they charged on us, throwing them into a panic as quickly as possible, and breaking up their ranks.

I thought, as did the Captain, that we could safely draw most of the men to the south side of the stockade, leaving a few on the other sides to keep up a slow fire, so that 279the Indians would not see that we had discovered their ruse. Carteret agreed that this was the best to be done.

Accordingly most of the force was summoned quietly to the south face, and all the available muskets were collected, so that there was three for each man. The guns were all loaded, one being held ready to fire when the word was given, the other two being on the ground back of each defender. I had the women loaders come as near to the men as was safe, so that they could be on hand to charge the first gun as soon as it was fired, and the second one taken up. They could do the same with the second gun, and, as they were quick fingered, we would be able to fire five volleys so rapidly that I did not believe the line of Indians would be able to travel more than half way to the palisade from the place where they emerged from behind the stumps. Then having sent two more men to the little watch tower to pick off the Indians who might get to the top of the stockade I reckoned that we were all prepared.

It was a pity, I thought, that the block was not built with bastions, so that we could deliver a cross fire. But I nearly secured this effect by having the men cut the loops slanting so that the gun barrels could be pointed in to the left and right from either side.

Closer and closer came the stumps. We could see now that the twigs of green extended back beyond the logs, trailing on the ground. Beneath this green bower was the Indian. On they came slowly, like emerald serpents, 280with huge black heads. Of a sudden I noted that the forward movement had ceased. There were undulations of the trailing twigs.

“Make ready!” I shouted. “Here they come!”

And on they came with a rush. Whooping, yelling and screaming like so many imps of darkness, nigh a hundred of them, and each one with a gun or tomahawk. The dead stumps had come to life.

“Fire!” shouted the Captain and I in the same breath.

The volley that answered laid many of the savages low. Backward each man threw his discharged piece, to have it snatched up by the waiting women, who braved death in their own defense. Up were caught the second guns.

“Fire!” I called again.

Once more the muskets spat out death. A score of red men toppled over on their faces, their dying yells sounding high above the din. The useless guns were tossed aside, and the third musket thrust through the loops.

The bullets of the attackers rattled on the logs of the palisade as hail in winter. Several of our men were killed because the loops were so large.

The triple rain of lead had cut a wide swath in the Indians’ ranks, but they never seemed to heed, and came on as fiercely as at first. They were so near now that when the men tried to draw back the discharged guns from the loops some of the enemy seized them by the barrels and tried to pull them through the slits.

281By this time the women had the first lot of muskets reloaded. It was almost our last hope.

“Fire!” I called again, drawing my sword, in anticipation of a rush of savages over the palisade.

The fourth volley pealed out. As the smoke rolled away I saw a few hideous faces, surrounded with feathers, thrust over the top of the logs. The men in the tower fired, and they dropped back.

Four more of our men fell away from the loops; three dead, the other sorely wounded. The remainder of the defenders seized the muskets they had fired the second time, which would have made the fifth round. If it went out, and did not stay the assault, then it was all over with us.

But it did.

I peered out and saw the Indians on a dead run for the forest. They had enough of the white man’s leaden medicine. And they did not stop to take their dead with them, in such great haste were they. But they could scarce have done so, had they desired, for the dead far outnumbered the living. Our volleys had mowed them down as a reaper does the ripe grain.

For a time we were safe, but at great cost, for we had lost ten men, and there was much sorrow in the block.