"From what Dave says there must have been a fierce fight," she moaned. "And more than likely our poor dear Henry got the worst of it. We'll never see the brave boy again!" And her tears burst forth afresh.
"I would go on a hunt for him, only I know it would be next to useless," returned her husband. "Besides, at such a time as this I feel my place is at your side, and with Nell, Rodney, and Dave." And she had to admit that this was true.
Slowly the morning wore along. It had stopped snowing and not a sound broke the stillness, outside of the gentle murmur of the brooks as they met between the rocks, and the songs of the birds in the forest. Not a breath of air was stirring, and as Dave climbed into one of the stockade trees to survey the situation it looked as if no Indians were within miles of them. But this he knew to be untrue, since White Buffalo's warriors could not be far off and the enemy was surely working their way in that direction.
"I fancy it's the calm before the storm," he said to Rodney, who having had several hours of rest felt much stronger. "We'll catch it all the worse when it does come."
"If only I wasn't crippled," sighed Rodney. "I'd fight just as hard as any of 'em."
"I've no doubt of that, Rodney. Well, when the time comes perhaps you'll have your share of the shooting same as any of us. You can watch from a port-hole, even if you have to sit down to it."
"Yes, I've already told Captain Tanner I wanted one of those places at the north brook to-night. I don't intend to let you fellows do the work while I go and sleep. The women folks and the children are the only ones to take it easy."
"Even the women folks will have their hands full--loading for us--when the real attack begins. The first ten minutes are what counts. It was that way when the Indians attacked father's trading post. If we hadn't put it to 'em hot-like from the first minute we would never have beaten 'em back."
By the middle of the afternoon all that could be done was finished, and then Captain Tanner insisted upon it that the majority of the men and boys lie down to rest.
"You won't get any sleep to-night, so make the most of your time now," were his words. Then he climbed the tallest tree in that vicinity, to take a long and careful look around. But this survey brought nothing new to light.