He said something else, but it was lost in the tremendous firing and yelling of the Indians, who were now only a score of yards away from the devoted rear guard that was doing its best to protect the flying and confused mass of soldiers.
Robert discharged his bullet at a brown face and then, as he walked backward, he tripped and fell over a root.

He sprang up at once, but in an instant a gigantic figure bounded out of the fire and smoke, and Tandakora, uttering a fierce shout of triumph, circled his tomahawk swiftly above his head, preparatory to the mortal blow.

But Tayoga, quick as lightning, hurled his pistol with all his might.

It struck the huge Ojibway on the head with such force that the tomahawk fell from his hand, and he staggered back into the smoke.
"Tayoga, again I thank you!" cried Robert.
"You will do the same for me," said the Onondaga, and then they too were lost in the smoke, as with the rear guard of Virginians they followed the retreating army.
Robert and his comrades, swept on in the press, crossed the river with the others and gained the farther shore unhurt.

Willet looked back at the woods, which still flamed with the hostile rifles, and shuddered.
"It's worse than anything of which I ever dreamed," he said.