Some rays of the sun penetrated the canopy of pines, and fell across the brown, determined faces and the lean brown hands that grasped the long, slender-barreled Kentucky rifles.

Another snake slipped from the ground into the black water and swam away.

Some water animal made a light splash as he, too, swam from the presence of these strange intruders.

Then they beard a sighing sound, as of a foot drawn from mud, and they knew that the Iroquois were approaching, savages in war, whatever they might be otherwise, and expecting an easy prey.

Five brown thumbs cocked their rifles, and five brown forefingers rested upon the triggers.