Presently they heard a slight noise outside, that of light feet.
"They are going for a log with which to break the door in," whispered Henry.

"They won't have to look far.

The wood pile isn't fifty feet away." "An' then," said Shif'less Sol, "they won't have much left to do but to take the scalps of women an' little children." Every figure in the Standish house stiffened at the shiftless one's significant words, and the light in the eyes grew sterner.

Henry went to the door, put his ear to the line where it joined the wall, and listened.
"They've got their log," he said, "and in half a minute they'll rush it against the door." He came back to his old position.

Paul's heart began to thump, and his thumb fitted itself over the trigger of his cocked rifle.