Matters grew daily more and more desperate.

The Indians seemed to be gathering from great distances, so as almost to surround the encampment.

If any small party wandered a mile, to examine their traps, they were pretty sure to find the traps stolen, and to be fired upon from ambush.

This state of affairs at length constrained them to quit the country.

Like an army, exposed hourly to an attack from its foes, this heroic band of fifty men commenced its march in military array, watching with an eagle eye, knowing not but that at any moment hundreds of strongly mounted, well-armed savages might come rushing down upon them.