The battle in the night began only a half hour later.
Paul first saw a pink point appear in the darkness, but he knew that it was the flame from a rifle shot.

It came from a place not far away, to which some Shawnee had crawled; but the hunters paid no attention to it, nor to a second, nor to a third, as all the bullets flew wild.

Paul, forgetting for the moment that those bullets were sent to kill, became engrossed in the spectacle of the fireworks.

He was always wondering where the next spurt of blue or pink flame would break through the darkness, and the popping of the shots formed a not unpleasant sound in the night.
"Comin' closer, comin' closer, Paul!" whispered Shif'less Sol.

"One o' them bullets flyin' in the dark may hit somethin' putty soon." Sol was a prophet.