The men lay down in their clothes, wrapping a buffalo robe about them for warmth.

In a few seconds all were aroused, strapping their blankets upon their shoulders and seizing their weapons.
"What have you heard, Charles, and where ?" asked Stark and Fritz in a breath as they ran up.
"Yonder, yonder!" cried Charles, pointing in a northwesterly direction; "it is a fight on the ice.

It is not far away.

The Indians are attacking white men--English men.

I hear their cries and their shoutings.