Why, Gaines ought to be here himself, with a thousand regulars behind him." "Surely we can defend Armstrong," broke in a confident voice.

"The savages would have to attack in canoes." Hartley turned, and confronted the speaker.
"In canoes!" he exclaimed.

"Why, may I ask?
With three hundred men here in garrison, how many could we spare to patrol the island?
Not a corporal's guard, if we retained enough to prevent an open assault on the fort.

On any dark night they could land every warrior unknown to us.

The Hawk knows that." His voice had scarcely ceased when the boat whistle sounded hoarse from the landing below.