He had been thinking all along of the glory he should reap as the saviour of the little party, and now his whole plan was found to be worthless.

He slept little that night, and once Tom heard him quietly sobbing in his corner.
Creeping over to him Tom said: "Don't cry, Joe.

You did your best anyhow, and it isn't your fault that you don't know the way to the fort," and passing his arm around the poor black boy's neck he gently drew his head to his shoulder, where it rested while the two slept.
The next morning Judie was the first to wake, and she quietly waked Tom and Joe.
"Boys, boys," she cried in a whisper, "the Indians are all around us, there is a fight going on.

Get up quick, but don't make any noise." The little girl was right.

Rifles were cracking and Indians yelling all around their little habitation.