He had done his full share of slaving.
It was all in vain.

Though standing in the midst of thick smoke, unseeing and unseen, he knew that most of his faithful men had fallen.
He was admonished of this by their less frequent responses to his cries of encouragement, telling him the struggle was close upon its termination.

No wonder his fury was fast giving place to despair.

But it was no craven fear, nor any thought of escape.

His determination not to be taken alive was strong as ever.
His hand still firmly clasped his bowie-knife, its blade dripping with the blood of more than one enemy; for into the body of more than one had he plunged it.