Quick as a flash he fired. There was a
terrible, unearthly cry, the hand slipped from the boat and the head sank
from view.
"Up! up! boys!" cried Sol in thunderous tones. "We're attacked by swimmin'
savages!"
He snatched up one of the double-barreled pistols and fired at another
head on the water. The others were awake in an instant and rose up, rifles
in hand. But they saw only a splash of blood on the stream that was gone
in a moment, then the thick, whitish fog closed in again, and after that
silence! But they knew Sol too well to doubt him, and the momentary red
splash would have converted even the ignorant.
"Lie low!" exclaimed Henry. "Everybody down behind the sides of the boat!
They may fire at any time!"
The boat was built of thick timber, through which no bullet of that time
could go, and they crouched down, merely peeping over the edges and
presenting scarcely any target. They had their own rifles and the extra
fowling pieces and pistols were made ready, also.
But nothing came from the great pall of whitish fog, and the silence was
chilly and heavy. It was the most uncanny thing in all Paul's experience.
Beyond a doubt they were surrounded by savage enemies, but from which side
they would come, and when, nobody could tell until they were at the very
side of the boat.
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