There, with a match in
his hand to light the blue-light, he awaited the signal.
It was a long time coming--so long that the pause grew painful, and
every one in the house longed for the bursting of the coming storm.
At last it came. A wild, long, savage yell from hundreds of throats
rose on the still night air, and, confident as they were in their
position, there was not one of the garrison but felt his blood grow
cold at the appalling ferocity of the cry. Simultaneously there was
a tremendous rush at the doors and windows, which tried the
strength of frame and bar. Then, as they stood firm, came a rain of
blows with hatchet and tomahawk.
Then came a momentary pause of astonishment. The weapons, instead
of splintering the wood, merely made deep dents, or glided off
harmlessly. Then the blows redoubled, and then a bright light
suddenly lit up the whole scene. As it did so, from every loophole
a stream of fire poured out, repeated again and again. The guns,
heavily loaded with buckshot, told with terrible effect upon the
crowded mass of Indians around the windows, and the discharge of
the four barrels from each of the three windows of the room at the
back of the house, by Fitzgerald, Lopez, and Terence, for awhile
cleared the assailants from that quarter.
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