"The very thing! As you say, we can hold the
gorge for a month if necessary, and sooner or later they will be
sick of it, and agree to let us retreat in quiet. Besides, a week's
rest would set our horses up again, and then we could make our
retreat in spite of them."
"One more thing," the Raven said. "When great chief got little
White Bird safe, Tawaina go away--not fight one way, not fight
other way. When meet again, white chief not talk about to-night.
Not great Indian know Tawaina white chief's friend."
"You can rely upon us all, Tawaina. They shall never learn from us
of your share in this affair. And now I think that it is time for
us to be moving forward. It will be past ten o'clock before we are
there."
Very quietly the troop crept along, Tawaina leading the way, until
he approached closely to the village. Here they halted for a
moment.
"Only six of us will go in," Mr. Hardy said; "there will be less
chance of detection--Jamieson, Percy, Herries, my boys, and myself.
The others take post close to the hut we see ahead. If you find
that we are discovered, be in readiness to support us. And,
Farquhar, two or three of you get matches ready, and stick a blue
light into the straw roof of the hut. We must have light, or we
lose all the advantage of our firearms.
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