"Well now, George," said Aggie the next morning, as they stood near the partially burned wagon and watched Mr. Harwood and his young men, as they hastily endeavored to repair the damage that had been done, "I should think you never would smoke again in your life."  
"I didn't smoke last night," retorted George, "I only tried to, and to try to smoke and to do it are two very different things, I can tell you," and George grimaced most comically at the remembrance of some very extraordinary sensations he had experienced, both before and after the fire.
 
 
 
"If you don't believe me you can try it," he added, as Aggie looked at him thoughtfully.
 
"I wasn't thinking of what you were saying," she replied, "but of what a horrible death Guy saved you from."
 
"That's a fact," returned George, with much seriousness. "Guy ain't a bad sort after all!"
 
"Not a bit of a Guy Fawkes about him," commented Gus. "He don't believe in blowing up folks with gunpowder."
 
"Nor with words either," interrupted Aggie, "but who was Guy Fawkes, Gus?"
 
"Oh, a man put a lot of gunpowder in the cellar of the English House of Congress."
 
"Of Parliament," corrected George.
 
"Of Parliament, then, it means all the same thing, and he intended when the King and all the members of Parliament were in the house to set fire to the powder and blow them all up. But they found out the plot just in time, and Guy was hung up; or had his head chopped of, I forget which."
 
"Good for him" said George. "Hullo, here comes Guy, looking really frightened for once in his life! What is the matter, Guy?"
 
But Guy made him no answer, but hurried on to Mr. Harwood and whispered a few words in his ear.
 
"You don't say so!" he ejaculated with a startled look. "Whereabouts are they?"
 
"Back of the camp, sir. Mr. Graham says he thinks they are after the cattle and horses. But they are to far off for us to see them plainly, and it was some time before I could make Mr. Graham believe they were Indians at all."
 
 
"Indians!" exclaimed George and Gus, turning pale, and with out more ado, rushing from the spot, not only as they said "to tell mother," but to gain a place of safety.
 
"Take Aggie to the wagon," said Mr. Harwood hastily, though he could not help smiling at the precipitate flight of his boys. "Be as quick as you can, and bring me my telescope."
 
Guy did as he was bidden, but although so quickly that he did not even take time to say a few words of encouragement to Aggie. He found the telescope was little needed when he gave it into Mr. Harwood's hands. The Indians had drawn so close that their movements could be perfectly seen.
 
"At least thirty young braves!" said Mr. Harwood anxiously. "A party of horse thieves no doubt! We shall have trouble!"
 
"And all on account of this unfortunate delay!" exclaimed Mr. Graham. "We should have been on our way three hours ago, but for your son's carelessness."
 
"That is very true. Yet we should scarcely have escaped the quick eyes of these wild savages."
 
"We will try to save the oxen and horses from their hands at least!" cried a young man, turning to a group who had hastily armed themselves.
 
In an incredible short space of time they had made a circle of the wagons, and within this barricade they placed the cattle, and stationed themselves at regular distances without the wagons. Mr. Harwood and Mr. Graham stood beside the wagon in which all the ladies had congregated, and with quiet, though great anxiety, waited for the attack to be commenced. They had no idea that it could be avoided for all Mr. Harwood's signals, during the formation of the barricade had been totally disregarded, and the savages in all the hideousness of paint and warlike decorations were riding rapidly around the camp in a gradually decreasing circle.
 
"Guy, my boy, you had better go into our wagon," said Mr. Harwood, as Guy, with a favorite dog at his side, drew near to him. Guy looked him doubtfully a moment, and with visible reluctance proceeded to obey the direction which had been given him. Suddenly, however, he turned back and with an appealing look at Mr. Harwood said:
 
"I wish you would give me a gun, sir, and let me stay here."
 
"Do as you please," cried Mr. Harwood hastily, and Guy rushed to a wagon for the desired weapon, and back again to his place.
 
Just then the Indians made a feint of going away. They retired slowly a little way, then suddenly wheeled, and galloped back towards the camp, discharging a volley of arrows as they came.
 
Fortunately they injured no one, but the second fire was not so harmless, and was returned steadily by Mr. Harwood and his men from their rifles. But the Indians were too far off, and changed their positions too often to be affected by it.
 
The firing continued in this manner for fifteen minutes or more. Two of Mr. Harwood's men were seriously wounded, and obliged to retire to the wagons, and the others were eagerly speaking of dividing into two parties, one of which was to remain to guard the camp, while the other sallied out to drive off the Indians. It seemed a mad undertaking, as Mr. Harwood said, to divide so small a force, and they were spared the necessity of doing so by the savages themselves, who enraged at the death of one of their number, and confident of success, rode boldly up to the very sides of the wagons, and with showers of arrows, and brandishing their war-clubs, uttering at the same time the most dreadful yells, endeavored to overcome the white men and gain possession of the animals, that snorting and plunging with terror at the unusual rounds of shouting and firing were striving vainly to break their bounds. Terrible was the struggle that ensued. For a few minutes the shrieks of the women and children, the shouts of the white men, the yells of the Indians, the reports of fire-arms, and the indescribable noises made by the frightened animals filled the air.
 
Guy was almost stunned with the noise and bewildered by the confusion that prevailed. He never thought of firing his gun, and had no idea which party had the advantage, he, in fact, felt perfectly overwhelmed, not with fear, but horror, and quite regardless of his danger, remained an inactive spectator of the scene, unt............